Congrats! You are recently engaged and the moment you have been waiting for since you were little is finally here. The wedding planning begins and you quickly scan your Pinterest. You may go a little Pinterest crazy at first but that’s okay because you are getting married, yay! It’s amazing to be planning a wedding and it is a lot of fun..but it is also stressful at times. There are many struggles to wedding planning that TLC does not warn you about. Here are some struggles of planning a wedding.
1. You cannot invite everyone.
Most venues only allow a certain amount of people to fulfill the space which can really limit your guest list. Plus, the more people you invite the more expensive your wedding becomes. Quickly you realize that the huge guest list that you wanted has to decrease by a lot...a lot more than you expected. Then you run into someone you haven't seen in a while,and they congratulate you on your engagement, they ask you if they are invited and they aren't. People don't always understand that it is not because you don't want them there, but because you don't have $30,000 to spend on one day.
2. Buying a wedding dress is much different than you see on TV.
At least for me it was. I didn't have 15 people come with me and make mean comments about hating my dress and not being supportive. I took my mom shopping and it was perfectly fine, and all that was needed. I tried on about 15 dresses and found the one I loved. I did not have to spend thousands of dollars on a dress. I went to Alfred Angelo, and it was amazing. I highly recommend them to anyone! I didn't cry, but I knew it was the one for me. TV is overly dramatic and unrealistic.
3. DIY projects begin to sound like a pain.
Doing everything yourself sounds like a lot of fun until you actually have to do everything yourself. Something cute and simple can turn into hours and hours of your time to glue something together.
4. Food is how much per person?
Once you start doing research on caterers and food options, this is when it becomes stressful. Food is one of the most expensive parts of the wedding. You invite people from all over the place to come to your wedding and of course, you need to feed them. Each person becomes a set price, and yes little kids count as a whole person on your guest list. It's crazy how expensive it is for each person. If you have ever been to a wedding where you ate food, be thankful because they spent a lot of money for you to attend.
5. Everything is an extra cost.
There are a lot of really cool options for the venue, catering, and decorations. There are always a ton of different things you can add to the normal cost. You can add a photo booth, a baked potato bar, a dessert bar, and the list continues. Of course, you want it all at your wedding, but its an extra cost per person. This can add up quickly. Don't sweat the small stuff, you really don't need it all at your wedding.
6. The wedding isn’t just about the bride and groom.
You may think that the wedding is all about you, but you always have to keep everyone else in mind. It is nearly impossible to make everyone happy. There are things you want, and others may want the opposite. Just how you have certain expectations of your wedding, so does your family.
7. You begin to question certain wedding traditions.
Have you ever questioned why you need certain things at your wedding? If you haven't already, you probably will. For instance, why do you have to buy an isle runner? Isn't the clearly designated pathway the bride walks down good enough? Or is it necessary to wear a veil? You don't have to conform to all the traditions a wedding calls for, its okay to be different and change things up a bit.
8. Creating a registry is educational and challenging.
Who knew that there were so many options of plates and silverware? If you register at Bed, Bath, & Beyond you might become a little overwhelmed. They have a whole isle designated just for silverware. It can also be challenging when you and your fiance have two completely different tastes. For instance, I like lighter colors and my fiance likes everything black. Finding a compromise from literally black to white becomes complicated, just choose grey.
9. Literally, everything is expensive.
Food? Expensive. Venue? Expensive? Invitations? Expensive? You name it, it is all expensive. Christmas is cancelled this year, folks.
10. Asking for certain things can be awkward.
There are all these little rules that come from traditions that are hard when you want certain things. Like a bridal shower, every bride wants a bridal shower but no bride wants to plan it. This can become awkward when you don't know who to ask or you don't want to ask someone to do it. Lingerie parties are also super fun, but it can be a little awkward asking someone to host one for you.
11. The checklist never ends.
Just when you feel like you have accomplished a lot the list gets longer. There are a million things to accomplish when wedding planning. Buy a wedding planner, it will make your life a whole lot easier.
12. You may shed a tear or two.
Wedding planning can be really stressful but it is also extremely fun and rewarding. You may cry stress tears, sad tears, and happy tears. But it will all be worth it when your wedding day is perfect and you see your husband waiting for you at the alter.
