It’s no doubt that planning a wedding can get incredibly stressful. Between juggling your every day life, appointments for cake tastings or alterations and still going on dates and building your relationship for marriage, it can be really overwhelming. When wedding planning stress hits and it seems like more than you can handle, repeat these mantras after us. Trust us, you (and your partner) will thank us. 

1. Marriage first, wedding second.

A wedding lasts one day, maybe a weekend. But a marriage lasts a lifetime. Yes, your wedding will be a fun and memorable day that you will remember for the rest of your life, but it will only be just that…one day. One day out of your whole entire life. So what if something doesn’t go the way you planned? At the end of the day, all that matters is that you are committing to the love of your life, and celebrating the start of your life together as a married couple. If your caterer is a bit late or you couldn’t afford the centerpieces you wanted, remember, it’s all just tiny details taking place on one day. That is such a small percentage of the time you are going to spend with your partner during your lifetime. 

2. “A mind is like a parachute, it doesn’t work if it’s not open.” – Frank Zappa

It may seem like the end of the world, but if something doesn’t go the way you want it to while you’re planning your wedding, keep an open mind and look for other options. When we want what we want, we tend to go into tunnel vision and focus only on what we want. This can be great when it comes to staying focused on a task or achieving a goal, but it can also hold us back from seeing other options and opportunities available to us.

Think about the people you know (or maybe yourself) who have so desperately wanted a certain something for their wedding, whether it be their attire, color scheme, decor, etc. but didn’t get it. They were devastated, but their wedding still turned out to be perfect in their eyes, and a wonderful time was had by all.

Keep an open mind and give yourself a reality check when things are not going your way. Think to yourself, “Will my marriage really be effected because I don’t have X or can’t afford Y?” Chances are that 99.9 times out of 100, the answer will probably be “No.”

3. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Religious or not, this bible verse provides a great reminder that your relationship, and your upcoming marriage, is about love. Be patient. With yourself, with your vendors and most importantly, with your partner. Focus on the love the two of you share, and the rest will come. And remember, no matter what you go through while planning, you will be going through it together. Just like you will go through everything for the rest of your life…side-by-side with the love of your life. 

What’s your favorite wedding planning mantra? Share it with us in the comments below.