10 Ways to Make Wedding Planning Less Stressful

Make wedding prep more enjoyable with our favorite tips and watch Amy plan the wedding of her dreams on 1000-lb Sisters, Tuesdays at 9/8c!

January 27, 2026

By: Samantha Lande

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Best Tips for Brides

There’s no doubt that wedding planning can be stressful for most couples. Just ask 1000-lb Sisters' Amy. This season, she’s so excited to marry Brian and plan a haunted wedding, but the couple faces major family drama throughout the planning process. Can Amy and Brian work through their issues before the big day? Keep watching 1000-lb Sisters to find out!

In the meantime, if you’re facing any adversity while wedding planning, here are 10 ways to make everything just a little less stressful.

Hire a Dedicated Planner

If your budget allows for it, having a dedicated planner can be helpful to thwart off unwanted opinions and take some stress off of you as a couple. There are many different types of planners from full service to those that just deal with logistics (and problems!) the day of the wedding. If it’s not in the budget, having a go-to friend or family member can often be helpful.

Know That You Won't Please Everyone

We all have strong opinions about the way things should go, but when it's your wedding, the only opinions that matter are yours as a couple. Aunt Sally may not like the decorations and Uncle Fred may think the music is too loud, but if it’s what you wanted, then let all of the opinions fall to the wayside. Knowing you won’t please everyone should free you from feeling like you need to meet everyone’s expectations.

Focus on the Good

There are so few times in our lives where there’s a room full of people we love all gathered to celebrate something good! Embrace that and all the other meaningful moments that happen over a wedding weekend. Being grateful can go a long way in easing some of the stress of planning a wedding.

Set a Budget

Many wedding planning issues (and life issues!) come down to money. Wedding planning can be expensive and those expenses add up quickly. Sitting down and setting a budget prior to planning can be extremely helpful in making sure you are both on the same page. It’ll also give you a good idea of where you both want to prioritize spending the most money and where it’s okay to not invest as much.

Create a Timeline

A timeline is key in executing a big event, especially a wedding with the ceremony, food, speeches, and dancing. Setting a timeline (and knowing it’s okay if it’s not exact) will help keep the evening on track and ease your worries about what should happen next.

Have a Checklist

There’s so much to do to plan a wedding, but having a master checklist that you can break into digestible tasks can be really helpful. This way, you can divide and conquer and tackle a few things at a time. Before you know it, you’ll be deep into planning without it feeling entirely too overwhelming. 

DIY Where You Can

Depending on the type of person you are, DIYing makes things less stressful or more stressful! If you have creativity and a knack for design, taking on the decor yourself could make things less stressful. If that’s not your jam, taking on easy tasks like designing a program or stuffing bags for out of towners are things that can save you money and reduce stress.

Focus on Your Relationship

It’s so easy to lose track of the reason you are getting married when there is so much to do and often so much drama surrounding the planning process. Make sure you are intermittently checking in with each other to make sure the reason for this day isn’t escaping you. Set time together and remind each other that this is just a celebration to start a lifetime together.

Make Time for Self-Care

Wedding planning can take a toll both mentally and physically. Fighting with family, constant decision making, and spending a ton of money is stressful. Taking dedicated time for self-care — whether it’s therapy, exercising, a massage, time with friends, or time with each other — is really important. Make sure you are scheduling something for yourself weekly to help combat the inevitable stress of planning.

Know That Something Will Go Wrong… And It’s OK

Even if you dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s, it’s inevitable that something will go awry — it always does. Most times, you are having such a good time you won’t even notice! However, it’s important to go in with the attitude knowing that even if something goes wrong, it’ll still be okay. 

10 Ways to Make Wedding Planning Less Stressful

Related To:

Shop This Look

Best Tips for Brides

Hire a Dedicated Planner

Know That You Won't Please Everyone

Focus on the Good

Set a Budget

Create a Timeline

Have a Checklist

DIY Where You Can

Focus on Your Relationship

Make Time for Self-Care

Know That Something Will Go Wrong… And It’s OK

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