6 Things Your Calendar Can Do to Ease Pre-Wedding Stress Wedding bells are ringing! Maybe you are planning for that special — all-important day during the winter holidays? Of course, December Days and New Year’s Day are popular wedding days....

Wedding bells are ringing! Maybe you are planning for that special — all-important day during the winter holidays? Of course, December Days and New Year's Day are popular wedding days. But, the day you walk down the aisle is quickly approaching, and no matter which day you choose, your special day will be wonderful.

Yes — your excitement is growing every day — but take the time to carefully plan on your Calendar now so that your stress is less and you can keep those overwhelming feelings in check.

Stop and Take a Deep Breath — Often — While You are Planning

Yes, there are tons of moving parts to plan a wedding, but you can handle them all if you schedule what you have to do. What this means is that you're going to need a little help to keep things straight. Want a handy-dandy, in-your-pocket tool to be your organizational wing woman or wingman? Look no further than your online Calendar.

Your Beautiful Melt Down Story Preserved for Posterity — It Eases Pre-Wedding Stress

Seriously — later in your life, you don't want to be the only person on the planet who doesn't have a melt-down story about their wedding. So, enjoy your anxiety moment and savor that too. Better yet, plan for that special temper tantrum on your Calendar. Stay home from work and make a day of it. Eat junk food, watch a movie, cry — then take a hot bubble bath and go to bed — get over it.

The convenient Calendar on your smartphone or computer is indeed the planning guru you'll want to use to keep track of everything. One of the best lists you need to do to plan a wedding is from the New York Times — How to Plan a Wedding.

You Are Great — You Can Make Your Event Wonderful With Careful Planning

Keep reading to learn more about six ways your Calendar can sweep away your wedding preparation stresses. Of course, you'll want your planning to be fun, memorable, and almost as unique and fun as the day itself.

1. Plan Your Purchases

Chances are you've been to plenty of weddings already. So you have a pretty clear idea of all the odds and ends you must consider. First, there's choosing the bridesmaids' dresses and searching (what feels like the world over) for your dress. Next, you must select locations for the ceremony and reception. And don't forget the tasting appointments for your cake.

Having many choices and people to meet can make your head swim. Keep it all organized with your online Calendar. Save the dates and times for all your tours, fittings, and samplings. Set reminder alerts for both the day and a few hours beforehand. That neat little feature will keep you on time, too.

2. Book a Caterer

Whether you're having a sit-down dinner or cocktail hour reception, planning the food for your wedding is vital. Even if you're a phenomenal cook, this isn't something you want to take on yourself. You're already juggling a dozen balls taking care of all the other details. For this essential job, you need to hire a caterer.

First, make sure your chosen venue doesn't require you to use their contracted caterer. If you must use an in-house caterer — that's great. But you don't want to schedule someone else and give them a deposit — and then have to use the venue caterer. Most venue caterers are primo caterers — otherwise, they wouldn't be associated with a professional place. Sometimes it's nice to have everything done in one spot.

Selecting your pro chef is only a piece of the menu puzzle, though. You still must coordinate delivery and set-up times. Record everything in your online Calendar. Most of these places know precisely what they are doing — that's why you hire them — but note what you have been promised in your Calendar.

You'll be too busy getting ready for the ceremony on your wedding day to worry about meeting the caterer. So instead, give that job to a friend or family member and invite them to your calendar event. That way, the date and time for the caterer's arrival will show up on their Calendar, too.

3. Know Who's Coming — Your Guest List

Maybe you're planning a small, intimate wedding with just your closest friends and family. Or perhaps you're looking for your nuptials to be the smash even of the season. Either way, you'll want to know who plans to make an appearance.

That final headcount helps you plan for the caterer. It also ensures the bar (if you're having one) is fully stocked. Be sure you set your RSVP date far enough in advance, so your vendors have enough prep time. Too little food and too few bottles behind the bar can really crash your party.

There are two ways an online calendar can help with your guest list. First, save the Date cards are great, and many are beautifully designed. Let's be real, though. Most get lost in a stack of mail, or they're forgotten once they're stuck to the refrigerator. You can avoid that problem by sending out an online calendar "Save the Date" invitation. That way, your friends and family can block off the time even before you have specific event details.

When you're ready to send out your official invitations, you can put your online Calendar to use again. It makes the invitation process super convenient. Plus, it's a fantastic way to save money and be environmentally conscious. Once you have all your details, update the calendar invitation. For example, include the time, venue, directions, and reception location.

Ask everyone to accept or decline by a specific date. It requires no envelopes or stamps. That makes it a much more efficient way to keep tabs on who's coming to your main event.

4. Plan the Day Itself

With time getting closer, your wedding is probably looking less and less like an overall party day. Instead, there's a good chance it's starting to resemble a day-long "to-do" list closely. You'll need an agenda to keep the ceremony and reception running smoothly. Otherwise, essential parts of the day can happen out of order.

Your online Calendar can keep your wedding rolling like a well-oiled machine. Use it to create a schedule. When should your ushers start to seat your guests? What time does the flower girl make her appearance? When are you supposed to make your highly anticipated walk down the aisle?

Sketch out all these moments on the Calendar. Then, don't forget to make the details public to everyone at the wedding party. That way, everyone is in the know, and they can stick to your timeline. It also means you won't have to constantly remind people what they're supposed to do and when.

5. Plan Your Prep Time

Since the day you said "yes," you probably feel like you've been doing a solid amount of preparation. That's true. You definitely have. Don't forget to plan for what might be the most crucial block of prep time, however. You will need a certain amount of dedicated hours to get ready on your wedding day. Remember that little snafus can happen, so give yourself more time than you think you'll need.

There are plenty of steps to think about on your actual wedding day. Are you getting your nails done? How much time will you need for your hair and makeup? Don't forget you may need some minor alterations to your dress or suit right before the ceremony. Many brides and grooms lose a pound or two due to stress right before the wedding day.

The main thing to remember is you don't want to rush yourself. Block off time in your online Calendar to pamper yourself before your grand appearance. Consider doing some yoga that morning or schedule a massage. Then, set an alert to remind yourself when it's time to start getting ready. This way, you'll show up looking as refreshed as possible.

6. Schedule Out Your Honeymoon

Your online Calendar can do a good job helping you navigate the stresses of your wedding planning. The great news is that it can help you let all that stress go. Take the expertise in calendar planning you built up and used it to schedule your honeymoon. It will make your first vacay as a married couple that much simpler.

Every time you make a reservation — hotel, restaurant, or tour — immediately put it in your online Calendar. Confirmation numbers, dates, and times written on sheets of paper are easily lost. Don't leave your travel plans up to chance. When you know all your vacation details are in one location, you can rest easier and truly relax. Your honeymoon is the time to focus on your honey — not whether you have hotel accommodations.

Your wedding day is supposed to be one of your life's most exciting, joyful days. It can be filled with all the happiness in the world when you follow a plan and reduce your stress. Remember — there's a lot to get done, but you don't have to do it alone.

An online calendar can be your best friend when you're trying to juggle all the major and minor details. Please keep it in your pocket, refer to it frequently, and your wedding will be the event of your dreams.

Featured Image Credit: Photo by Rene Asmussen; Pexels; Thank You!

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