Let’s be real—wedding planning can feel stressful. Between outside opinions, endless decisions, and the pressure to make everything “perfect,” it’s easy to forget what this day is really about.

But here’s the thing: your wedding should feel like YOU. It’s not about impressing people or meeting expectations. It’s about celebrating your love in a way that feels authentic and exciting.

So, if the stress is creeping in, take a deep breath. Here are five ways to reduce wedding planning stress and actually enjoy the process.

1. Be True to Yourself

This is your wedding. Not your parents’, not your friends’, not Instagram’s. It can be tough to block out opinions (especially from family), but at the end of the day, the happiest weddings are the ones that reflect the couple—not everyone else.

Social media is great for inspo, but don’t get so caught up in trends that you forget what you actually want. Do you love the idea of a small, intimate elopement? Or a big, wild celebration? Do you care about elaborate decor, or would you rather invest in an epic videographer to capture the memories?

If you start feeling overwhelmed by expectations, step back and ask yourself: Does this feel right for us? If the answer is no, it’s not worth the stress.

2. Use AI to Make Your Life Easier

Yep, AI is here, and instead of fearing it—use it to your advantage! Wedding planning comes with a million little details, and AI can help streamline a lot of them.

Need help finding vendors? AI-powered platforms like Bridebook, Hitched, and For Better For Worse match you with suppliers based on your budget, style, and location—saving you hours of research. Some of these tools even recommend venues and create checklists tailored to your timeline.

Struggling to make big decisions? ChatGPT can help you brainstorm wedding themes, draft emails to vendors, or even create a detailed planning checklist based on your needs. AI can also help with budgeting, seating plans, and timeline creation—taking the stress out of organising all the moving parts.

I’m a big fan of optimisation and efficiency (yes, fulfilling the German stereotype here! 😂), so anything that cuts down on time-wasting and makes wedding planning smoother is a win in my book. Use AI to generate guest list spreadsheets, budget breakdowns, and even honeymoon itineraries—less stress, more time for the fun stuff and the parts that you might want to spend some more of your personal time and thoughts on, as e.g. your vows.

3. If You Love a Supplier, BOOK THEM.

There’s nothing worse than finding the perfect photographer, videographer, or florist… only to realise they’re already booked. If you love someone, don’t wait!

Wedding vendors (especially in-demand ones) get booked months, sometimes even years, in advance. If you have a dream team in mind, reach out now. You don’t want to miss out and end up settling for second-best just because you hesitated.

Prioritise booking your venue, photographer/videographer, and planner first—these are the ones that tend to go fast.

4. Take Breaks

If wedding planning is starting to feel like a full-time job, it’s time to step back. This process should be fun, not exhausting!

Schedule intentional breaks where you don’t talk or think about wedding plans. Go on a date, have a weekend getaway, binge your favourite show—whatever helps you relax. The anticipation and excitement leading up to the big day should be just as special as the day itself.

Set a “wedding-free” rule at least once a week. No planning, no spreadsheets—just time to enjoy being engaged.

5. Remember Your Why

At the end of the day, this is about you and your person. Not the flowers, the cake, or the colour of the napkins.

When the stress kicks in, take a moment to reconnect with your why. Why are you getting married? What does this day mean to you? The love and commitment between you two is what really matters—not whether every detail is “perfect.”

Write down a little reminder—maybe a note, a quote, or even a sticky note on your mirror—to keep things in perspective when wedding stress starts creeping in.

Final Thoughts

Wedding planning doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Stay true to yourselves, use the tools available to you, and don’t sweat the small stuff. This is the start of an incredible new chapter, and you deserve to enjoy every moment of it.

And if you ever need a reminder of what really matters? Just go back to point #5. 💛