Anyone struggling to switch off from wedding planning?

I feel planning takes over at times even when I don't want it to and I'm not as close to my date as you are !

I think you need to schedule in a day off from planning even if you can't do it for 2 weeks

why not plan something else for that day , quite meal and cinema trip ?? doesn't have to be much just something to distract you from the wedding plans on that day.

Granted this is easier said than done.

At least one of these, make a vow to yourself not to even come on here, do something totally unrelated. Watch a movie and shut yourself off from everything. I did this a couple of weeks ago with OH and felt so much better for it.

I do know what you mean though, but try to keep busy with other thing s.

Im in the same boat...and my wedding is 1 1/2 years away ?

I find when I am sleeping all I am dreaming about is wedding stuff, so Im not getting a good sleep.

We have booked the venue and next we are doing the photographer. After that, I promised OH that we would calm down. I created a group on facebook that only he and I can see. We will post anything we find there and have a section of things we need to talk about/decide and we will do that once or twice a month for at least the next 6 months. Otherwise, I will drive myself (and him!) crazy

Try doing some of the suggestions of doing things where you are away from a computer/magazines and that require your attention. Hopefully that helps!

Can COMPLETELY empathise. In fact I'm sure half the reason I've got as poorly as I have (I'm signed off work - v unusual) is because when I wake and don't drift back off I lay thinking (worrying) and wondering (planning) or even start researching the Internet. Not good.

I like the advice you've got and I hope you feel better soon. Take care of yourself.

I can completly understand - I am planning a wedding in 4 months. We got engaged nov last yr and we've set a date for April 2013. Last few days I have been living on my nerves. It hasn't helped that one of my Bm has pulled out and my best friend since school is only coming to the ceremony to do a reading then going home (long story) I've been snappy and hardly sleeping too take the advice - do something for u switch off and have a glass of wine. I'm off to the gym now for body pump if the snow hasn't cancelled the class lol xx

Yeah, I feel the same at the moment but I suppose at least the end is in sight!

Bless you, I'm positive so many brides can empathise with you.

I do seem to be spending every spare second on the wedding. I'm hoping that with 6 months still to go there will come a point when there is just nothing left to plan!

Maybe a check-list will help you? I often find I lay awake worrying if its something I haven't thought about how I'm going to tackle etc.

Seeing how much you have left to organise (list in priority order) may help, and you can just tick a couple of things off every other day?

I think you've had some good advice RE time out, your wedding will still go ahead even with a day off! :-)

I've lost sleep but over my hen doo / weekend! I'm a control freak and being in control has thrown me for six.

I like to think I think of every case scenario and really think plans out, where as others don't and that is something I whittle about...

The planning hasn't quite taken over for me just yet, but I have frequent nightmares about the day going WRONG! Roll on the day so all the good and bad can happen, then we can get on with the rest of our lives! :o)

I think planning free days sound like the answer when you're in the final couple of months! I'll try to remember this when I'm that close.

I wonder if no matter how organised you are you go through this.

I know for me the last month will be a nightmare money wise - I'm rubbish at maths and its me who has worked out all the finances!

Just hope we have enough to pay everyone! Lol!

YES! I feel like this toooooooooo! This weekend I have 6 meetings to fit into 2 days. Stressful. I love it too though...in a way I wouldn't want to change it.

Me absolutely. Luckily I'm a SAHM so I have time to dedicate to wedding planning

I was getting a tad "obsessed" with the whole planning stage but then a friend of mine got married last year and after the wedding she got very depressed because suddenly it was all over and she had nothing that was filling her time. She got so low that she said the first few months of married life were like being in mourning. It didn't help that her photo's didn't turn out very well so she felt she didn't have proper memories of the day.

From that moment I forced myself to have days off from planning. I'm excited about the day but I don't want to feel sad afterwards because it's over.

Yes!

I really need to try and switch off.

i had a day off work yesterday and the majority of my time was spent wedding planning. I just don't give myself a day off at all.

Glad it's not just me! We're only at the 'considering venues' stage at the moment, but already I feel a bit overwhelmed with everything. I barely get a second when I'm not at work or thinking about weddings! Hoping that once the venue is booked it'll be easier to chill out, but I know deep down I'm probably kidding myself. Mum has already told me countless times that I have 'an awful lot on my plate' at the moment. Think planning a few non-wedding days are definitely in order. But I just love it all too much, hehe.

It'll all be worth it in the end, but no point going crazy in the meantime ? that's what I'm telling myself anyway, but I always have been not great at taking my own advice, hehe.

Im really sturggling to get motivated at all, i do shift work and have been compltetly too exhausted to think what is going on with our wedding, i really need to sort out invites and BM dresses next, im planning on dragging OH to the range in a bit when hes woken up after his night shift :-)

Yes, but then I would expect to be in overdrive when I'm as close to the big day as you!!! I forced myself to put it on the backburner and enjoy xmas but I'm back on it now.

I figure it's a once in a lifetime thing, I enjoy having this to amuse myself, but sometimes I do enjoy a wedding free time!

The range has a great selection of wedding things!

I know we well I picked up some more place card stands and some things to go in to the kids activity boxes. Still no further on the iinvites though

This is what I keep thinking to get me through! I do have moments of is it all worth it for that one day - but then I keep thinking that actually it is going to be the biggest day, we've got a lovely photographer too, so everything like getting decorations perfect and hair too are important and arent going to go to waste as we'll be able to see them over and over again!

For making a list, I have two really big lists. One for paying people off, one for doing things. It really is nice to cross things off, especially when I do a bunch in one go like today - but theres still so much on both to do - so its still quite stressful at the moment just looking at them.

And I think Nutella I may take tomorrow night off. If you see me on here tomorrow, tell me to go away ?

I completely understand where you're coming from. Within a couple of months of us getting engaged, I became obsessed with wedding planning, it was on my mind constantly and I was worrying about making the day perfect for everyone. I honestly felt like I was heading for a breakdown. It got to the point where I was crying about it all one day and my OH talked some sense into me, he told me to take a break from it all, and that all the little stuff didn't matter. I took a break from it all (for longer than expected, I completely lost my mojo!) and when I came back to it, I felt refreshed and in a much better place for planning a wedding.

I agree with everyone that says take a break from it all, even if it's just for a day, it will help to clear your head.

Hi,

Im feeling the same. my wedding is at the end of may this year. there is so much to do and i cant stop thinking and worrying about it. im also not getting much help or support from anyone and its making me quite upset and angry. the only one im getting help from is my sister. I also feel i cant do anything right and arguing with my fiance. i ask him what he likes,,,,, he says he is leaving everything up to me and then complains when ive booked something and he doesnt like it.

i get so excited and he just isnt. i know i should expect this as he is after all a man. its still upsetting and im finding it hard doing everything on my own.

Switching off is getting harder by the day. Yesterday I had my dress fitting and today am off to the venue...and have just woken from a mad dream where everything was going wrong - the dress went missing, the flowers died, and I was trying so hard to sort it all out that I was running two hours late and the registrar left before I could make it. OMG, I do hope this isn't a sign of things to come!

I was totally obsessed when we first got engaged and was literally spending all evenings and weekend researching stuff. My oh started to get cross that it was apparently the only thing I was talking about and it was 'taking over our lives'. So I toned it down a bit for a few months! Now panicking though that I've left stuff too late and it's going to be a mad rush to get everything done!

I kinda did it. I stayed off hitch yesterday, and didnt do any online shopping/browsing. I updated my blog as I hadnt done that since 8th January, and even though I was talking about stuff that I've done already for the wedding, it was nice as there was soooo much in it! I knew I'd done a lot - but that really was a lot!

On Wednesday, I had my hair and make up trials and dress fitting too which was really good. I'm really happy with how it all is, but there is a lot to be done on my dress so I hope it doesnt take too long as she charges per hour.

Also had caterers where I got to try out the starter as thatd been something else I'd worried about as I didnt think I was going to like it. Well, I didnt. I get garlic dough balls instead! Yummmm! Mum and OH liked it though so we're still keeping it as a starter.

Yes unfortunately. I say unfortunately as I got married just over 6 months ago, but can't stop my brain thinking of wedding ideas, colours etc. I keep seeing things and telling OH how great it would look with suhc and such, he looks at me like I'm crazy. I am trying to push my energy into something constructive and am busy making wine glass charms for birthdays and Christmas' of anyone i think would like them after falling in love with the alice in wonderland ones made by another hitcher. Hopefully our brains will soon learn to shut down

Some advice I had from a friend who got married recently, was to book in a night away a couple of months before the wedding with your husband to be. A little pre-mini moon. The rules are to not talk about wedding plans while you are away, and instead, remember why you are getting married. We are not getting married for another year and a half, but our night away is already booked! Stops you worrying about budget nearer the time!

x

Another +1 here. I was totally fine before Christmas but now I know we're in the countdown period every single waking minute is spent thinking about wedding stuff. I find it particular hard to switch off at night, all i dream about is wedding things. I had cake pillars floating through my mind last night!!

I've printed out a wall calendar of the next three months and written on every single appointment and deadline that we have on it, then as soon as i book something else in i add it to the calendar, and this is stuck to our kitchen cabinet. It's so helpful and honestly calms me down just looking at it seeing everything planned out. I've also got a to do list that is shared by me and the OH online and I'm adding everything to it, even tiny things that i think of, and again that's helping me look at the list and see everything in a manageable way.

In the same way that you would set aside time to sit down and do wedding stuff, you need to set aside relaxation time too - otherwise you'll burn out! For me personally it's the gym, but something that really whisks your brain away to a different place - like going to the cinema or reading a book for a bit - is a good idea. I let myself browse the internet to relax but inevitably I end up either on here or looking at something wedding related!!

I'm genuinely concerned what my brain's going to do after all this is over!!

Chedi - Sounds like we're at a similar stage, I had my hair trial last week, dress fitting yesterday, and for my make up trial today. Don't know about you but am getting VERY excited!

I confess that I got out the door to work today much later than expected due to my head being lost to in wedding related thoughts etc ?

I wasn't technically late but only because I set my own diary but after sorting out what work i could do from home this morning I thought I'll just have a quick look online whilst i finish my coffee and before i knew it an hour had past.

I really must get this in check or my manager ( who is very very patient ) will be having kitten by the time I get married ?

? Positive update! This is good ?

I think I may try have a complete day off again next week, really does clear your mind for a bit. I've felt much more relaxed doing bits today. Childhood-sweet, that does sound like a lovely idea, but unfortunatly theres only 6 mores week til our wedding. We're going away for separate hen/stag weekend, albeit not together, but they'll still be weekends away with those we love to spend time with, and mines in 3 weeks time.

And yep Mrs P to be, it is actually getting really exciting. Before I just had ideas of how things would go - but now I'm actually seeing it all properly! I cant wait til everything is all together on the day! Still seems a bit unreal that all this is going to be 'our' wedding!

^^ This!! I think I embarrased myself a bit this afternoon at our final venue meeting, our coordinator made me feel totally unstressed about it, everything I mentioned she took over and made it her job. That makes me feel like I can be a bride not a wedding planner ?