As soon as you get engaged to the love of your life, you will immediately feel that rush of excitement and joy as you ready yourself to put your plans into action.

In the beginning, it will feel as if you have all the time in the world to turn your vision of your perfect wedding into a reality, but soon the date will zoom towards you at an alarming rate.

To ensure your stress levels remain on a manageable level, read on to learn four effective ways to take the stress out of planning your wedding.

1.   Hire Professionals Who Understand Your Dream

Whether you are planning a quirky wedding or a more traditional day, when meeting with professionals such as florists, bakers and photographers (to name just a few), price and portfolios should never take priority over your feelings.

Trust your instincts when talking with anyone you are considering entrusting a key element of your wedding day to and do always make sure that they understand where you are coming from and that they know how to complement your vision.

2.   Reframe Planning Nights into Date Nights

These days, grooms tend to have a great deal more input into everything from the aesthetics of the reception to the guest list and this is why making as many decisions as possible as a team is so important.

When creating the centerpieces for the tables, for example, turn the task into a bonding evening with your partner, serving the dual purpose of helping to bring both of your personalities into the wedding and helping you spend quality time together at the same time.

Other pre-wedding activities you could enjoy preparing together include choosing the first dance and the wedding playlist, visiting each venue together and making a day out of tasting potential wedding cake recipes.

3.   Secure Your Caterers Early

When looking into wedding catering for your big day, make sure you spend time in your initial appointment exploring a plethora of options, rather than having tunnel vision.

Presuming you have already secured and booked your venue (a number one priority of course), one of the most important tasks ahead of you is arranging how you will feed your guests and these days, you really are spoilt for choice.

Professional and experienced wedding caterers will be more than happy to meet with you several times in the lead up to your big day and let you sample the entire range of delicious delights they can provide for you and your guests.

4.   Practice Self Care

You should also make sure you are taking care of yourself both physically and emotionally in the run up to the wedding, to be sure you are making the right decisions for you and your betrothed.

Pre-wedding burnout is now a common byproduct of wedding planning. Taking simple steps to look after yourself, such as staying hydrated and ensuring you get enough sleep, will help you to avoid becoming part of the statistic.

Try to limit your caffeine intake during the day and avoid drinking coffee and other caffeinated drinks in the evenings. Eat plenty of fruit, vegetables and lean proteins on a daily basis.