With 40% of couples deeming the wedding planning process “extremely stressful”, and 71% saying it was more taxing than other major life events, organising your big day is certainly no walk in the park.
Planning your wedding day and taking that fateful step towards a pretty huge milestone in your relationship so far is a big commitment. With expectations and emotions running high at every turn, even the most organised are bound to feel the pressure.
Surviving the wedding planning process and seeing the big day you planned through can teach you lessons that will come in handy throughout your marriage. Discover five life lessons every couple can learn when planning their wedding, who knows, they might even be the secrets to a long and happy partnership!
Lesson 1: Relish the little things
As the years go by and your wedding becomes a fond, distant memory, those romantic vibes will be a lot harder to come by. But remember, it’s not just the big gestures and displays of affection that matter.
This won’t be the first time you’ve come to this realisation. Despite the very romantic end goal, you may have found that things are far from dreamy during the wedding planning process. Amongst the save the dates, RSVPs, table plans and seating charts, there’s not a lot of room for passion. Even after your wedding, these tasks are replaced by work, family life and other commitments.
Making time for small gestures, however, will make all the difference to your relationship when planning your wedding and enjoying your life together long after you’ve said your “I dos” as Callie Dauler details:
The best advice we got for our wedding day was definitely ‘HOLD HANDS!’ and I can’t remember who gave it to us. We had a rule for our wedding day. As soon as we say “I do” we don’t break hands all night… It’s easy to get distracted when there’s a lot going on around you. Don’t lose sight of what’s most important: being together and focused on each other despite all of the background noise.”
Lesson 2: Prepare to work hard
Whether you are in the early stages of wedding planning or the final throes, you’ll have realised that preparing well for the biggest day of your life is hard work. This hard work doesn’t and shouldn’t stop once you’re married.
There are several reasons why you should continually work on your marriage. Whether obstacles arise due to work pressures, family commitments, finances or personal growth, there are no guarantees, no matter how unconditional your love for one another is. Make time for each other and put effort into your relationship for the long haul.
Lesson 3: Remember, it takes two
Planning the wedding of your dreams isn’t something you should do alone, and neither is making your marriage a success. Work together throughout your partnership to celebrate those little and big wins, and solve issues.
Lesson 4: Smile together every day
This lesson is of course easier said than done when negotiating the stresses of wedding planning and the pressures of modern life. A couple who smiles and laughs together however lasts together.
Whilst laughing together won’t solve all marital problems, it is scientifically proven to lower those anxiety levels and reaffirm that positive emotional connection. Being humorous with each other regularly can also increase intimacy within a romantic relationship.
Lesson 5: Communication is key
We hate to state the obvious but communication matters just as much during marriage as it did when you were adding those details to your special day.
Communication issues can so easily break a marriage. By communicating with your spouse and listening in return, you can create a marriage that’s built to last.
