Planning a wedding can be stressful work. From caterers to florists, there are a lot of people to organize and many things to keep track of. Wedding planners need to take care of themselves during this stressful time to make sure that the big day goes without a hitch.

See the Big Picture

It goes without saying that wedding planners need to be organized, but when you’re planning an extravagant event it can be difficult to know where to start. Before you make any phone calls, take some time to create a written plan of action. Split your page into sections, such as decorations, food and entertainment, then make notes of all the details that will need to be organized for each category. From your list, you can create a list of tasks such as “call florist” that you can slowly work through or delegate to other people.

Plan Each Day

The to-do list that you originally create might seem overwhelming, but remember to take it one day at a time. Before you start working through another day of wedding planning, take some time to set out your goals for that day. You will find that you work much more effectively when you have a manageable number of clearly defined tasks to carry out.

Expect Some Hiccups

Wedding planning rarely goes smoothly. You will sometimes have to deal with what seem like catastrophes: perhaps the photographer will cancel on you at the last minute or the florists will get your order wrong. When this happens, it doesn’t help to panic or get angry at those around you; instead you need to breathe deeply and calmly do what you can to rescue the situation. It’s always a good idea to have a back-up plan in mind from the outset; just because you have booked a particular band to provide music at the reception, don’t throw out the phone numbers of other acts that you considered – you never know when you might need to find a suitable replacement at short notice.

Don’t Be a Perfectionist

Every bride wants her wedding day to be perfect, but you need to keep a healthy sense of perspective. The day is not going to be ruined because the flowers are the wrong shade of pink. Focus on creating a positive atmosphere that celebrates the commitment that is being made. Don’t dwell on details that didn’t turn out as well as they could have done; as long as the couple and their guests have a good time, the wedding is a success.

Take Care of  Yourself

Planning a wedding can be a very draining experience. Set aside some time each day for relaxation. Practicing meditation, doing some light exercise, or simply soaking in the bath with the phone unplugged will refresh you so that you are able to apply all your inner resources to tackling the next day of planning. Don’t let wedding planning get you down; take care of yourself so that you can take care of the task at hand.

Author Bio: Guest post contributed by Aditi Jain, on behalf of Sareez.com. Aditi is a freelance fashion writer. She’s also studying fashion design. Find out more at Sareez.com.