Planning for a wedding can easily become a very stressful experience. Even when you have ample time to prepare, you might feel rushed or anxious about each little detail of the event. Though a little bit of stress is normal, you also might find yourself feeling far more overwhelmed than you had initially anticipated. When this is the case, it can be helpful to know how to remove some stress and not let it ruin the experience. Some aspects of planning for your nuptials are going to be more frustrating than others. By focusing on key parts of the process and learning ways to defuse various situations, you are going to be putting yourself in a good mental state. The next time you feel yourself getting a bit too stressed for comfort, remember some of these helpful tips.

Compromise

One of the easiest ways to feel stress about your wedding is disagreeing with your significant other about the event. You both might have differing opinions when it comes to venues, entertainment, or food. Even though some of these clashes might seem minor on the surface, the weight of the wedding can make small things feel far more intense. Though there is no cure-all secret to letting go of the small stuff, you can do wonders to remove stress from your relationship by learning the power of compromise.

Now, this does not mean you have to compromise over each and every aspect of your wedding. Rather, you need to know when is the right time to fight for something you really want and when you can let your partner have what he or she wants from a situation. When both of you have strong desires for drastically different things, you’ll need to get creative with your compromises. Learning to do this before your wedding can help with the stress of planning as well as help to create a solid foundation for the future of your union.

Say No

Your partner is not going to be the only person driving you insane in the months leading to your wedding. Family members and friends are probably going to come to you with plenty of terrible ideas. Though it might hurt at first, you absolutely must learn the power of the word “no.” When you entertain ideas you absolutely hate just to appease people you care about, you are opening yourself up to all kinds of awful input. This is your wedding, and your significant other is the only person aside from yourself whose opinion counts.

When your mom keeps sending you trending articles about why you should have a more “traditional ceremony” or your best friend’s latest girlfriend is hounding you to invite her brother to the reception, “no” is going to be your best line of defense. Though saying no might make some waves, it will help you feel more in control of your wedding and help you to feel less stress about the experience overall.

Take Your Time

There is also a lot to be said for simply taking a little bit of time to be alone. When your partner is driving you crazy and your family members won’t stop offering unsolicited advice, take a long walk somewhere relaxing. The destination should be somewhere you can be alone with your thoughts. A trip to the woods or the beach can be perfect to clear your head of everyone else’s voices.

Even though planning for a wedding can be a stressful experience in and of itself, it doesn’t mean you have to fall victim to the frustration. When you feel yourself growing exasperated by the people you care about most, find a healthy and effective way to remove stress and feel content again.