Simplify Your Wedding Planning

If you’ve ever planned a wedding yourself, you know this fact intimately: Wedding planning can easily snowball into a massive headache. Even if you promise yourself you’re going to simplify things and throw a straightforward wedding without all the excessive pomp most people have come to expect, things can get out of control quickly.

To truly simplify your wedding, keep things limited on all fronts. Don’t force your bridal party to select certain color shoes or a specific dress. (Or be truly maverick and go without a bridal party altogether).

Limit options for guests. No one will be disappointed if you don’t offer them eight flavors of cupcake, nine types of specialty cocktail or 12 different kinds of wine and beer. Stick to one red and one white wine. Ask your caterer to provide one specialty cocktail, perhaps a seasonal fruit juice that can be combined with Champagne or consumed straight for those who aren’t drinkers. Offer a bitter beer like a pale ale and a lighter lager.

Look for things you can do without, whether they’re activities for kids, elaborate centerpieces or wedding favors. Hire as few companies as possible; if your venue doesn’t provide furniture and food, hire a caterer that cleans and look for a rental company that has everything else you’ll need.

Overall, learn to say no. By paring things down, you’ll be exponentially happier before and during the wedding.