Want to know the secret to planning the best wedding ever?
Don’t do everything yourself.
It’s no secret: wedding planning is a ton of work. Those who decide to take it on themselves, be warned. You’re in danger of no-showing on your big day. Due to the exhaustion from all the planning, you may end up missing your wedding entirely, as you sleep through the alarm.
Ok, that probably wouldn’t happen, but you get the point.
Delegating wedding planning tasks doesn’t mean giving up your vision
Some people squirm when they hear the words ‘delegate’ and ‘wedding planning’ in the same sentence. You have a vision for your wedding, you know exactly how you want things to go, which makes the prospect of delegation… unsavoury.
However, when done right, you don’t have to compromise your vision at all. Plus, you can benefit from others’ creativity, an ideal way to round out your vision.
Before we dive into how to divvy up your wedding planning tasks. It’s important that you’re clear on what your wedding vision is.
You need to have:
- A comprehensive wedding budget that’s broken down into specific categories, allocating the amount to be spent on each, such as the wedding cake, décor, photographer, etc.
- An idea of the vibe and aesthetic you’re going for. You probably already have a Pinterest board for all things wedding, scan that and take notes of recurring themes and ideas.
- A timeline you need for each task to be completed by
- Clear communication parameters, such as you get the final say before something is decided on
- A list of tasks to delegate
- An idea of who you’d like to assign each task to
The benefits of delegating wedding planning tasks
One of the most impactful benefits of delegating is, you get to play into each person’s strengths – use them to your advantage.
To maximize the skills and passions of your friends and loved ones. Take a moment to reflect on each of them.
If you have an interior decorator bridesmaid. she’ll know exactly how to bring your vision of the ceremony and reception space to life.
If your partner has a musician friend they can be your guide, help find and organize the perfect DJ or live band.
Think of delegation as a chance to enhance your vision, and inject it with additional creativity and expert advice.
Know which wedding planning tasks to delegate
In order to delegate, you need to have a clear idea on which tasks you need help with.
Some ideas are:
- DIY décor
- Decoration sourcing and venue decorating
- Specific errands, such as picking up the cake or picking up guests from the airport
- Food and wine pairing
- Compiling a playlist
- Selecting bridesmaids’ dresses
- Vendor follow-up and confirmation
Think about your big day. Picture each part of the event from start to finish. Visualize each right down to the very last gorgeous detail, and jot it all down.
When you’re done, you should have a list of tasks you need help with, and can start enlisting help from the people who are great at whatever you’re hoping to assign them to and more importantly – won’t let you down.
For some of the to-do’s, especially the ones that involve other people. Like finding flawless bridesmaid dresses, you can kick it off by choosing a few dresses you think are extraordinary – you’d wear them if you could – and let your bridesmaids vote for their fave.
The simplest way to do this is to find a store that features the best of the best in design, like Bella Bridesmaids. Their dress collection is insane! They have every style, fabric, cut and colour imaginable, and can accommodate almost any budget.
Delegating wedding tasks like a pro
At this point, you’re clear on your vision. You know which tasks you need assistance with, who you’d like to assign them to and have a timeline and budget for completion.
A great way to remain involved in the process is to use a site that allows multiple people to collaborate on projects, like Airtable or Trello. These resources are helpful for keeping track of where everyone is in the process, and bonus. You can be as nosy as you want without pestering anyone.
When looking for help and approaching someone out of the blue. Don’t be hurt or miffed if they say no. People have their own complicated lives. And you want whoever is helping you to do so with joy in their hearts. You don’t want to stretch someone to the point of exhaustion or resentment.
When someone agrees to help, be clear on your expectations, including the timeline and how much involvement you want to have.
It’s a delicate balance. You don’t want to become totally overbearing and micromanaged – nobody likes a bridezilla – yet still. This is your big day, of course, you want it to be perfect.
Let whoever is helping you know that they can always contact you if they have questions, and be open and listen if they have a specific idea.
Conclusion
Having wedding planning help and input from those you care about is extraordinary. After all, a wedding is a celebration of love, and yours is made even more special. Through the combined skills and efforts of those you love. Honestly? That’s priceless.