How to stop procrastinating in your wedding priority preparations
Today I wanted to share with you the 15 tasks you tend to procrastinate on during your wedding preparations. Think of it as a light ass-kicking! The goal for me is to explain to you why you always put off the deadline of these tasks and to give you back motivation and energy to validate them. The problem when you start organizing your wedding is that you quickly realize that there are so many things to do.
So we attack the actions that make us want to, the most pleasure and we say to ourselves that we will have time to see the rest later. The result is without appeal: the order and the chronology which contributes to the good progress of the preparations is not respected any more. And in the end, all that’s left are boring, repetitive, time-consuming tasks or large purchases. This is the moment when you start to lose motivation and you no longer find pleasure in the preparations.
I reassure you right away, it is natural to function this way. Since you are in the euphoria of getting started, you don’t want to let the excitement fade by plunging into less fun tasks! However, all of these actions that you tend to procrastinate on are pivotal in the progress of your wedding preparations. They all contribute to the success of your big day.
The search for providers and the numerous reminders
I know that the search for providers is often far from what you had imagined. You are faced with dozens of choices to make: Venue, caterer, photographer, florist, DJ, videographer, pastry chef, wedding planner, babysitter, car rental, etc. You are waiting for answers from them, you probably haven’t received the quote yet, you are waiting for the appointment to meet them or you simply can’t decide. The search for and validation of service providers is essential to advance in your preparations. Since they are the actors of the coordination of your D-day. You are 220 000 to get married every year in France, so don’t waste time to find the best wedding providers. And you will feel much more serene.
The administration
This is probably the least fun part of organizing your wedding. It is also the least fun part of our daily life. But the wedding also means filling out papers to be united in the eyes of the law. I invite you to take care of it for a whole day. In business, this is called “batching”, which means taking care of all the tasks in the same category at once. It’s very efficient, and it allows you to finish quickly the boring tasks. In addition, you will feel a real sense of satisfaction and progress. So, as of now, complete the civil marriage file for the publication of the banns, the documents for the notary, the choice of one of the matrimonial regimes, and the subscription to a marriage insurance if you wish to have one.
Without the paperwork, you cannot get married.
The guest list and invitations
You’re probably still wondering if you should invite that person but your list is already full. Remember, the clock is ticking and until you finalize your guest list, you can’t send out the invitations. I know how hard it is to make choices and even sort out your guests. That’s why it’s important to set a maximum number of guests well before you start your list. This number will determine the size and type of venue to look for later on. I invite you to consult the article that will help you draw up your guest list as efficiently as possible. Leave yourself an afternoon to think about it one last time and validate to start the invitations.
Without guests, you can get married but do you really want to?
The choice of the wedding dress
For some, it’s a matter of course, for others it becomes an ordeal. I know how crucial this choice is for most of us. But, as the weeks go by, you need to keep in mind that you will need time to redo the fittings, and plan the alterations. At some point, you can’t keep going to all the dress stores in the area. Very often, you continue your search for the perfect dress. I invite you to see things differently. If you can’t find that perfect dress, isn’t it because you have a slight lack of self-confidence? Because you can’t see yourself objectively? Always take the same person you trust to your fittings. Remember that the perfect dress does not exist, it becomes perfect when you wear it on the big day.
Without a dress, you are not going to get married in jeans?
Pay your suppliers and big purchases
Many of you procrastinate the most important payments of your wedding preparations. So you wait until the last moment, the last possible deadline, as if your suppliers will forget that you owe them money. I know how painful it is financially to come up with large sums of money for an event that hasn’t happened yet. But once you’ve paid the first deposit, you’ll have to pay the rest at some point. Paying your service providers on time gives them confidence, and the professional will be more likely to be enthusiastic and motivated for his service. Concerning the other big purchases such as decoration or flowers, if you have established a coherent and clear budget from the beginning, why not take action?
You will need them to make your reception look great on the big day, and you want to make sure you get everything you want in time.
Guest Accommodations
If your guests are coming from far away, you will of course need to plan for accommodations. And as soon as possible! Once you’ve booked the reception venue, start looking around for accommodations without delay. The accommodations will not wait quietly blocking all the rooms for your guests. The earlier you communicate to your guests, the better. Make a list of hotels, B&Bs, Airbnb, guesthouses, campgrounds near the reception area with price ranges, links to book, a map etc… Usually, your guests book their own accommodation so they can choose according to their budget.
And no, it is not the bride and groom who have to pay for the rooms for their guests.
The choice of the decoration
I know you have 1500 ideas a minute. You have probably already changed your wedding inspirations several times and you can’t decide. So you start to procrastinate the moment to choose definitively and move forward in the rest of your wedding preparations. That’s why it’s essential when looking for inspiration to create a guideline. If your ideas are categorized and well organized you will be able to make your final choices more easily. The purpose of the guideline is to create your wedding moodboard. Through this tool, you and your suppliers should be able to get a feel for your wedding theme.
This is how you will have a consistent mood in your wedding and can guide your decorating choices.
The ball opening and the song
This is the moment when all eyes are on you, to contemplate your love. Through the song you have chosen and the dance that goes with it. This is an important and memorable moment of the wedding, but you must not procrastinate during your wedding preparations. You must have time to soak in the song and rehearse the dance for the ball opening. Don’t set the bar too high by looking for the right music and a dance that is too complicated. Simply choose a song that suits you and take the time to rehearse in the weeks before the wedding.
On the big day, you’ll be completely in your own bubble by then.
DIY weddings
If you want to make your own decorations that’s great. But remember that homemade also means time to create. And once again, I suggest you take care of it all at once. Not necessarily in one day but maybe in a weekend or a week. First of all, it will allow you to avoid bringing out all the necessary material for weeks. Moreover, you can imagine a whole day where you ask little hands to help you. Put on some music or a good show at the same time and stay focused on your DIY.
With one goal: to finish them as soon as possible.
Write your speech or texts
I know that writing speeches or ceremony texts is not everyone’s talent. You can’t become a Baudelaire on your wedding day. You tend to procrastinate writing because of a lack of inspiration or a quest for perfection. However, on the big day, it’s not the words you choose that will be important. It will simply be the symbolism of saying them out loud. My advice is to write down a draft of what is on your mind. What you absolutely want to say to your partner and guests. Be brief, sincere and concise. Go back to it from time to time and refine it by arranging some sentences and adding others. As soon as you think of something, write it down in your phone.
And especially if you feel a glimmer of inspiration, sit down and take the time to exploit it.
Guest gifts
You don’t want to use the traditional wedding favors? You may be looking for the guest gift that will make a splash and please everyone. In any case, know that your guests do not come to the wedding to get a gift. And they won’t be offended by whatever you choose. To move forward in this stage of the preparations, I invite you to take stock of what you particularly like. Also, try to choose a guest gift that looks like you, that comes from the region of the wedding or that you can personalize.
The guest gift remains a tradition, it is symbolic for you but your guests will always be delighted.
The table plan
This is the task you tend to procrastinate on the most for your wedding preparations. The seating chart is often considered a real headache for the bride and groom. In reality, it can be really fun to prepare. The most important thing is to have made the necessary follow-ups to get all the confirmations from the guests. Once this is the case, start with the head table, it is the simplest. Then, go on with the parents’ table, the children’s table, then the family table and finally the friends’ table. The goal is to have a clear idea of the positioning of the guests, the tables and the room. Even if you will inevitably have to make changes even at the last minute, at least the base is built.
And, don’t panic, on the big day everyone will find their place.
The little details
What I call the little details are all the micro-tasks that fit into a big task. They are similar to small purchases, emails, documents to print, confirmations to send etc.. And all these small details will be important on the big day. Whether it is the small decoration, the games, the animations, the box for the wedding rings, the guest book, the fund you will have to stick to it. All these tasks usually take little time, it’s the thinking that is long. My advice is to write them down as you go along and then group them by category. Once you’ve done that, you’ll have blocks of time to take care of all the little tasks in a category.
Success is in the details
Preparing for D-Day
You can prepare for 10 months, 1 year or 2 years, but if you don’t prepare for the big day, you will stress. The preparation of the D-day represents all the coordination of the events, the providers, the bride and groom and the guests. This preparation must be defined minute by minute. On the D-Day you just have to enjoy, so if you plan in advance you will feel more serene. How to prepare the D-day? Gather the important documents, inform and confirm the providers, designate the people who are going to help you by telling them what to do and when to do it. Your goal is to ensure good communication and understanding from all 3 actors: providers, bride and groom and guests.
Write down all the things you will need on the big day.
His motivation
I know that the current context has slowed you down in your wedding preparations. With the obligation to postpone the wedding date or the uncertainty of being able to get married. So, for some of you it’s been several weeks that it’s a total stop. But it’s by getting back into it that you’ll be able to find your motivation. I am convinced that the hardest part is behind us. Take the time to restart your preparations little by little by setting up weekly routines. Give yourself one or two days a week to get organized.
Are you still planning to get married anyway? Then do yourself a favor and go for it!
I hope this article will help you stop procrastinating on your wedding preparations. I hope this article will help you to stop procrastinating on your wedding preparations, because planning your wedding should be a source of pleasure and not a task to be accomplished absolutely.
