Balancing Career and Wedding Planning
Most Irish couples plan weddings while working full-time. Between meetings, deadlines, and commutes, finding planning time feels impossible. Here's how working couples successfully manage both without burning out.
Time Management Strategies
Use lunch hours for vendor emails and calls. Batch similar tasks for efficiency. Sunday planning sessions for big decisions. Commute time for inspiration browsing. Annual leave for dress shopping and tastings. Work from home days for vendor meetings.
Digital Efficiency Tools
Shared Google calendar for appointments. Slack or Teams for vendor communication. Trello boards for task management. Pinterest during coffee breaks. Wedding apps for on-the-go planning. Cloud storage for all documents.
Delegation Strategies
Hire day-of coordinator minimum. Full planner worth investment if affordable. Assign specific tasks to willing family. Use vendor recommended vendor lists. Trust professionals' expertise. Accept "good enough" on small details.
Workplace Navigation
Inform manager early about time needs. Block calendar for wedding appointments. Take calls during breaks only. Minimize wedding chat with colleagues. Use vacation strategically for planning. Consider unpaid leave for final week.
Energy Preservation
Make big decisions when fresh. Skip non-essential work events temporarily. Meal prep to save evening time. Exercise maintains stress resilience. Protect sleep schedule religiously. Say no to additional work projects.
Weekend Optimization
Batch venue visits in one day. Schedule vendor meetings back-to-back. Combine planning with date nights. Alternate planning and rest weekends. Use online tools to minimize travel. Virtual meetings when possible.
Stress Intersection Management
Keep work stress from affecting planning decisions. Don't let wedding stress impact job performance. Separate email accounts for clarity. Different phone ringtones for vendors. Mindfulness between contexts helps. Regular check-ins with partner essential.
Priority Framework
Book big vendors first (venue, band, photographer). Details can wait until closer. Focus on must-haves only. Let professionals handle logistics. Perfect is enemy of done. Marriage matters more than wedding.
Working Couple Wisdom
"We treated wedding planning like project management. Sunday meetings, shared spreadsheets, and clear task ownership. Taking two days off for final prep was essential. We arrived at our wedding refreshed, not exhausted." - Brian and Sarah, 2023