A ceremony such as a wedding is major. It comes with stress. You are centre-stage. Its
success matters to you.
You also want to enjoy it, so you need to de-stress.
By the way, I am not saying that a little bit of adrenaline on the day isn’t natural. It’s
even quite beneficial. But it mustn’t be excessive, otherwise it can spoil the occasion for you.
One of the ways you can de-stress is by starting preparations in good time, and forming a
sound support team. That doesn’t just mean well-intentioned family members, but
professional suppliers too.
You and your intended need to be on the same page. You need to agree your budget and decide
on what is indispensable (eg officiant!).
Then you can start getting active. If you can put together a good, professional team, then
that will take the pressure off so much during the run-in and on the big day itself.
Preparation
I urge building a professional team, rather than relying on the goodwill of family and/or
friends. If something does go wrong, it may be beyond the ability or experience
of your family and friends to put it right. A professional may well be able to
sort it out quickly and painlessly.
Moreover, if something does go wrong with an ‘amateur’ ceremony, you may be tempted to blame
the friend or family-member whose mistake or oversight it was. That could be
the end of a long-running friendship.
If you are choosing a team of professionals, do consider personal recommendation (although
bear in mind that not everyone’s tastes and opinions will be the same!). It
usually pays to consult the supplier’s website. Have a look at what they offer
(or do not!) and see the testimonials.
Then make direct contact with them. Preferably, meet them in person (with a list of
questions). See if you like them (which is not to be under-estimated) and
whether they seem to be receptive to your ideas for the ceremony.
If you’re happy with their Ts & Cs, only then worry about their price. It’s worth
paying for peace of mind.
Book your suppliers as early as possible, so they have time to source what they need and
prepare efficiently.
Attitude
With the best will in the world, and even with the best team of professionals around you,
things can go wrong. Although literally anything could actually go amiss, in practice it
rarely does (particularly if you are well-prepared and surrounded by that great
team).
There’s no point cataloguing the possible mishaps that might just befall you. If you are
well-prepared, you have minimised the risks. If something does go wrong, you
also have the professionals around you who can resolve it.
What do you gain by worrying? Apart from putting others on edge, you spoil your own
enjoyment of proceedings, and that’s not the idea, is it?
And sometimes your own attitude will reflect on events and you may seem to manifest what
actually happens.
So, prepare well, rely on your team, and enjoy a de-stressed ceremony.
For a professional take on your ceremony, please have a chat with me.
Photo: www.lyndseygoddard.com