Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Burnout and stress have become part of colloquial language, especially in the past few years, but did you know that these concepts apply to wedding planning, as well as work and everyday responsibilities? It’s true - as you might know if you’re in the midst of wedding planning now, the amount of preparation, including everything from financial considerations to logistics, can be overwhelming. Are there ways that a chicago wedding planner or day of wedding coordinator in chicago can help manage wedding stress?
Absolutely! And we’ve put together a whole blog post to share our ideas! Grab a cup of tea, take a deep breath, and relax while you read about our top tips about avoiding burnout from the best wedding planners in chicago.
What is a wedding planner in Chicago, and what do they do? Great question! These professionals assist with all things weddings. Beginning with the brainstorming phase, in which your budget is created, your theme is selected, venues are visited, and vendors are contacted; to the design phase, when you’ll be choosing your outfits, making your guest list, selecting your vendors, and working through logistics; and all the way to the implementation phase - everything that happens the day-of; planners do the work of guides, assistants, and advisors throughout the entire process.
A planner can help you to prioritize the details that are most essential for your event. This tactic is important, as it helps you keep perspective and not take on additional work or worry. Working with a planner who you trust can be helpful to remove the stress that blossoms when you, for example, take on more DIY projects than you can handle, schedule too many appointments the day before your event, don’t know how to limit your guest count for your micro wedding package, and more.
With a planner by your side, you can take a deep breath of relief knowing that you have an advocate who can help you manage your timeline, make sure that all your payments and contracts with vendors are settled, and that your event will be as smooth as possible. Good planners will help you to not lose track of who you are and what you enjoy during the wedding planning process.
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Stress can show up in different ways for different people, and can be triggered by a variety of things. Life changes, like weddings, new jobs, and having a child, are common sources of stress. It’s important that we note that stress itself isn’t a bad thing - it spurs action and alerts us to threats - but when it affects us for long periods of time, or isn’t managed effectively, it can cause problems in the long run. It can impact your mental health, relationships, physical health, and more, and so we are big advocates for taking care to manage stress.
While wedding planners in Chicago can help to support you in the management of your wedding-related stress, more mental health support might be beneficial for you or your partner. We want to empower you to talk to a mental health professional if you feel your stress and overwhelm are uncontrollable, or learn more about mental health here. Everyone deserves support.
A common and significant source of stress and frustration for people at all stages of life - and especially couples preparing to get married - is finances. You might be wondering how much is a wedding coordinator - and while costs vary throughout the industry, one amazing thing is that working with a planner can actually save you money in the big picture. They do this by introducing you to vendors who offer special rates or packages, by offering advice on decisions like when and where you have your ceremony to save big, and so much more. In our perspectives, the support that planners provide is worth the average cost of wedding planner.
Practicing principles that reduce stress is just as important during your wedding planning process (and probably more) as it is at any other time of your life. Make sure you’re still making time for hobbies and interests. Whether you love gardening, drawing, reading, cooking, or needlepoint, set aside time for these things that bring you joy. We find that brides can sometimes lose their sense of self when preparing to walk down the aisle and become a wife, and holding fast to your identity as an individual can help.
Set appropriate expectations for yourself. While culture suggests that engagement is always supposed to be a time of exclusive happiness and joy and love, real life tells us otherwise. We are human, and it’s completely normal to feel the full range of human emotion (yes, even a bit of grief or a smidge of fear) during your engagement and wedding planning.
Along with the above, make sure you’re taking care of yourself with plenty of rest, nourishing meals, and movement. Going for a walk alone or with a friend, hopping on your bike, or doing some gentle yoga all get your body moving and can be helpful to work through stress and overwhelm.
A chicago day of wedding coordinator or full wedding planner can help you to implement these strategies and take some of the planning workload off your plate. If there are aspects of the wedding that are causing particular stress (such as in-laws, the bridal party, or anything else), your planner may be able to provide ideas, feedback, or even take on some of those management duties. They can help you set boundaries and delegate tasks, can help you stay organized, and are there to have your back, which is frequently its own source of comfort and relief.
We were so grateful to have worked with a Chicago wedding planner who truly cared about reducing our stress and helping us achieve our dream wedding. From the very beginning, our wedding planner suggested vendors who were within our budget without compromising on quality. This saved us so much time and money, and we felt confident in the vendors we chose.
One of the biggest sources of stress for us was communicating with vendors. Our wedding planner took care of all of that for us, which saved us an average of 1400+ emails exchange for a full planning service. This was such a relief and allowed us to focus on other aspects of the wedding planning process.
Another area where our wedding planner saved us time and stress was researching and recommending trusted vendors. On average, couples spend 400+ hours just to research and book their vendors without a planner. Our Chicago wedding planner was able to do all that work for us, and even helped us find unique ideas and designs that we would not have thought of on our own.
Most importantly, our wedding planner helped us produce a wedding that truly reflected our dreams. We had a vision for an all-white and bright wedding, but our venue had a lot of old and woody/dark elements. We were extremely stressed out about whether or not our vision would come to life. However, our wedding planner was able to elaborate on our vision, reach out to her trusted network of vendors, and deliver a stunning white wedding that exceeded our expectations. From covering the red and brown carpet in white, to draping all the dark wood walls and adding uplights, chandeliers, and mirrored top guest tables, our wedding planner truly brought our vision to life.
Overall, working with a Chicago wedding planner was the best decision we could have made for our wedding. We were able to reduce our stress and enjoy the planning process, knowing that we had a knowledgeable and supportive expert on our team.
"Planning a wedding with a guest list of over 200 people was a daunting task, and we were feeling overwhelmed with the planning process. We knew we needed help, and working with a wedding planner was the best decision we made.
Our wedding planner was able to help us break down our to-do list into manageable tasks, which made the planning process feel less daunting. She was able to provide us with guidance on everything from choosing vendors to designing our wedding invitations, which helped us stay on track and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Another area where our wedding planner was invaluable was in providing emotional support and reassurance throughout the planning process. She helped us stay positive and confident in our decisions, even when we were feeling stressed or unsure. This was especially important on the day of our wedding, when we were feeling a mix of excitement and nerves.
Overall, working with a Chicago wedding planner was the best decision we could have made for our wedding. We were able to enjoy the planning process and focus on what really mattered - getting married to the love of our lives. We would highly recommend a wedding planner to any couple planning their wedding, especially if they are feeling overwhelmed or stressed."
Like most wedding planners and day-of wedding coordinators in Chicago and around the country, our team at Bweddings is passionate about helping your planning process be as smooth as possible. We care about our couples and want to see them thrive, both during the planning stages and after the event has come to fruition.
Keeping stress levels in check and avoiding burnout is crucial to overall event success, and so we do everything we can to support couples. We help to set boundaries, establish timelines, take on tasks and delegate to others, manage communication, and so much more. We would be honored to assist with your event planning and invite you to reach out today for a consultation.
