Boy meets girl, girl falls for boy, and boy gets down on one knee. Yes, you are engaged, so congratulations! You may think that the hardest part is over, finding someone to spend the rest of your life with, but you still have one giant obstacle to overcome before you start your happily ever after: the wedding. Planning your wedding, and the countless details that come with the big day, can quickly become overwhelming and begin to take precedent over your relationship.

However, before you fall into the stereotypes of “bridezilla” or the “lazy groom,” take a deep breath, tell the fiancé that you love them, and read these tips on how to stay in love while preparing to say “I do.”

Spend quiet time together

This may seem like a no brainer, but planning your wedding is also more difficult than it sounds. While you may be busy picking out the perfect invitations or planning your color scheme, your future husband is probably also busy working to save up money for your honeymoon. Remember why you fell in love in the first place and plan a technology free night for just the two of you. No wedding talk, no texting, no television. Instead hold hands, hug, cuddle, it’s okay to be a little sappy. Staying romantic before your wedding will help both of you from feeling disconnected and frustrated. Having this quiet time will help you to get your mind off the stress of planning.

Plan and practice your first dance

Pick a song that represents your relationship, it doesn’t have to be overly romantic, just make sure that it speaks to you as a couple. After you have picked your song, take time to practice your first dance. Ballroom dancing champion Elena Grienko says, “Dancing requires good etiquette and communication, and the body language is unbeatable.” You don’t have to invest in pricey dance lessons, but become use to moving as a couple.  Plus you can use this as an excuse to hold your fiancé tight!

Split up responsibilities

Traditionally, wedding planning has been left up to the ladies, however more and more men want to be involved in the planning of the wedding day also. Do not forget that you are a team and dividing up responsibilities will alleviate tons of stress leading up to the wedding. Plan out what each of you are in charge of, for example you research bands and venues and you partner looks into florists and caterers. This way you can both have a say and compromise on important decisions.

Have fun planning your honeymoon

It is not everyday that you get to take a romantic getaway with your loved one, so make sure that you do not over look this aspect when planning your wedding. Get excited for these few days of relaxation that will follow after the stress of the wedding itself. Post pictures of your destination around your house to get excited or go shopping together for trip supplies. Use websites like Honeyfund to register for honeymoon activities for your vacation.

Take a break from planning your wedding

When all of your thoughts are consumed by the “big day”, it can be very refreshing (and greatly needed) to do something totally unrelated to your wedding with your partner. Pick an activity that you both enjoy, or recreate a favorite past date. This will remind you why you love each other and take your mind away from stress, even if it is just for a few hours.

 

Originally published on June 1, 2015.