Recently one of my brides phoned me whispering “Hi, Kathy can you hear me?” Curious to why she was whispering I replied, “Yes, why?,” and of course now I’m whispering.
She said, “I’m at work and I have to whisper, sorry. I don’t want anyone to hear me. I handle all of my wedding planning between 9 & 5 so Nick and I could have ‘our’ time. I promised him I wouldn’t do all the wedding talk & tasks every night. 
Anyways I wanted to know…” Her answered inspired me to write today’s blog.
First of, all how cute is she?! She does her planning during their ‘off’ time so they could spend quality time together. This Wedding Carnivals Bride knows how to live in the moment. By no means am I encouraging anyone to plan their wedding while on the job, however I do like the fact that they have time set aside for them and separate time for discussing/planning the big day.
We’ve heard of brides that talk about their wedding 24/7 . Sure there’s lots to do and we know how exciting this time is. Trust us we know, we’re super excited for you. But ladies don’t lose sight of the overall picture, your relationship. At times, and we’ve all been guilty of this, we are so excited about what’s happening in our own lives that we forget that our friends, family, co-workers and most importantly our future hubby needs our attention too.
While women are infamous for multi-tasking, it is important you get organized if you haven’t done so already. Make sure you set time aside not only for planning the wedding, but time with your hubby, family, girlfriends and most importantly YOU! Taking personal time will help from getting overwhelm, stressed and burnt out.
Your time as a bride is so precious, don’t waste it.
Here are some tips I wanted to share to make the planning a bit more fun and less stressful:
Get a binder! Although this may not be considered fun it will keep you organized. The binder could be a regular 3 ring binder from any office supplies store or a bridal binder. Make sure it has dividers with tabs, folders, a calendar, checklist and even a business card holder. This will help you keep your things in order, dates on track and bridal necessities in one place. Take it with you everywhere; you never know when you may bump into something bridal. Eventually it also becomes a sweet keepsake. Again, I cannot emphasize how important it is to be organized, this is key.
Vendor visiting, make it a date! Most couples visit vendors together, so why not make it a date? Plan a little surprise date with your fiancé ahead of time. Some ideas: have a picnic at your possible reception site, call ahead a kindly ask if they will allow it. Visiting a limo service?, test their services. Try planning a date to a local restaurant on a weekday when they are least busy, ask if you can arrange pick up and drop off services in a smaller vehicle like a town car. Let the limo company know you want to sample their services before your big day. Be creative and really make the planning a fun experience that your fiancé will enjoy.Headed to the florist, take your mom or maid of honor with you. Ask the florist if you could get a sample bouquet if you contract them. Give the bouquet to that special lady in your life, and thank them for all the support.
Time management. Recently I started to think, how many brides are doing more planning than working? If this is you please, make sure you do not fall behind on your work, especially deadlines. The amount of mental energy required to planning a wedding is pretty high for some but your job requires your full attention. Try to balance home life, work life and the wedding planning. We understand it may be challenging and overwhelming, ask for help when needed. Remember you do not have to have to do everything at once or by yourself. That’s what your bridesmaids are for. Bond with them, have them help you stuff envelopes, DIY activities, and seating charts. While doing these activities you could really bond and make special memories.
Don’t wait for the last minute. Referring back to the checklist, these are designed to help you. Make sure you use one, and make sure you stick to it. Utilizing a wedding checklist can help you stay on track month by month. You will should know exactly what needs to be done. Designate one day a week and a few hours for wedding planning this way you don’t fall behind.
Pamper yourself. Don’t forget to treat yourself to some relaxing time. Whether its coffee with your girls, a workout, a pedi & mani with mom/BFF, or just a nice warm bath these are all things that can help keep you relax. Do whatever it is you would normally do to relax, don’t stop your regular routine. And most importantly don’t forget about your fiancé.
These are just a few suggestions, this list could go on and on, but I want to keep it somewhat short. Happy planning and please try not to over stress, this is a blissful and exciting time for both you and your fiance. 
Wedding Carnivals 
