When everyday gets in the way...

What a week! As you all know, our baby - our very first issue of Isaac Weddings - has now been sent out to the masses with a great deal of excitement, delirious panic and exhilaration! It was a challenge, to say the least, the day it was released. One team member (the very lucky Kassi) was still winging her way home from an amazing trip to Cambodia, Adrian was delivering magazines as fast as was humanly possible (and still not quick enough for some of our likers!) and I was working a full day at my “other” job and trying to man the many emails, private messages, magazine requests and comments on our Facebook page during my lunch break!

Let's just say, I did bang my head on the desk at one stage during the day!

Planning a wedding, especially these days, can feel just as overwhelming. In amongst all the excitement, there is a sense of being pulled in every direction, so many people to please, decisions to make, team members/bridal parties to co-ordinate with, appointments to keep. And on top of all that, possibly a full time job and maybe a family as well.

I have to say, I really believe it was much easier to get married in our grandparents day. I think there were less choices available to them and family dynamics were different. These days there are blended families, and couples who choose to have children before they are married, couples who are both working full time and maintaining a family routine at the same time.

So, how do you plan a wedding and juggle your everyday commitments at the same time?

To be honest, I really don't know if I have ALL the answers, but I have a few!

                                  1.  Choose your maids and men carefully. Seriously, I think this is so
                                       very important. Yes, they are your nearest and dearest, that's why you
                                       choose them, but I have heard many a horror story of bridal party
                                       members not helping out in any way, being demanding and generally
                                       creating more stress in the planning process. So choose wisely, you
                                       need to have at least one friend who you can completely rely upon
                                       to help you through the overwhelming, busy times.

2. Make a list. Of course you are going to make lists, you'll make hundreds of them in the months preceding your wedding. But this one is your master list; your absolute must haves, your biggest wants or desires for your day. It may be your photographer, your venue, your dress or your cars; everyone has different elements of the day that are important to them. Once that list is compiled, set to work to make those dreams a reality first.

3. Make another list. I know, you think I'm crazy, but just stick with me. This list is the list of things that don't really matter. They are not going to make or break your day. You want them, but really you could do without them if time or money was tight. It's the “keep it simple stupid” and “don't sweat the small stuff” rationale. You are still going to get married even if the candles on the tables are cream rather than white, right?

           If you break your list into two, it all seems a little less overwhelming and
           you can focus on the elements of your day that REALLY matter.

4. Call in favours and accept all offers. If someone offers to help, don't be too proud to say yes. I know that can be hard, especially if you are somewhat of a control freak (Time for another confession from me, total control freak here!) and want everything done exactly the right way. But these offers of help should be gratefully accepted, even if only for the second list. (See, it's all making sense now right?!) And believe me, you could be pleasantly surprised. My church flowers ( on my second list) were created without me even seeing them until after I was married, and they were spectacular to say the least.   

5. Rely on the internet. It's running 24/7, after work hours and after the kids have gone to bed. It's the best tool available to us for planning a wedding. There are so many fabulous sites, services and businesses all dedicated to planning your wedding and the beauty of them is you can email them any time you like, at 1am in the morning, when you've had a nightmare about your dress splitting open as you walk up the aisle and you're sitting there consuming the kid's leftover easter eggs to calm yourself. That's the time you email your dressmaker and ask whether it's possible to convert the zip in your gown to lace up! Don't expect a response until the following day though!

Hope this helps! Happy planning. Mel x