Planning a wedding isn’t all roses. While it can be very fun and exciting to be piecing together your special day, it can also be stressful and overwhelming.
We recently took a poll to find out what aspects of wedding planning are the most frustrating.
We present the top five frustrations couples deal with when wedding planning in hopes that if you are armed with this knowledge you will be able to see them coming your way and find methods of tackling them without pulling your hair out.
1. Budget Constraints
Managing and sticking to a budget is one of the most significant challenges for many couples.
Weddings can be expensive, and finding ways to prioritize expenses while keeping costs under control can be stressful.
We’ve heard horror stories of couples maxing out credit cards in order to pay for things they really can’t afford and don’t really need.
When expectations and dreams don’t match the budget, you’ve got one of two choices: scale back or take on debt.
Most would agree that exorbitant credit card debt is not a good way to start a marriage.
Money is one of the top things that couples fight about, especially when things get tight.
Just don’t go there. If you can’t afford it, we urge you to consider a cheaper alternative.
2. Guest List and Seating Arrangements
Creating a guest list and figuring out who to invite, especially when there are limited spaces, can be a source of tension.
Your guest list can balloon in a hurry if you aren’t careful. Think about it; every person you choose to invite ought to also have a plus one.
So for every chummy coworker or old college buddy you choose to add, you’re really adding two people. The frustrating part comes when you have to make cuts.
Chopping down the list is hard and can produce some pretty stressful arguments. When you and your fiance start treating your friends and family like trading cards, things can get ugly.
Additionally, arranging seating for guests can be tricky. Seating charts often involves various factors such as relationships, preferences, and other touchy dynamics.
Table sizes and the number of chairs at a table can also be limiting. This frustration is hard to really get your head around until you have to do it yourself.
Our top tip is to assign everyone a table but not a specific seat. Guests like to be told which table to sit at, but they don’t want to be told what seat to sit in.
Save yourself serious time by not trying to figure out the seating specifics of every single guest. If they don’t like where you put them, they’ll just move anyway.
3. Vendor Selection
Choosing and coordinating with various vendors can be challenging.
Finding caterers, photographers, florists, bakers and more is a lot of work and has the potential for a lot of hiccups.
It’s not unheard of for couples to have to settle for their fifth or sixth choice of any particular vendor because the first batch weren’t available or were charging too much.
It’s also possible that you’ve got to weed out ones that just don’t align with your vision.
Oftentimes, you’ll have the best luck choosing vendors that have come highly recommended by other vendors you’ve already secured.
People in the wedding industry know pretty much everyone else in the industry.
If they suggest someone, it’s probably because they’ve worked well together in the past. If that’s the case, it’ll be beneficial for you to follow their recommendations.
4. Family and Cultural Expectations
For many couples, balancing the desires and expectations of both of their families, especially if they have different cultural or religious backgrounds from each other, can be very frustrating.
Anytime there’s a difference of opinions, you’re bound to have some drama.
Facing pressure to conform to traditions can cause some tears.
When it’s always been done a certain way, but the couples’ vision is new and different, an older generation might feel insulted, disrespected or worse.
Sure you’ve been dreaming about your wedding since you were little, but chances are one of your older family members has had their own dreams for your wedding that began before you were even born!
Think about that for a second and maybe you’ll start considering an elopement in Vegas a little more seriously.
5. Time Management and Stress
It’s no surprise that this final listing on our list of five frustrations couples deal with when wedding planning is all-encompassing.
In fact, it was the top answer in our poll registering at a whopping 37.5%.
Wedding planning can be time-consuming and stressful.
Couples often juggle wedding planning with their daily lives and work, leading to feelings of overwhelm and exhaustion.
Thankfully, the people who work in the wedding industry understand. We make ourselves available via your preferred method of communication.
We know what you are going through and are happy to speak with you in the evenings or on weekends, when it’s more convenient for you.
Can you imagine if we only answered the phone during bank hours?
Affordable Stress-Free Solutions
All of these frustrations can be easily overcome by choosing Cactus Collective Weddings for your micro wedding or elopement.
We take care of just about everything that causes couples frustrations and would be happy to help you.
Get in touch with us today if you want to wipe out the stress of wedding planning with affordable solutions and a fun, reliable team of wedding professionals.
