The Lazy Bride's Guide To Planning A Wedding

You've set a date for your wedding, and you've made zero steps towards planning it. But that's OK, because you have plenty of time, right? How hard can planning a wedding be, anyway? Well, if you've been saying that for months and still haven't planned a thing, you're about to start running out of time, and you've officially become a lazy bride. Some women have spent years planning their wedding in their head, and know exactly how they want their big day to go. But some of us don't even start thinking about it until our significant others are on bended knee asking one of the most important questions of all.

And planning a wedding isn't easy. It's basically a part-time job, and since you already have a full-time job, when are you supposed to make all of these important wedding-day decisions? How do you fit it all in and still have some semblance of a life? The key to planning a wedding as a lazy bride is not letting too much time go by. Because once you go from lazy to full-on procrastination, the panic sets in and will poison all the fun. Here are some easy, sanity-saving wedding planning tips for all you lazy brides out there.

1. Make lists with deadlines

Step one is getting organized. You need to write down everything you'll need to do in order to get this big day planned. A plan is half the battle, and you don't have to make any major decisions or spend any money to create it, so take advantage of that.

2. Accomplish just one major goal per month

Don't get overwhelmed once the list of to-dos is complete. It's going to be A LOT of stuff no matter how big or small your wedding is. But if your wedding is at least seven months away, you only have to plan one big part of it per month. Accomplish a few small tasks each month as well, and you'll be in great shape. I mean, how hard is it to make one decision per month? YOU'VE. GOT. THIS.

3. Start with the big tasks

For the major tasks, start with the biggest one first and work your way down until the easiest "big" decision is the very last one to make. This will keep you from going insane, because the closer you get to the wedding day, the more stressed you are and the easier you'll need life to be in general. Figure out what the most important aspect of this day is. For most brides, it's the dress and/or the venue.

4. Check in on your budget

It's SO easy to come up with a number in the beginning and then ignore how much you're actually spending as you go along. Do not make this mistake. You need to check in on your budget every week to make sure you're on track. Wedding budgets get obliterated so quickly during the planning process, and the worst way to begin a marriage is to find yourself unexpectedly in debt.

5. Binge on TV wedding episodes

Call it research, and take mental notes on what you do and don't like. I used the weddings of Leslie and Ben, Chandler and Monica, Jim and Pam, and even Liz Lemon to figure out the kind of dress I wanted, the flowers, and the music. These fictional love birds can seriously help you. Lean on them as needed.

6. Kill time on Pinterest

Any time you spend on a wedding Pinterest board is time well spent. There is just SO MUCH to find, discover, and inspire you, and since it's a tool for visual organization, you could plan the entire day on there.

7. Reward yourself

When you're having trouble getting motivated, the simplest way to remedy that is to give yourself a reward when you check off a task box. Set up a program like: every time you make a major decision, you get $50 to spend frivolously on something non-wedding related. As long as you keep it reasonable, you won't make a dent in your wedding budget, AND you'll stay motivated to continue planning in a timely fashion.

8. Enlist your besties to help

Your friends and family will offer to help, and you need to take them up on it. They might have talents that you don't have, and you can save money by asking them to lend a hand. My maid of honor was an artist and insanely crafty. She offered to make all the quirky and cozy decor I pinned on Pinterest herself, and it was even cooler than what I pinned.

9. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty about taking wedding planning breaks

This will be one of the most important, happiest, and priciest days of your life. It's perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed and slightly terrified. And it's also perfectly fine to put the wedding talks on pause when you just need a break from it all. Don't let anyone (even you) make you feel guilty for stepping away and carving out a little "you" time. You will certainly need it, and you absolutely deserve it.

Image: Márcia Oliveira/Flickr; Giphy (9)