Wedding planning fatigue is real.

If the thought of planning your wedding causes a whirlpool of stress and self-doubt, you’re not alone.

According to Zola, 96% of couples say that planning their wedding is stressful, and 40% of those said it was “extremely stressful”. And out of all the wedding-related things, 35% of couples said planning was the most stress-inducing.

If you’re in this boat, it’s understandable: the decisions you make about your wedding are a big investment and commitment! Not to mention the added stress that comes when you feel like the wedding you’re planning is more about meeting peoples expectations than about making yourself happy.

At this point you might be worrying…

What if the thought of planning my wedding makes me feel overwhelmed?

What if I don't feel excited about my wedding because of the stress involved?

What if the idea of planning our wedding guest list stresses me out because I don’t like being the center of attention?

What if I don't want to do all the traditional wedding stuff everyone expects me to do?

What if I’m thinking about doing my wedding differently than people expect?

But what if I tell my loved ones and they get upset?

Talk about tough questions. And on top of that, you’ve got a sea of websites, blogs, videos, podcasts, books, and influencers to sort through. No wonder planning your wedding feels a little overwhelming.

Your feelings are totally valid. And luckily there are steps you can take to make planning your wedding a whole lot easier!

The first, and MOST important step you can take to make planning your wedding a whole lot easier is…

FIND YOUR "WEDDING WHY"

You should begin your wedding planning process by finding your "Wedding Why". When planning your wedding, the first thing you and your partner should do is sit down and figure out what we like to call your "Wedding Why". Why do you want to have a wedding? Think about things that guide you (individually and as a couple). What brings you happiness? Where do you find peace? What do you do when you need a break? Why are those places or things meaningful to you?

Keep in mind that you and your partner probably won't know the answers to these questions the first time you go through them. We suggest reading the prompts together and then thinking about them for a week. Once a week has passed, sit down with each other and have a discussion about your thoughts and any conclusions you may have made. This also helps to ensure you two are on the same page about why you're doing this and what you want from your wedding day.

Once you’ve found your "Wedding Why", use it as a guiding compass to help you navigate the maze of wedding-related choices you'll need to make. This will help you focus on what’s important to you by remembering why you’re getting married in the first place. It can be easy to get caught up in details and logistics— Zola reports that 35% of couples say planning the details is the most frustrating part of wedding planning. But finding your “Wedding Why” and sticking to it will help to limit your stress from the get-go.

But what next?

NARROW DOWN THE "WHERE"

If you’re having an adventure wedding or elopement, it may seem like location is the first decision you should make. However! You don't have to figure out an exact location just yet. In fact, most couples who have adventure weddings don't know exactly where they want to get married before booking their photographer (the next step).

We suggest figuring out a general area or type of landscape that you want to get married in before you start looking for a photographer. Think about what kind of activities you two like to do together (or activities you'd like to try), your favorite places to spend time outside, and your dream travel locations.

Many adventure wedding photographers travel, however not all do, so having a general area in mind will help you not be so overwhelmed by options when you start looking. There are great photographers all around the world, so instead of saying "we want to have our adventure wedding somewhere in the US", narrowing it down to something like "we want to have our adventure wedding in Utah" will make it SO much easier to find a photographer!

And then…

FIND YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER

For couples having adventure weddings and elopements, your photographer should be the first vendor you book! The most important thing is to make sure you find one that has experience both photographing AND planning adventure weddings.

There are many photographers who take beautiful pictures, but if you have an adventure wedding you need a photographer who understands things like permitting systems, Leave No Trace principles, and logistical planning. Finding an experienced adventure wedding photographer who also does planning will be invaluable to you, because they will be able to guide you through the entire process in ways that an inexperienced/traditional photographer or wedding planner can't.

Looking for a little extra guidance? Check out these resources...

1. Download our e-book for extensive pro tips on how to plan an adventure wedding or elopement. We provide knowledge we've gained from our years of experience, so you're sure to find something useful even if you've read other blogs or watched videos on the subject.

2. Read this blog post where we go over more about what the process of having an adventure wedding or elopement looks like.

3. Book a consultation call with yours truly. We’ll get to the bottom of whatever concerns might be holding you back from your dream wedding.

P.S. Sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of the page to get more adventure wedding planning tips!

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