Every bride will face riding on a dreadful emotional roller coaster when it comes to planning her own wedding. After years of dreaming and longing for a once in a lifetime chance to have a unique wedding, she will find wedding planning to be a bit more stressful than she anticipated. Not everyone is financially capable of hiring a professional wedding planner and very few employers are willing to let their employees take time off to plan a wedding. So what's the solution? In most cases, family and friends get really excited when an engagement is announced. This excitement is almost always followed by offers to help in some way, shape, or form. This is where you begin to curb your soon to be stressful ride on an emotional roller coaster—involve your family and friends as much as possible. Here are a few useful ways to help you avoid becoming a Bridezilla.

• The key to eliminating stress or at least minimizing it is to accept help from others (especially when someone offers to help you). Select a few family and friends to help out. Assign them simple tasks. For example, they can assemble your wedding party favors or attach each place card to a place card holder.

• Assign your husband-to-be small tasks so that he will be involved with the wedding as well (be sure not to overwhelm him). Taking complete ownership of your dream day will only make matters worse. When the bride and groom work together in planning the wedding, it helps to bring them closer together. Making the mistake of planning the wedding without involving the groom can cause the couple to grow apart before the wedding. This is not a good way to begin a marriage. Keep in mind that the wedding is only temporary, but the relationship is meant to last forever.

• Choose a maid of honor who knows you very well and is very dependable. If you choose the right maid of honor (usually a sister or best friend), you will be amazed at how much she can do to decrease your stress. A sister or best friend will be able to make decisions for you and about you.

• Make all of your attendants aware of your expectations before they make an official commitment to participate in your wedding.

• Establish a wedding budget and stick as close to it as possible. Facing a huge wedding bill after your ceremony is no fun. Keep in mind that if you can't afford it, then you probably don't need it.

Planning a wedding can be very stressful. However, if you go into it with the right attitude and with a substantial amount of help, you won't be as stressed out after all. Delegating small tasks to close family and friends will free up time for you to deal with the bigger tasks. Before you know it, you will be saying your "I do's and thanking your guests for attending your dream wedding.


Maria Romain, founder of Academic Success Management, Inc. is a writer for HQ Wedding Favors. A family owned company that offers the most unique wedding favors that fit any budget. Find more articles on wonderful wedding favor ideas by visiting today.