Besides the obvious, “why is planning a wedding so darn expensive?” we are here with a few words of wisdom to remind you that every bride and groom deals with similarly stressful issues – and to help talk you off the wedding planning ledge. Remember, this is supposed to be an exciting, magical experience – not something that makes you want to rip your hair out on the daily. 

“Do we really have to invite crazy Aunt Josephine?”

It depends. Sometimes, not inviting an individual relative or member of a group of friends can cause more problems in the long run, by stirring up unnecessary drama or gossip. On the other hand, if there is a really good reason you don’t want someone at your wedding – forget politics, don’t invite them! It is YOUR day after all, and you should never feel guilt-tripped into inviting anyone you don’t care for – exes, crazy relatives, guests who will definitely drink too much – just to name a few.

“Do we even need flowers?”

Okay, we get it – justifying spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on something that *literally dies* a week or two later is tough. We recommend that you check Pinterest for DIY bouquet hacks – many local grocery stores take pre-orders for flowers, if you are feeling crafty and want to put a few arrangements together the night before. Using greenery is also a good alternative that can be slightly cheaper and often lasts a little bit longer.

Also in lieu of flowers, Exclusively Weddings has an array of wedding mementos that serve a dual-purpose. Not only will these accessories pull together your venue perfectly, but you can reuse them as wall art and décor in your home and relive your reception every day! We’re digging this Framed Heart Drop Guestbook and this Unity Sand Shadowbox in particular. Arrange them on a table with a burlap or sequined runner and some candles, and you’ve got the whole wedding décor thing down pat.

“I’m sick of planning, can’t we just elope?”

It sounds like you need a weekend off! Between now and the big day, make sure to mark a weekend (or two!) down ahead of time that is a “under no circumstances shall we discuss anything wedding-related.” Purposefully neglecting any and all wedding planning for a few days might just be the break that you need to get back in wedding-excitement mode, rather than when-will-this-be-over mode. Plus, it’s definitely too late to get most of your vendor and venue deposits back, so that Little White Chapel elopement in Vegas that you keep day dreaming of just isn’t happening. Instead, remember that all of this planning will pay off as you see the man of your dreams at the end of the aisle in a few short weeks.

Oh, and if you think that a destination wedding is any easier to plan, think again. Coordinating flights and hotels for 100+ people when everyone is considered an “out of town guest” can be a nightmare. Plus, since it’s a mini-vacation for everyone, guests’ expectations for it to go off without a hitch is even greater.

“Why won’t my future mother-in-law stop calling?”

Because she cares. And because she’s a little bit ______ (fill in the blank with: psycho; bossy; overbearing; all of the above). Take this in stride, and realize that while she can be a pain, you can use the entire wedding planning journey as an opportunity to bond with your soon-to-be mother-in-law. Instead of dealing with tons of sporadic phone calls throughout the week, invite her to go to brunch to discuss everything at once instead. You can also assign her one major task (like working with the florist or transportation company) and let her take the ball and run with it (you know…to keep her occupied). Know when to pick your battles – if she is being fussy about the location of the rehearsal dinner (which she is paying for), suck it up and let her win that one.