Life is stressful enough! Between work, remembering your college best friend’s dog’s Zoom birthday, trying to fit in that home workout, and calling mom, thinking about a casual global pandemic, we get ZONKED! Then, BOOM! You’re engaged. You have no extra room for stress in your day-to-day. But don’t worry, we are here to share our favorite tips and reminders on keeping wedding planning stress free. Grab a latte, put your feet up and read on!

1. Keep your focus on the big picture. When you feel yourself getting anxious, stop and remember why you are planning this celebration in the first place. Let your mind wander back to your first date. Breathe deeply. Escape to the moment you first held hands, when you knew it was love, the first kiss. Recall your love story. This big day is all because you fell in love, first and foremost.

2. Take a day off from planning, a week if you can swing it. Here are the rules: No wedding talk, errands and phone-calls involving wedding plans are off-limits. Step away and recharge. Give yourself permission to relax. Get outside and soak up some sunshine. Pick up takeout from your favorite local eatery and put on that movie that still makes you laugh even though you’ve seen it a hundred times. Whip out Monopoly! Okay…maybe not Monopoly, but you get our drift. Whatever fills you up, do it. You will come back re-energized and more at peace, we guarantee it.

5. Communicate. With your planner, your family, your friends, your fiancé. Let them know exactly what you want. If something is important to you, say it! Be clear with what you have in mind, and double check they understand. If you really want the flowers a certain way, communicate that with your florist. If you would absolutely die if your DJ played a certain song, tell him or her. Keep everyone in the know so they don’t have to guess. They will be appreciative and you will get just what you want!

Happy stress-free planning!

xo

Team WINK!

Whether you want to get into better shape or make a better effort to stay in touch with friends, every 2019 resolution can work for your wedding too! (But you have to make sure it sees the light of February!)

1. I will take better care of my body!

We’ve all made this resolution. Some of us make it on a yearly basis. (Guilty as charged!) But this one can go a long way for your big day too! Whether it’s swapping out the diet coke for a bottle of water, or adding extra days to your gym schedule, if it benefits your body it will benefit your day. Glowing skin, toned arms, or simply being well rested can make you feel ten times better on your wedding day! Don’t hold back! Don’t be afraid to push a little harder, get a little stronger and become your best self as you start the biggest journey of your life!

In a day and age so reliant on social media, it’s easy to take genuine communication for granted. But personal phone calls, invitations, dinner parties and thank you notes mean so much more than that Instagram picture of your lunch last Thursday. (It’s okay, I’m guilty too. But that salad was REALLY good!) The great news is you can keep this resolution and kick your wedding planning into high gear. Ask the bridesmaids out for coffee to discuss dress options, write to your aunt to thank her for that engagement gift, and keep family in the loop about how they can be involved in the wedding planning! You will be thankful for the help, and they will be pleased as punch to be involved. A bonus points if you use that holiday card mailing list as a starting point for your guest list and sending out save the dates!

Oh boy, this can be tricky! Whether it’s exciting news you have to share or just needing a good old fashioned rant, it’s time to think twice before hitting that “post” button. When it comes to wedding planning, it’s best to keep the sharing to a minimum. If you think about it, chances are all 1100+ of your Facebook friends aren’t invited to your big day. And while a fair number of them might want to know the details of your planning process, you don’t want to risk offending them by making them feel involved but not included. Consider making a friends list that’s only the folks on your guest list. When you post something wedding related, share it only with that group. That way, you can share exciting planning news with the right people and you avoid the risk of making others feel excluded. But always follow the cardinal rule: Never vent about the family, fiance, bridesmaids or groomsmen. Some thoughts are best left off that Facebook timeline.

It’s two days before your wedding and the forecast calls for rain. Rather than feeling like your day is ruined, embrace it. Buy those adorable rain boots. Find a cute umbrella that matches your bridesmaid’s dresses and make the most of it! You and your planner have done all you can to ensure that this day will be amazing, and everyone will do their best to keep it that way. But sometimes, you just have to give in to the fact that the universe has other plans. Trust in the professionals you have hired and go with the flow. You will be so happy that you did!

No matter what happens, whether it’s rain, snow, or no shows, remember that this day is, above all else, about your commitment to love. You two are saying yes to forever. That is a bond that can weather any storm, and certainly any kind of hiccup that wedding planning can throw your way.

Congratulations to all of our 2019 couples! This year is your year and the start of an amazing adventure!

XOXO
Elizabeth