Planning your wedding isn’t for the faint of heart. Although the stress is always worth the reward of an incredibly planned wedding, leading up to the wedding can be A LOT.

As a wedding photographer, I have found that helping couples know what to expect during the planning portion of their wedding makes things a little bit easier for them!

5 SURPRISES YOU MIGHT FACE PLANNING YOUR WEDDING

When you plan your wedding, most couples expect budget and vendor problems. However, there are some surprises that most people face that often aren’t talked about.

ONE | EVERYONE WILL HAVE AN OPINION ABOUT YOUR CHOICES

Humans are opinionated. It is just the fact of the matter, and this doesn’t go away just because you are getting married. Whether it is your mother-in-law or maid of honor, someone (maybe everyone) is going to want a say in how YOUR special day goes.

Remember that your wedding is for you and your significant other. Don’t let them be the judge of how you plan things.

TWO | YOU MAY MAKE SOME PEOPLE UNHAPPY

This surprise goes hand in hand with the first one. Once you make the final decision that might not be what people are wanting, they probably won’t be very happy about it.

Remember what matters.

THREE | TOO MUCH INSPIRATION (PINTEREST) MIGHT NOT BE AS HELPFUL AS YOU HOPED

Most couples have been planning their wedding since they were kids. Which, if you are a lover of Pinterest like the rest of us, means that you probably have TONS of wedding inspiration saved in hopes that it will aid in planning.

Often, it actually hinders you.

I recommend starting a BRAND NEW Pinterest board and picking a few pieces of inspiration and building off of that. Most of the time, your vendors are pretty good about helping with inspiration that they feel will work best with the vibe you are going for. Chat with them before completely losing yourself in online inspiration.

FOUR | YOU DON’T HAVE TO FOLLOW TRADITION

Stop feeling obligated to head down the traditional route.

If you feel like you aren’t really wanting a big, traditional wedding, look into eloping. Or, if you want to stay with a bigger wedding, cut things out that you don’t feel fit you and your significant other.

Just because cutting cake and bouquet tosses are what people always do during their wedding, doesn’t mean you have to! BUILD YOUR OWN WEDDING ADVENTURE.

FIVE | YOU’LL WANT TO TAKE A BREAK FROM WEDDING PLANNING

Don’t be afraid to take a break.

It may seem like getting it alllllll out of the way is going to be your best bet. However, I promised that pulling tons of late nights planning is going to be the worst thing for you! It will only lead to burnout. Which, you aren’t going to want to deal with when you are already stressed!

Block some time each week to get some planning done. The rest of the time? ENJOY STRESS-FREE

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