As if you’re not going to celebrate enough, you will start off the wedding festivities with an engagement party. The wedding attire of the bride, groom, bridal party, flower girls, ring bearers and more will require fittings, alterations, and hundreds of dollars. The bridal shower may cost more than the actual gifts themselves. Save the dates are basically a second set of invitations, stamps, and stationary. You must book separate venues for your rehearsal dinner, ceremony, reception, and other parties.
Have we made all this a little too complicated?
When you say yes to the man of your dreams, you may not initially realize that you’re saying yes to planning the beast that is a wedding. Between traditional customs and modern expectations, planning a wedding takes time, effort, and a substantial amount of money.
But you just want to get married, right?
Despite what society wants you to believe, you can have a simple wedding. A simple wedding will reduce mental, physical, and monetary stress, making the affair even more lovely than before. Enjoy the beauty of simplicity for your wedding!
1. Change your focus
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The word “wedding” wields many connotations, not all of which have to be true for your affair. When you think about planning a wedding, you assume it must involve white lace, fancy venues, and thousands of dollars. Weddings seem to be a serious, elaborate, and reserved. But when you think about planning a party, you think about great friends, delicious food, and a fun time. Parties are relaxed, enjoyable, and informal. Simply change how you perceive your wedding. Such a transition will help to reduce the pressure to meet wedding expectations and allow you to think more simply.
2. Pick what’s most important
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The dream wedding that you’ve been envisioning in your head since you were a little girl may be beautiful, but it is also probably impossible to create. Between the financial expense and the time commitment, your mind, body, and bank account would not survive such an affair. Sorry to burst your bubble. But just because you cannot recreate that exact wedding, you can have a more simple version that incorporates some of those aspects.
Make a list of all the things you have dreamed about for your wedding; write them all down and don’t ignore the small ones. Then, slowly eliminate those that are less important and determine which you would like to invest your time and money into. Selecting a few aspects to make truly fantastic will look much more aesthetically pleasing than many poorly constructed elements.
3. Disregard expectations
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If traditional wedding aspects don’t make the top of your list, don’t worry! Your grandmother will survive if you don’t have a five-tier wedding cake. The world won’t end if you don’t have bridesmaids. A simple wedding will require the release of at least some wedding traditions — whether that be in decorations, attire, or events. Include what is important to you and your fiancé in your wedding festivities. Don’t let any person or any tradition dictate how you plan your wedding.
4. Be creative
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As you begin to break from tradition, you may need to think of alternatives. Thinking outside the box will require creativity and can be extremely enjoyable. Feel the freedom to feed guests dessert instead of a three-course dinner. Let a dyed sheet of fabric serve as your back drop. Have your officiant capture the ceremony with a Go-Pro rather than paying a professional videographer. Go wild with DIY projects. Have fun, nothing is off limits!
5. Look for an open space
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You can eliminate the stress of multiple venues by holding all your wedding-related events at one location. Find a venue that has large open spaces that you can transform for your various needs. Look for a place that typically doesn’t host weddings for a significantly reduced, if not free, price. Don’t succumb to the temptation to over-decorate this blank slate. Maintain a minimalist look with simple decorations and a basic color scheme.
Keep your wedding simple, sister! Your mind, body, and bank account will thank you.
