12 Tips on Planning a Wedding with a Full-time Job

Wedding planning entails more complicated work than a birthday party or a shower. If you mix it with a full-time job, you’ll find yourself in a few episodes of meltdown if you don’t manage your time and energy carefully. How do brides-to-be juggle an upcoming wedding and a busy career?

Be Organized

You and your partner need to sit down and plot out all the big and small tasks in a calendar or timeline. The balancing act won’t always go the way you want it to but if you stay as organized as possible, it won’t be hard to get back on track. Use technology at your disposal – Google Drive, Trello, Wunderlist, Evernote – and share these with all those involved in the wedding planning. This brings us to our next point.

Delegate Your Tasks

As early as possible, you need to accept that planning a wedding isn’t a one-man endeavor. Whoever you’re going to include in the wedding planning team – bridesmaids, family, friends – make sure you clearly delegate what needs to be done. Loop your suppliers in the delegation of tasks as well. Who’s going to contact which supplier? When is the final payment for this provider due? Questions like these should be addressed when you delegate tasks

Stick to Discussion Points During Meetings

Coordinator and supplier meetings will eat up a lot of your time. Define and clarify what you will discuss before you meet up with them. It’s really important to meet with some suppliers face-to-face to better monitor the progress of the planning but if it’s something you can discuss through a phone call or an email, do so by all means.

If there are a lot of things going down at work but you have to squeeze in bridal chores with your squad, tell them that you’re only going to discuss wedding-related things for this certain meet-up. Use your time wisely and don’t stray beyond the topic agreed upon.

Understand Your Office Needs

Is your office output-based or schedule-driven? Do you have a flexible working schedule? Can you come in early on some days so you can leave early to do wedding errands? Understand how your office works so you can work with its rules while planning a wedding.

If you report to a boss, it’s crucial to keep him or her informed of your wedding planning demands. Ask if you can take time off some days to work on your wedding and compensate with longer working hours. Take this juggling act as an opportunity to prove to your boss that you manage your time well.

Put a Time Cap to Your Canvassing

You’ll be compelled to act more decisively if you put a time limit to an activity. Avoid falling into the Pinterest rabbit hole by beginning with an end time in mind. Limit your canvassing for inspiration to 45 minutes to one hour in a day and use a timer if you must.

Don't Go Overboard on Supplier Research 

Sure, having different options can help ensure that you are getting the best at a friendly price. But it will also make decision-making more difficult and time-consuming. You don’t have a lot of time to waste when you’re wedding planning with a fulltime job. Don’t spend too much time canvassing (see tip above) and stick to two to three choices of suppliers and items.

Stick to Your Budget

Going within your budget also helps you to stick to a certain set of suppliers, making it faster for you to decide. Deciding on the wedding budget should be one of the first things you should do in the process.

Keep an Eye Out for All-in-One Deals

Hotels with great caterers, caterers with amazing stylists, botanical gardens that don’t require heavy styling – these are your greatest finds as a busy bride-to-be.

Maximize Your Lunch Hour

Squeeze in wedding-related phone calls, emails, and texts during your lunch hour. Pay visits to suppliers whose offices/shops are within your work vicinity. You can also do this when you are in transit from one meeting to another, or while waiting in the airport for business travel. Turn idle time into a productive one.

Plot Out Your Leaves

Depending on the scale of the wedding, some matters may require a full day’s work. Once you’ve done the basic blueprint, plot out the dates when you must file a leave of absence. Don’t forget to take at least one day off before and after the wedding, too. These things have to be done as soon as you set your wedding date so the entire office knows what to expect from you.

Choose Your DIY Projects Carefully

DIY is all the rage right now because it’s supposed to save you money and put a personalized touch in your wedding. But with a demanding full-time job, you could be wasting time or money as rushed DIY projects don’t come out nice all the time. You’ll probably end up buying pre-made place cards when you're pressed for time. There’s no shame in buying or getting a supplier. If you really want a DIY touch to your wedding, ask a family or friend do it for you.

Take Breaks

In the midst of all the wedding crazy, don’t forget about what comes after – a life with the person you love the most. Take time off to do non-wedding related things with your significant other for a day, or spend time with your family and friends without thinking about your wedding. You’ll come back recharged and even more productive in both work and wedding planning.