Meet Bridezilla, the queen of wedding planning stress. She expects perfection and she expects it to come easy. She screams at the help, demands a 70% discount, and will never be satisfied. She’s the very reason why ‘cold feet’ exists.
You don’t want to be Bridezilla, and we’re going to teach you all about stress-free wedding planning so that you never feel the urge to call the manager.
Brides Often Ask
Why are weddings stressful?
Bridezilla shouldn’t even exist. But, unfortunately, she does. That’s because we are taught at a very young age that the evening needs to be perfect. We’re almost born with built-in wedding panic, but we’re never really taught how to deal with wedding planning stress.
Hollywood Rom Coms make it seem cute to lose our minds over every little detail, and pressure from the family can easily overwhelm these preconceived notions.
If you are religious, the ceremony can feel like the equivalent of performing your first dance recital in front of God. All of this can easily add up to unleashing your inner Bridezilla.
Can planning a wedding ruin your relationship?
Introducing Bridezilla to your fiance never goes well. You’re not yourself, but after an extended period of time, he will start to assume that this is the ‘real you’ and that maybe he’s made a big mistake. Hey may start to become distant or cold, which only makes the situation worse.
What is the most stressful part of wedding planning?
The first steps to wedding planning stress relief are understanding what it is and recognizing it when it happens.
The most common form of wedding planning stress is the sense of claustrophobia brought on by being surrounded by the weight of the world on your shoulders. All the responsibility lays on you, there’s no to rely on, and there’s not enough time and money in the world to turn your dreams into reality.
The key to not being stressed while wedding planning is to avoid this. It’s easier than you think and there’s no reason for Bridezilla to make an appearance.
What happens when we are stressed?
Read just one study on wedding planning stress and it’s immediately easy to see why Bridezilla should not receive an invitation.
Things that Bridezilla does to your body and mind:
- Stress produces adrenaline and cortisone hormones, making it feel like something is constantly about to go wrong. You won’t be able to shake that feeling as tenseness as your body prepares for a physical altercation.
- Stress will throw off your entire disposition. Clarity will disappear, you’ll have trouble focusing, and you won’t sleep well.
- Wedding stress will make you irritable, angry, anxious, and restless. You’ll dissuade people from helping you and become unmotivated.
All of this is the perfect recipe to ensure that problems DO happen and create a vicious cycle of Bridezilla’s gonna Bridezilla.
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Signs You’re Dealing With Wedding Planning Stress
It’s tough to completely avoid wedding planning stress so it’s critically important to recognize if Bridezilla is crashing the party before it’s too late.
- If you find yourself screaming while wagging your finger at a priest, you may be a Bridezilla.
- If you find your hair growing shorter over the thought of the wrong shade of ‘morning dew peppermint smaragdine green’, you may be a Bridezilla.
- In case you choose a wedding date specifically because you know that’s when your mother-in-law will be out of the country, you may be a Bridezilla.
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Mental Health Risks
The longer this goes on the more difficult it becomes to escape. Your brain and body simply get used to operating at apex Bridezilla mode. This can carry both short and long-term health problems.
- Heart Problems
- Weight Problems
- Reproductive Issues
- Digestive Problems
- Skin Conditions
Obviously, any of these issues would make planning a wedding more stressful. The cycle continues.
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How To Make Your Wedding Planning Stress Free
It’s easy to keep Bridezilla at bay. The very first step is to get rid of the idea of ‘perfection’. That should never be any bride’s goal. Instead, making ‘Having Fun’ your goal. You are about to spend the rest of your life with your best friend. Enjoy the biggest party of your life with people who love you.
You are not competing with other brides, you are celebrating your self. Keep this in mind, and follow these simple tips to avoid Bridezilla-level stress.
- Give yourself 12 months to plan. Use the wedding checklist to handle all the wedding planning stages.
- Stick to a schedule that allows you to chip away at tasks rather than allowing everything to pile up.
- Don’t spend more money than you have and give yourself a 15% extra budget to cover any surprises.
- Enlist the help of your friends and family. This always takes the pressure off.
- Be willing to compromise.
- Communicate. Take advantage of all of the wedding planning apps and organizers. Even hire a wedding planner if it’s in the budget. A little organization goes a long way.
- Sign Up For Your Subscription Box. Check out a wedding subscription box such as Miss To Mrs Box as they can help set you up for success and kick off the planning process. The first Miss To Mrs box ships in just 2 business days! Get your Miss To Mrs™ Box here!
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How To Enjoy Wedding Planning
Good organization and reasonable expectations set the stage for a Bridezilla-free wedding. ‘Do a little yoga’ or “go for a morning walk” aren’t nearly potent enough wedding planning stress relievers to get rid of Bridezilla. For real success, you’re going to need something a little stronger like laughter and selfishness.
- Write out funny wedding planning stress quotes on some post-it notes. Place them around your computer so that you have a constant reminder about other brides having it way worse.
- Go on dates with your fiance. Eat, drink, laugh, dance. These activities will help you keep a healthy perspective.
- Practice ‘self-care’. No, we don’t mean go to a spa or drink cucumber water. We mean to keep your love life active. Bridezilla hates the oxytocin you get from a good romp in the sack.
- Give zero Fs. Seriously, just stop caring. Keeping your schedule means you’ll have time each day to not think about wedding planning at all. Getting your mind off of things lets you step away from wedding planning stress before it happens.
- Eat like no one is watching. We’re not saying you should abandon your diet. Every bride wants to look good on her big day. But, it’s called ‘comfort food’ for a reason. Stuff your face with all your favorites once in a while as a way to treat yourself for all that hard work. Just try to make sure to include some Vitamin C which is scientifically proven to help reduce stress levels.
- Take your dog for a walk. The unconditional love from a pet is a surefire way to relieve wedding planning caused stress.
- Watch some Netflix. Go ahead, watch an entire season of that ridiculous reality dating show. The problem with stress during wedding planning is that you are constantly ‘in it’. Taking some time to binge empowers your mind to wander elsewhere and completely forget about Bridezilla for a while. When you get back to the matters at hand, you will be completely mentally refreshed.
Stressed out about wedding planning? We’ve got you covered! Check out our printable wedding planning checklists, suitable for all stages of your wedding planning journey.
Remember, Bridezilla doesn’t need an invitation. She can crash your wedding at any moment and deliver unexpected wedding planning stress. Keep an eye on yourself and ask “Am I being a Bridezilla?”. If you have a thick skin you may even want to invite your friends and family to call you out if you start acting like Bridezilla.
Recognition is the key to prevention.
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