Planning A Wedding, Is, In Fact, Building A Marriage

Wedding planning starts with guest lists and Pinterest boards, yes. But as you spend hours on the Internet building your “best day ever,” remember that you’re also in the beginning stages of building your marriage.

It may seem silly to think that choosing your bouquet, table setting and first dance has any effect on your marriage. But, in truth, wedding planning involves four C-words that also happen to be the cornerstone of a lasting marriage: commitment, compromise, communication and creativity. How you plan your wedding will also lay the foundation for your marriage.

You said yes, and you committed to your future spouse. Try to make commitment a theme throughout your wedding planning process. Once you’ve said, “yes to the dress,” don’t continue to look for a better option.

Remember this for every wedding planning choice you make. In your marriage, making decisions as a team can be hard and stressful. But if you commit to them together, you’ll be winning.

Guest lists and seating assignments usually require compromise, not only with family and friends, but also with each other. Compromising doesn’t mean giving up on what you want — it means allowing someone’s feelings to carry as much weight as yours.

This will be true throughout your entire marriage. From deciding on where to who will take time off from work when the kids are sick, compromise will be key to your life journey together.

Wedding vendors and bridal party assignments demand effective and constant communication. For your big day, be clear and open about your expectations of others and yourself.

Throughout your marriage, good communication will resolve issues and reduce misunderstandings. Practicing good communication with each other during your wedding planning will be helpful in the “forever and always.”

Creativity is the most exciting part of planning a wedding. With all the DIY options and YouTube tutorials, you’re all set to give your big day a personal and creative twist.

Apply this same enthusiasm to building your marriage. Forgo dinner and cards at anniversaries, and get creative to keep the spark. Hire the babysitter without your spouse knowing and surprise them with an impromptu date night.

Book a trip with Airbnb and see where the adventure takes you. Make homemade cards for your spouse’s birthday that year after year tell the story of your love. In 50 years, you will look back at them and relive your journey together.

If all goes well, your marriage will be long — so cultivate your creative skills during your wedding planning, and carry them with you through your marriage.

When you say, “I do,” remember the journey of planning your wedding, through commitment, compromise, communication and creativity. These four C words will form the building blocks to your Happily Ever After.

-Written by Peggy Kelley / Photo by Jana Williams Photography