Wedding Wednesdays- How to plan your wedding (once a week!) and save your marriage

Planning a wedding can be downright exhausting. Unlike any other party you've planned, this one seems to hold so much more significance! It seems like everyone has an opinion on what you should do, where you should go, and who you should invite. I've just started planning, and I feel like I've already hit a brick wall. My budget is way below market, I live in the most expensive place to get married (p.s. that's #1, 2 & 5 on the list!), and my fiance has a huge family that we need to invite. All of this is enough to cause anyone stress, including someone who plans parties regularly!

I recently had lunch with a friend/former coworker, and I was discussing (complaining) about how the stress of wedding planning is already causing my fiance and me to argue. In addition, since I love to plan parties and he does not, I feel like the entire burden falls on my shoulders. At this time, my friend made a genius suggestion- pick a day and make that "wedding discussion day". For me, that's Wedding Wednesdays. As soon as I heard it, I was intrigued, and it only gets better! She's one of the smartest people I know, and I'm so lucky to have her inspiring me.

My fiance and I are also having some disagreements about location and other details. This is where Wedding Wednesdays is perfect. Each Wednesday, you can discuss a specific topic or set of tasks that need completion. Then, you can decide what the next week's agenda will entail. This gives each party a fair one week to research their options. At the next meeting, couples share their findings and make decisions. If one person does not do their research by the deadline, then they are essentially not prepared for the meeting. At this point, the decision will likely sway in the favor of the person who did their homework.

To be fair, I think that an extension should be granted for certain topics, but overall it should allow for much smoother and quicker decision making. This method is also great if you have parents or bridesmaids that are helping. Instead of trying to coordinate schedules, there is one set day for everyone to get together and discuss.

Today, my fiance and I will have our very first Wedding Wednesday. I'll post an update next week with a recap of our meeting and some suggestions to get the most out of your first meeting! (Psst! Check it out here.)

Do you have any sneaky tips on how to be more efficient in your wedding planning? Let me know in the comments below!

Be sure to check out my colorful wedding ideas Pinterest board for some great wedding ideas!

Living the Dream

When I was younger, I always imagined my life when I was a grown up. I'd be FABULOUS, working an awesome job that paid me well, be in love, and live out on Long Island. I couldn't wait to be a grown up. Now that I'm here, I have to say that I couldn't be happier.

I'm not quite as fabulous as I had hoped- I can't walk in heels due to my plantar fasciitis, I don't wear makeup or style my hair, and I can't wake up early enough to put on a creative outfit. Despite all of this, I'm exactly where I've wanted to be. A lot of people start blogging when they buy a house to chronicle their journey, so I figured I'd join the ranks of the elite and give it a shot.

They say stick to what you're good at, so I'll go with organizing, crafts, and party planning. The funny thing about me and organization- I love to do it... I'm great at it... but I suffer with the upkeep. I can find a place for everything, but sometimes I can't remember where that place is. Other times, my system fails because it doesn't take into account how lazy or rushed I can be. Admitting you have a problem is the first step in solving it! My goal, both as a homeowner and a new blogger, is to work on creative, affordable solutions that have a lasting impact.  

In addition to making my house a home, I'm just starting to plan my wedding. Party planning is super fun, but wedding planning has been super stressful- this will be the largest event I've ever pulled off, with the challenge of a small budget added on top!  I'll be sharing my findings along the way, and hopefully I can find some tricks to make planning a budget-friendly wedding a breeze.

Cheesy line alert: I hope you'll join me on this journey!