Planning a wedding should be a joyful time in your life! And while the process is full of fun and excitement, it can be tiring for any couple. When you're also managing the symptoms and limitations of a chronic medical condition, it brings extra challenges. We at Bespoke & Beloved are intimately acquainted with those challenges, and we’re here to help you navigate that journey without using up all your spoons before the wedding arrives!
With some thoughtful preparation and planning, you can still design a memorable, joyful wedding day that fits your needs and celebrates your love! Here’s your road map for planning a wedding while managing your health needs.
Maintain Your Healthy Baseline
Before diving into the wedding planning details, make sure you are setting up a baseline of good health habits and time for self-care. Wedding planning with a chronic illness requires attention to your physical and emotional well-being. Prioritize rest, whatever eating habits may improve your quality of life, and maintaining any medicines and other routines that are part of the health-plan you and your healthcare practitioners have developed. If therapy is one of your regular health-maintenance tools, be sure to keep up that routine, and even consider increasing the frequency if necessary. Keep all members of your healthcare team in the loop on how wedding planning may be effecting your normal health baseline and make changes as necessary on their recommendations. This foundation of self-care will set the stage for a smoother planning process.
Pace Yourself
Don’t forget to pace yourself to avoid getting overwhelmed, which could cause symptoms to flare up. Consider developing a flexible or extended wedding planning timeline. For instance, you may need to tackle wedding tasks in short bursts rather than pushing to get a lot done in one day. Or you may have an unexpected health challenge that delays the planning process. A flexible planning timeline allows for a more relaxed and enjoyable pace, reducing stress and promoting better overall well-being.
B&B Client Perk
Bespoke & Beloved clients all gain access to Aisle Planner, which includes a wedding planning checklist that you can customize to create small chunks of planning tasks over the course of your wedding planning timeline. It also offers a ton of other tools like RSVP tracking, seating chart building, and (depending on the package you book with Bespoke & Beloved) budget tracking.
Simplify Tasks
Anywhere you can simplify or automate tasks with a tool like Aisle Planner, that will make wedding planning an easier and less stressful experience, especially when managing your chronic condition is taking up more time than you have. If you don’t have access to Aisle Planner, Zola, RSVPify or Paperless Post are other options for seamless wedding planning and RSVP tracking. Creating and managing guest lists, tracking RSVPs, and fielding guest questions are all taken care of simply and in one place. This saves a ton of time, energy and effort.
Call Your Squad for Support
Make like Taylor Swift and call on your squad for support. Surround yourself with a wedding support network of family and friends who understand your unique needs. Delegate tasks to your squad during wedding planning to alleviate your workload, and communicate openly about your limitations. Building a strong wedding support system is crucial for a successful and enjoyable wedding planning experience!
Carefully Vet Your Vendors
When selecting a wedding venue and vendors, prioritize accessibility and communication. Ask the venue how they typically accommodate guests with mobility issues or other needs, like a room to decompress, rest, and reset during the day. Choose vendors who are understanding of your health needs and can adapt their services accordingly. Inform all of your vendors of any specific health-related requirements or concerns that may impact their scope of work ahead of time, ensuring that they are well-prepared to support you on your special day. Clear communication fosters understanding and collaboration.
Planning a wedding with a chronic illness may present unique challenges, but Bespoke and Beloved Events is dedicated to creating inclusive and personalized weddings that reflect the unique love stories of our couples. Embrace the journey, focus on the love you share, and let us help you bring your dream wedding to life, regardless of the challenges you may face.
Happy (and healthy!) planning,
Stay tuned for part 2 - managing your chronic illness on your actual wedding day, coming soon!