Many couples would like to plan their own wedding but are hesitant being afraid of the stress involved. Planning your wedding can be less stressful than what you expect and you can actually have fun during the process. There are some key factors that will significantly help you to reduce the overall stress. These are having the right attitude, starting your planning as early as possible, working with a budget, sharing your tasks with others, finding good service providers and suppliers, and exercising daily.

First of all, you must have the right attitude. After all a wedding is a very happy occasion. Therefore, planning the wedding should be equally fun. You should be convinced of this before taking on the responsibility. Wedding planning will allow you to be exposed to beautiful attire & accessories, visit beautiful venues, and enable you to taste delicious foods and cakes. Also, it will become one of those memorable occasions you will talk and laugh about for years to come.

Second, you should start your planning as early as possible. Once he has popped the question and you have said "yes", you can begin the first stages. You can start gathering ideas by attending local bridal shows, purchasing bridal magazines, talking over experiences with married friends, shopping around, and surfing the internet. Starting early will allow you to be better organized, explore more possibilities, go over decisions more thoroughly, and best of all, leave you some time to relax the days before your wedding.

Third, you and your fiancé should sit down and set up a budget. You must estimate how much total available money you will have to spend on your wedding. This includes your own as well as any money others will contribute. Later you should design a worksheet and allocate the total amount among the different items you intend to spend on. The more detailed the budget, the better. You should not spend more than what you have allocated for each category. At first, this will seem like more work, but later sticking to the budget will help greatly reduce your stress and save you much needed money.

Fourth, is to find other people who can help you. There are many tasks involved in planning a wedding and many times it can be overwhelming. Finding others to share the tasks can offer great reassurance, if you choose wisely. Remember, the idea is to reduce stress, not to increase it. Choose people that make you feel comfortable, are not domineering, and won't trigger conflict. Also, always keep in mind that it is your wedding and you do not want others deciding for you. Choose a close family member or best friend. I personally chose my mother and sister to help me with the planning.

Fifth, shop around for good service providers and suppliers. Look for quality as well as price. Also, look for good service and the willingness to work with you. There are many out there. Some can be excellent and others terrible. I personally had a very bad experience with our caterers. Many of the people attending my reception got sick after the party. Luckily, other factors in my wedding made my party a success. Many times, service providers can make or break your wedding. For service providers, ask for references and/or ask to see them at work. If you attend any weddings or special occasions, remember to ask the names of the providers if you were satisfied with their services. This hand on experience is the best way of knowing. Regarding suppliers, purchase samples of wedding items first. If you are happy with the quality and service provided, then go ahead and purchase the rest of the items.

Finally, remember to include exercise in your daily routine. After a day filled with tasks and decisions you deserve a little time to yourself. Set aside at least half an hour to do an activity that best suits you. This can involve going to the local gym, swimming, sports, yoga or even walking around your neighborhood. This will help relieve much stress and help you feeling fit, trim, and beautiful.

I am sure that these six suggestions will greatly help in reducing the stress and set you on your way to happy planning.