Even when you’re planning a wedding day that’s going to be hella fun, the actual planning itself might sometimes feel like a slog. So if you’re desperately googling “How can I make my wedding planning fun?” because you’re slightly concerned by the logistics/admin that faces you – don’t worry, I’ve got you!
Both as a wedding celebrant and from my own experience getting married, I’ve come up with 10 suggestions for “How can I make my wedding planning fun?” Let’s get into them!
How can I make my wedding planning fun?
1) Plan a regular date night
to discuss plans/make decisions/take wedding actions. Because firstly, there is no wedding conversation which can't be improved by a tasty meal! And secondly, it’ll help you tackle your to-do list in a way that’s not only manageable but enjoyable too.
2) Consider having a wed-min team
A gang of trusted friends you can call upon to stuff envelopes and other equally important (but otherwise quite dull) tasks. Gather your team around you and make those mundane bits much more fun.
3) Divide and conquer
Split the responsibility of final decisions. Rather than you both needing to be heavily involved with every detail, try dividing up areas. For example, you could be in charge of the playlist, whilst your partner can be in charge of wedding party outfits. Or you have final say on the honeymoon destination whilst they have final say on the seating plan.
Naturally you'll want to support each other and be involved with major elements that are important to you both. But it can really help to be able to say, "Actually on this one love, I'll go with what you think." You’ll feel truly evolved, trusted by your partner and satisfied to get the ultimate veto power on the bits you care about.
4) Choose suppliers you like on a personal level
As a Bertie Bonus, this one’s an answer to “How can I make my wedding planning fun?” as well as “How can I make my wedding fun?”
If you are going to spend a lot of time with a supplier (eg your photographer) or work with them creatively (eg your floral designer), then it helps a whole lot if you actually like them. I personally find it so much easier to invest in services where my money is going to people who I can tell are sound. Sure, you might want to shop around to find suppliers within your budget, but personality can play a part in choosing your wedding team too.
5) Work with a celebrant
Make at least part of your wedding planning about your relationship and you two as individuals. A celebrant wedding is for couples who want a personalised ceremony, which means your celebrant will spend time getting to know you as people.
You'll have a chance to reflect on your relationship, the reasons why you're getting married, and how to express your individual personalities through your celebration. Your celebrant will guide you through the whole process, meaning it should be fun, life-affirming and a part of wedding planning you both look forward to.
6) Take a break
If it doesn't feel fun or is causing tension in your relationship, taking a breather will make all the difference. It can be hard to keep things in perspective, so step back and remember it's just one day of many epic days you will share together.
7) Gamify tasks
One quite literal – but very effective – answer to “How can I make my wedding planning fun?” is to gamify it – that is, make it into a game, and add in lots of opportunities to reward yourselves throughout the planning process. Monthly milestones for what you want to achieve can keep you on track, but adding in a regular treat is much more likely to motivate you.
As for what the treat is, go for whatever takes your fancy…for me it would be coffee and cake at my current favourite indie coffee house, Steam Yard (if you're in Sheffield, you know where I mean right?! Divine!)
8) Think of it as a project which is strengthening your partnership
Remember you're a team, and this project is preparing you for married life. Making decisions together, budgeting, compromising to make space for each other’s happiness and communicating kindly under pressure are all core experiences in long term relationships.
As you're getting wed, chances are your partnership is already solid, and all this will be the cherry on top of the cake. It will be a shared experience you can look back on in future years, so take your time to make the most of it.
9) Keep the details under wraps
You know the saying “Too many cooks spoil the broth?” The more you share with friends and family, the more opinions you invite, and the more stressful planning can be. Instead, keeping details private makes it easier to tweak plans if you decide you want or need to.
10) Have a wedding mantra
Do you have a relationship motto? Mr Senior and I have always prioritised having fun, so our relationship motto is basically, "We'll do it if it's fun." It applies in an amazingly wide range of situations, even saving for a mortgage deposit (which, to go back to point 7, we gamified!).
You could decide on a wedding mantra to guide you through planning. Here are some ideas:
- "Keep it simple" If you can't choose between a few options, go with the simplest
- "It's about us" Prioritise your own happiness!
- "Budget is king"
- "Will we remember it?"
So, there you have it: my top 10 tips to help answer the question “How can I make my wedding planning fun?”
And if you’re looking for further help with points 4 or 5, then I’d love to chat – I’m a Sheffield wedding celebrant who specialises in life-affirming ceremonies that celebrate you as people and as a couple. Get in touch here to tell me all about your plans, and how I can be a part of them!
The images on this page are of Esme and Rebecca, who joined me and the fab team below to create 90s nostalgia wedding magic...
Concept + Celebrant / megsenior.com / @megseniorceremonies
Photographer / hannahbrookephotography.co.uk/ @hannahbrookephoto
Videographer / www.bradwood.photography / @bradwoodweddings
Planner + Styling / www.innercityweddings.co.uk / @innercityweddings
Venue / www.picture-house-social.co.uk / @picture_house_social
Floral designer / www.foxflora.co.uk / @_foxandflora
Stationery + Signage / sheafstationery.co.uk / @sheafstationery
Bridal outfits / www.alycejayne.co.uk / @alycejayne_bridal
Tulle bows / www.rebeccaannedesigns.co.uk / @rebeccaannedesigns
Esme’s shoes / www.hettyrose.co.uk / @hettyroseshoes
Real couple models / @rebeccaesme_couple
Hair / @lumi.mbridal
MUA / @creative.dm
Cake / @little.bit.of.heaven
Ribbon / @cfleursdesign
Jewellery / @accessorize
Mural seen in confetti shots / robleeart.co.uk / @roblee_art