Wedding Planning and College Life: Tips for Student Brides and Grooms
Have you just become engaged while at college or university? Whether this came out of the blue or had been a long time coming, it’s fair to say that being in a long-term relationship and being an engaged college student involves many responsibilities, one of which could be planning a wedding. Wedding planning itself can be stressful at the best of times – so how can the additional stress of a college student’s full-on schedule be managed? We have provided various tips and some helpful advice that may make all the difference when planning a wedding as a college student. Some students find it effective to hire Academized personal statement writer to help manage their academic workload during this busy time. Academized writing service offers one-on-one support in specific subjects, helping students stay on top of their coursework. They can provide personalized assistance with difficult concepts, exam preparation, and time management strategies.
Wedding Plans
As a student bride or groom , it is important that you prioritize your study , for that’s why you go to college in the first place. That does not mean you should not plan a dream wedding too ! The trick is to strike a balance between the two.
Come up with a schedule that provides sufficient time for both school-related tasks and wedding-related tasks. Reserve a certain amount of hours per week for wedding planning, just as you would studying or going to class, so that both aren’t short-changed.
It is ok to take it slow, do not try to do it all at once. You can tackle one aspect of wedding planning at a time, but break this into small chunks. Maybe approaching the process Wednesday nights, and having each week focus on something new. Maybe one week will be researching venues, one for invitations, etc. Doing it this way will keep you from feeling overwhelmed and help you maintain your coursework.
Budgeting for Your Big Day
After all, you are (we hope) a college student, and therefore broke, and you need to be something of a money genius to have any cash left over for your wedding – especially if you want to enjoy yourself too. So, how do you do that? How do you save on your wedding without being cheap? Step one is, of course, to be realistic – with yourself and with your partner – about what you can afford. What kind of budget can you have, given what you’re earning now, what you have saved up now, and what you might be able to get from relatives or prospective in-laws – either now or later?
After you have a good sense of what you have to spend, work out a detailed budget for the wedding itself, breaking down costs of the reception, venue, catering, clothing and accessories, and floristry, and share decision making. Be prepared to make sacrifices where you have to move money around and be sure you are both on board with the compromises you have to make.
Seek ways to economize on your event while still maintaining the atmosphere you envision for yourself and your family and friends: instead of a hotel ballroom, consider getting married in a state park or a beach – these locations might be available at a fraction of the cost of a traditional venue. Consider having your wedding during the off-season – say, in January instead of June – and on a weekday instead of a Saturday.
Remember, your wedding itself can be a creative experience – why not put photography duties to a friend who double-majored in art school? Ask a new-found musician to play your music and save money on a tuneless band.
You could even reach out to the college essay writing service on campus to find students skilled in academic writing who might be willing to help with your assignments to save your time for preparation.
Time Management: Your New Best Friend
You’ll need to juggle time wisely when your schedule looks like college-student meets wedding planner. Use a digital calendar or planning app to keep track of your college deadlines and wedding-related visits and meetings. This may help to avoid double-booking and ensure that you don’t leave both parties hanging.
Weddings can be perfect weddings-in-waiting for the busy-but-creative college student. Consider spending portions of those precious college breaks such as summers, winter, Thanksgiving and spring break planning your wedding. Schedule your venue tours or try out dresses during times when you would be pole dancing or hitting your husband-to-be with pillows anyway.
You should also let your professors know what’s going on with you. You shouldn’t expect special treatment or to get extra accommodations, but it doesn’t hurt to say ‘Hey, by the way, I’m getting married.’ If you need a little more time with an assignment due around your wedding date, why not let your professor know?
Involving Your Partner and Delegating Tasks
If you remember anything, remember this: you’re not going through this alone. Your partner is an equal co-conspirator in this wedding, and the marriage that will come after it. Make sure you’re dividing the planning up equitably. Not only does this lighten your individual load, it invites you both into the process so that you both feel ownership.
Sit down and make a list of what needs to be done. Let go of any preconceived notions about who does what. What do the two of you do best? What do you most want to do? And what do you really have time to do? Are one of you the spreadsheet wiz and the other best with a design? The former could take on the budget and the guest list, while the latter does the decor and the invites.
Ask willing friends and family for help – most will be delighted to collaborate on some of the wedding prep, particularly if you break up the projects and delegate them thoughtfully, in ways that are meaningful and play to personalities and skills.
Choosing the Right Date
If you are still studying at school, choosing the perfect date may look quite tricky. Invariably, you would want to avoid your own wedding day to be when the core exam of the semester is scheduled, or when your thesis is due in a couple of months. The smartest thing is that summer vacations are considered the perfect time for students to tie a knot or get married at most right after graduation.
So, if you’re going to get married outside of the school year, try to do it during a long weekend or a school holiday so you and your college buddies don’t have to miss class.
Remember that popular dates can be booked up fast – especially if you are on a budget – so look at your ideal dates as early as possible and, if you have the option, date-flex is your best friend for price savings.
Staying Organized
The glamorous side of planning a wedding might mean that you want everything to come together magically, but keeping things organized is the best thing you can do for yourself on a regular basis. Use a wedding-planning binder – or a file on your computer, if that’s your style – and keep your ideas, contracts, contacts, and other details in one place, so you’re not searching for bank statements in a stack of magazines one afternoon.
But you can track your to-dos and not-yets through checklists. There are many wedding planning checklists (on the internet, for example) that you can adapt to your situation and timeline.
Try using project management tools or wedding planning apps to keep track of tasks and deadlines. This will be particularly important if there are others (ie, both partners) involved in the planning.
Managing Stress and Self-Care
Between the pressures of planning your wedding and the stress of beginning college, it’s easy to forget to take care of yourself. That stress will have a directly negative effect on both your experience of wedding planning and on your ability to succeed at college.
Get enough sleep, eat well and exercise regularly so you have some protection from stress and poor health.
Schedule date nights with your fiancé – ones that don’t center on wedding-related activities – so you can go back to the reasons why you’re getting married. And, hey, you’ll get a bit of distance and happiness too.
You have every right to say no to more work if you’re too busy so don’t shirk your lifestyle goals either. Are you not looking good? I don’t like your haircut! Get it fixed before your cousin arrives. Are you not meeting my cousin’s expectations? You need to be more ambitious. Don’t join that rugby team, you know.
Embracing campus resources
The career center at your college campus might have job listings or contacts for local vendors or venues; the art department might have tables or frames for cheap decor or an available student photographer.
If your school has a programme in things like event planning or hospitality management, consider bringing in someone who could serve as your coordinator, someone trained to keep to schedule. You might discover a student who is donning the white gown and crown within your midst, but has also received appropriate training in running the big event.
Seek help to deal with your stress, and learn to ease up on over-work – especially if this is your first experience of higher education. Many colleges provide free or low-cost counseling services (search for ‘college counseling center’ in Google directories) and, while most center on reducing anxiety, many will also help you deal with exam stress.
Making the Most of Your College Wedding
Although planning a wedding in your mid-20s might be stressful, being a college student also presents some advantages. First of all, your university years are full of creativity, energy and strong friendships that you can use when preparing your wedding.
Consider incorporating elements of your college experience into your wedding. You could have your ceremony on campus if your school allows it, or use your school colors in your decor. Your college friends could form a musical group for the reception, or you could serve favorite local foods from your college town.
Remember that your wedding is a celebration of your love and commitment, not a competition or a showcase. Focus on what matters most to you and your partner, and don’t get too caught up in trying to impress others or meet societal expectations.
Looking Ahead: Life After the Wedding
During wedding preparations, aside from the fun tasks like choosing your wedding dress, also take some time to plan your life together as a couple. Discuss together about your future, and how you see yourself as an ideal family in the next five or 10 years. Talk about your career plans, your ideal house, and your financial goals and ambitions.
If you’ve still got a couple of college years ahead of you when you’re wed, discuss how you’ll prioritize your studies and starting your new family life. Will you stay in the dorm? What will it look like for you to share household responsibilities while you’re also juggling your class schedule?
Consider taking a class or workshop on premarital counseling. Some colleges offer such workshops and they can be valuable investments in preparing for marriage and the challenges that you will likely face.
Cherishing the Journey
Finally, have fun. This is a unique stress and it’s easy to get caught up in the craziness of planning a wedding while you’re in college, but it’s also a wonderful, exciting, fun time. Pay attention to the little things – the excitement of finding a venue, the fun of tasting cake, the excitement of your friends offering to help with bunting.
Start a diary or blog about the wedding process. Not only will it be a great souvenir but it could also be your stress-buster.
But remember, your wedding is all about the two of you and your love and commitment to one another. It’s the details that are not always authentically yours. Shit, it rains? So what? You’re getting married.
Planning a wedding while you’re in college won’t be easy, but it can offer valuable lessons in maturity, creativity and focusing on the bigger picture (your love for each other!) Perhaps you’ll test yourselves by staying organized, juggling your workloads and supporting each other, all the while finding fresh streams of inspiration and creativity as you plan. Ultimately, your college wedding will be the realization of the two of you as an individualized, organic unit whose celebration will be much more than a series of beautiful aesthetic details. Good luck with everything and may you find happiness till your dying day.
