How to Plan a Wedding While Adulting

You pay bills, clean house, have dog children, do yoga… you’re not busy, right?

Since…

you have free time

let add more things!

What if we added the seemingly indefinite task of planning your wedding. Congratulations, you have reached the stage of pulling your hair out accompanied by uncontrollable yawning.

This new milestone is the largest dinner party you will ever host (no pressure). You are going to entertain and feed at least two clans and two sets of friends. Trust us, this is no easy affair.

learnhow to plan a wedding with limited time

• how to keep your day on schedule
• handle any complications
• while still making sure you enjoy it

If you’re a 9-5 person, you may be wondering how this will all be possible? Face it, you are more than likely in full-time employment. Taking on the tasks related to your wedding will feel like your second job!

You need the right game plan and some creativity. This way you can ace planning even with your traditional 9-5 gig.

Make Adjustments to Your Schedule

When you have picked a date for your nuptials, talk to your partner, grab a calendar, and work backward from your special day. Mark the dates of key deadlines you need to watch out for. Having a binder with important notes and contracts will help you manage your schedule.

before organizing your wedding, it’s best to organize yourself first

If you prefer doing things digitally, you can do so. You may find Trello or Asana very helpful in keeping up with due dates and vendor meetings.

Also, set notifications to remind you of any important tasks, like when you need to give your caterer the final headcount or when you need to meet with your photographer for a prenuptial photoshoot. Part of being organized is communicating effectively with vendors.

Focus on the Most Important Tasks

Since you’re working for a limited time, we recommend you prioritize tasks that impact your wedding the most. For instance, if you’re not keen on renting wedding flowers, find an outdoor venue with beautiful natural flora. Doing so will save you time and effort in working with flowers. You can also browse DIY centerpiece ideas.

concentrate on the things you care about (delegate the rest)

Another alternative is to rent DIY uplighting and accent your venue. This will make a striking impression without flexing your decoration muscles too much.

If you aren’t a big fan of wedding cakes, you can go for doughnuts or cupcakes instead. The idea is for you to zero in on elements that will either make or break your wedding and worry less about minor details.

Get Some Help

You can achieve the wedding you have always wanted even without losing your sanity or suffering a lack of sleep. Hiring a professional wedding planner or wedding coordinator will take tasks off your plate.

Include family members & friends on your team. You have limited time each day to plan. Having a few extra hands will make sure things go as planned.

encourage people to join your team

However, merely adding people to your team doesn’t magically make things work. You also have to give everyone a clear job description. Delegate tasks so every member understands what is expected of them.

This is one of the many commonly left-out wedding details. Create a wedding checklist, designate specific tasks to specific team members & create deadlines so that they have a target to achieve.

Do Your Research at Home

You can save a lot of time by doing your homework in the comfort of your home. Tasks like emailing venue interview questions or finding potential photographers can be done online.

read online reviews to get an idea of what to expect from certain professionals

All you need is a smartphone or laptop to start searching! Visit wedding websites & Facebook pages. Find out what companies have to offer. Doing these things at home allows you to save time on driving to meet vendors.

Determine Things You Should Not DIY

We understand if you want to save some money and do things on your own, but some wedding elements are best entrusted to professionals. For example, you may have friends who have a couple of hours of photography lessons on YouTube under their belt. They might offer to shoot your wedding.

unless you are on a super tight budget, hire a professional photographer instead

Photography is an essential element because it makes your wedding immortal. Photos, including fun snaps in a photo booth, allow you to relive your memories, from the exciting morning preparations to the ceremony & reception. These moments tell a beautiful story of your wedding.

We suggest you assign this important task to someone who has the right tools, skills & experience to properly do the job. We would offer the same advice in terms of your catering, makeup, wedding cake, music, etc.

Some tasks are best left entrusted to professionals. Learn about the pros & cons of DIY weddings.

Make the Most of Downtime

Perhaps the busiest period of your planning process is the last 30 days leading up to your wedding. During this time, you will be meeting with different professionals who will work on your big day.

So, whenever possible, try to allot a few minutes of your lunch hour to check emails or set appointments. These little tasks done during your downtime can be very helpful in maximizing available moments.

Take Care of Yourself

Because of your busy schedule, you may not realize you have not been taking care of yourself. So find ways to unwind and de-stress.

You want to look AND feel your best on your special day. Even simple activities like a walk in the park or listening to some calming music can go a long way in maintaining your wellness.

staying healthy should be your top priority

One effect strategy could be to reward yourself every time you complete a wedding-related task. It could be physical activity, date night, favorite food, or binge-watching your favorite show.

You Can Do It

Yes, it is possible to plan a frickin fabulous wedding with a full-time job. We agree that wedding planning while keeping your 9-5 job is not easy. It all boils down to your time management skills.

what was the most difficult thing to multi-task while planning your wedding, tell us in the comments below

Hopefully, with our tips, you can not only manage  but thrive in your wedding planning endeavors. Most importantly have fun on your big day and don’t lose sleep before it!