Photo by Megan Daas
Having an 18-month engagement has its benefits. I was able to enjoy the rush of being engaged before taking on major wedding planning tasks. But when I hit the one-year mark, things got real. Suddenly, there were all sorts of tasks I needed to complete. I tried to manage everything on my own, but I eventually got overwhelmed. It was time to ask for help. There was no better person to turn to than my fiancé, Sean.
Sean was always willing to pitch in, but he didn’t know where to insert himself. I took some time to think about tasks he’d excel at. Sean’s a certified project manager. He’s great at managing communication and making sure projects get completed. I put him in charge of vendor communication.
Catering is a great example. I told Sean which companies I was interested in meeting with. Sean reached out to them, got their rates, and scheduled tasting appointments. He reviewed all the catering contracts and paperwork. He also handled follow-up communication. It might seem like a small task, but it was a huge help. Suddenly, my inbox wasn’t full of vendor e-mails. Instead, I looked forward to concise, detailed recaps that Sean put together for me.
Another task that overwhelmed me was planning our honeymoon. We decided to honeymoon in Spain, since it’s a romantic country that neither of us have been to before. But planning a two-week European vacation in addition to the biggest event of our lives was too much for me to handle. Sean stepped in and took on the travel plans.
Sean bought two books on Spain and read them cover-to-cover. He contacted several of our friends who have been to Spain and asked them for recommendations. I even caught him watching Rick Steves travel videos in the middle of the night. The result was a detailed honeymoon itinerary featuring amazing restaurants, charming hotels, and historic landmarks. He nailed it.
As a bride, it’s easy to feel like you should take on most of the wedding planning. But your fiancé is there to help you. Make an effort to involve your groom in the planning process. Not only will it save you some stress—it will also make him more invested in the wedding. My only regret is that I didn’t ask Sean for help sooner.
