The Wedding Planner Bride

Happy Friday friends!!

I decided to go a little rogue on what I originally had planned for today’s blog post because I need to take a hot second and just be real. Planning my wedding has been hard! Despite the countless weddings I’ve put together for other people, planning my own has been a challenge.

I’ve talked about it before and I’ll talk about it again, ‘Boss Lady Decision Fatigue’ is no joke. I put so much love and energy into making decisions for my clients all day that when I sit down to make decisions for myself, I’m over it. I’ve put off working on my own wedding because at the end of the day I’m wiped from pouring my heart and soul into my work for other people and frankly I don't want to make any more plans! So I put it off, and then I put it off a little bit more and now we’re here 2 weeks away, shopping for a wedding dress (that’s a story for another time).

One of the best qualities of a successful wedding planner is being able to detach emotionally from the planning process. This is an INCREDIBLY emotional experience for any bride and when they hire a wedding planner they need someone who can make decisions from a third party view and give them the best advice from the outside looking in. 

My end result with weddings is simple: get a happy bride down the aisle on the big day! No matter what I have to do, no matter how much stress I have to put on myself, the bride has to be happy in that final moment. But in my case, I’m the bride AND the wedding planner and trying to make myself happy while also taking on the stress of planning is A LOT.

Not kidding, this week one of my super sweet, full service couples and I were having a heartbreaking time making some of their logistics work with their wedding date. So what did we do? We decided to move the date! My bride called me at noon almost in tears saying she was coming over right then to talk about how we could make this change work. By the time she arrived, my assistant and I had already planned her wedding for the new date. We spent those 45 minutes calling and texting every single vendor until they answered, working wedding magic, and finding solutions. 

The key to making that happen so effortlessly? (I use that word loosely) I was able to remove myself emotionally from the situation, and just handle it. I could look at the big picture, organize, and execute. But I’m struggling to do this for myself because everything is personal for me! This is MY wedding, MY memories, and MY family. I have found myself saying out loud “what would I do if I was my own client right now” because I have to step out and look in. I never want to look back at such a big day in my life and have regrets because I didn't make myself a priority. 

The most crucial part of my job as a wedding planner is making my brides FEEL like brides. I want them to feel like they’re being taken care of. I want them to feel special. I also LOVE being the person to make them feel that way! But, I’m having a tough time feeling that way myself. My wires keep getting crossed and I can’t seem to find the perfect balance between being my own wedding planner and being the bride.

I don't know how much advice I have on this subject because if I knew how to make it easier, I would do it! I can tell you that you need to surround yourself with a good team. You need people who are going to make you clear your day and be the bride. This week my assistant and I spent an entire afternoon on all things wedding and I actually started to feel like a bride! It’s okay to take a day and focus on yourself. This is a monumental life event and you deserve to feel like a bride too!