After couples get engaged, they’re super excited to get started on planning their dream wedding. Once the actual planning process begins, though, they quickly realize that it isn’t all fun and games. In fact, planning a wedding can be extremely stressful, to the point that couples consider eloping instead. And it can certainly put a strain on your relationship, too. So, how can you go about dealing with the stress of planning such a big event together? Check out the tips below for some guidance.

Give Yourself Time to Plan

If you can, give yourself plenty of time to plan your wedding. Just because you got engaged, doesn’t mean that you have to get married in a year. If you need to take a couple of years to plan the big day, and to actually enjoy the time that you’re engaged, go for it. Doing so will give you the opportunity to tackle one project at a time, and it also gives you more time to save up for the major cost of a wedding. This simple strategy can help reduce your wedding planning stress.  

Use Helpful Resources

Because there are so many little details to think about, and so many separate aspects of your big event that you need to plan, from your photographer to your venue and your guest list, using a helpful resource is also invaluable. Online tools can help you find local vendors, as well as plan out your to-do list over the course of months to a year so that you will know exactly what needs to be done and when.

Do It Together

A lot of couples get frazzled while wedding planning because they aren’t working together on it. For example, a future bride will often be left with the task of sorting through all of the details on their own, while the soon-to-be groom relaxes or focuses solely on himself and his career. As you can imagine, this can cause a lot of strain in a relationship, so it’s wise to share the responsibilities of planning the event. Send each other ideas, look for vendors online together, attend every meeting together, and, most importantly, try to make it as fun as possible along the way.

Always Communicate

The foundation to any solid relationship is open communication. So, when you start to feel the stress of wedding planning, be honest about it with your partner. Let them know how you’re feeling, as well as what they can do to help. Come up with solutions together while remaining calm and understanding. If necessary, take a break from planning so that you can focus on each other for a bit and remember why you’re getting married in the first place. 

Hopefully, by using the tips above, you will be able to enjoy the experience of planning your big day with your significant other. Don’t let this special time cause a lot of stress and fighting. Instead, make it a time during which you can do something together, and make it a day that will represent who you are as a couple.