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7 Hardest Parts of Every Wedding Plan

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Getting engaged is exciting, but no one prepares couples for the process of planning a wedding.

Although a wedding may look like a small celebration to commemorate a union and have friends and family join in, you have to consider different aspects, which can be draining and depressing. 

While couples often wish the process was as simple as getting into a venue and walking away married, planning a wedding gets complicated when you start thinking of outfits, who to include in your bridal lineup, seating arrangements, and more. 

Bride and groom in park

If you’re planning a wedding and don’t know how or where to start, it helps to understand some of the most complex parts of a wedding plan.

Read on to discover the challenging aspects of every wedding plan and how to avoid them.

7 Hardest Parts of Every Wedding Plan

Some of the challenging parts include the following:

1. Budgeting

Two golden rings on the stacks of coins and a marriage contract paper

Figuring out your finances, who’s going to pay for the wedding, and the amount to set aside are some of the challenging facets of a wedding planner. 

Back in the day, the bride’s parents would pay for wedding expenses, while the groom’s parents would cater for the rehearsal dinner costs. Alternatively, both the bride’s and groom’s parents may choose to split the cost. 

However, modern weddings have become expensive, and most couples opt to foot the entire wedding cost. 

Conversations about money can be difficult, especially if you’re on a limited budget. Couples may have to forego some aspects of what they envisioned for their big day and understand how things like photography, decor, and flowers are priced. 

Another aspect of wedding budgeting is keeping track of all the financial details.

Couples must pay different vendors and account for every coin to avoid exceeding the budget. 

Accounting for unexpected costs is another area couples struggle with. Items like wedding invites, RSVP cards, and save-the-dates can quickly add to the price. 

Apart from hiring a wedding planner to help you with these details, you can use a budgeting spreadsheet to determine how much you’ve already spent, the amount left, and any pending transactions. 

2. Compiling the Guest List

guest list on a paper with pen and flowers on background

The guest list is another area that most couples struggle with when planning their wedding. 

Couples need to make difficult decisions about who gets an invitation to their wedding day unless their budget allows them to have an unlimited number of guests.

When compiling a guest list, you’ll need to account for catering costs per head, the maximum capacity a venue can hold, and, if you’re planning an intimate, small wedding, how many friends and family to include.

Deciding who you need to invite and who needs to be cut from your invite list can be challenging as you want a balance that feels right for both sides of the family. 

Talking to your family and friends about your space and budget limitations when struggling with your guest list can make it easier. Expect to deal with some people who won’t be happy about your decision. 

3. Having Endless Options to Choose From

Couple researching on their laptop holding notebook with pen and cup of tea on the table

As a couple, you’ll have to deal with many options when deciding on the venue, theme, decor, vendors, and other details. For example, when comparing the venues, you must look at the location, packages offered, parking, and other fees.

Researching vendors is another area that can be challenging. There’s a minimum of 200 options for every vendor category, whether it’s videography, photography, catering, DJ services, or florists. 

All these options have different price points, styles, and specialties. It’s simpler for couples to cut down their choices based on price, but cheaper can sometimes be expensive. 

Also, couples must deal with payment schedules, RSVPs, wedding registries, and thank-you gifts. 

4. Staying on Top of the To-Do List Tasks

woman holding a pen working on her wedding checklist. With her laptop, cup of coffee and wedding rings on the table.

Couples must consider the guest list, determine who to include in the guest list, coordinate vendors, communicate with venues, think of who to have in the bridal party, come up with a theme, shop for a wedding dress, and find an officiant, among other tasks. 

Keeping up with all the do-list tasks is difficult. Couples have a lot to juggle, including their work schedule, which can be stressful and overwhelming. 

5. Making Both Families Happy

Couple and their families sitting at a table for before wedding party celebration

The bride’s and groom’s family have opinions on which venue the couple should choose, how the dress should look, what food should be included, how much should be spent on the cake, and more. 

Couples communicating with their family and deciding what to include can be a significant hurdle in any wedding plan.

Setting boundaries and letting your family know this is your day, not theirs, can help minimize the pressure of making both families happy.

6. Coordinating Vendors

wedding planner or coordinator discussing wedding plan to the bride and groom

Couples can get stressed when trying to keep up with and coordinate the vendors in the final weeks leading to their big day. 

Every time a couple hires and books different vendors, no one thinks about how they will work together as a team to ensure everything runs smoothly.

However, as you get close to the wedding day, you want to have a cohesive team to avoid confusion.

Staying organized and ensuring everyone understands their assignment can be overwhelming if couples don’t have a detailed timeline and plan their wedding. 

7. Figuring Out the Seating Arrangement

wedding table arrangement with flowers decoration on wedding reception

If you’re planning a formal reception, you must be prepared for drama regarding the seating arrangements. 

Although you want everyone to be comfortable with the designated seating arrangements, making everyone happy is difficult. Additionally, this is a task you’ll have to do at the last minute, as some people wait until the last week to send their RSVP cards back. 

However, even with careful selection, some guests will reshuffle the arrangement, while others may not show up. 

What Can You Do to Make Wedding Planning Less Stressful?

It’s possible to still enjoy the wedding planning process without getting stressed out and overwhelmed. Here are a few tips to help you out. 

Delegate

Bride with her wedding planner and organizer showing sample wedding decoration

Although some brides prefer to be in control and plan every aspect of their wedding, over time, you realize how draining, and time-consuming the process can be. Delegating responsibilities to trusted family or friends or a wedding committee is advisable.

Alternatively, you can hire a wedding planner to coordinate every part of your wedding. 

Avoid Sweating the Small Things

Every couple envisions a perfect wedding, which can lead to lots of pressure. Instead, focus on the to-do list and forget about things you have no control over, like how your guests will respond to their seating arrangement or your family’s opinion of how your big day should look. 

Schedule Other Things Unrelated to Your Wedding

You can quickly get fatigued when everything you’re doing is wedding related. Schedule breaks and find time to do other things unrelated to the wedding.

Take a walk, listen to your favorite playlist, party with friends, or go grocery shopping. That time off can help you recharge and start planning your wedding with a clear mind. 

Friends having a rooftop party and playing guitar

Final Thoughts

Every wedding plan is different, and some couples may face fewer hurdles than others. Nonetheless, understanding some of the most complex parts of every wedding plan can help you know how to better prepare and plan for such eventualities.

Married couples have tales of the drama and obstacles they faced while planning their wedding, but the ultimate goal is to make the experience memorable and less stressful.

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