How to Not Turn Into a "Bridezilla"

Help yourself stay grounded during the planning process.

Whether you’ve always dreamed of your wedding day or never gave it a thought until there was a ring on your finger, it’s still easy to get swept up in the chaos of planning your nuptials.

By Emily Lasnier

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Photo: Lilly Photography

Whether you’ve always dreamed of your wedding day or never gave it a thought until there was a ring on your finger, it’s still easy to get swept up in the chaos of planning your nuptials. While there are certainly aspects of the “bridezilla” stereotype that are steeped in sexism, there is also behavior that can make you seem unreasonable to your future spouse, family, friends, and even vendors. We’ve all read enough horror stories online to know that sometimes it really is the bride in the wrong. It’s easy to be so wrapped up in such an important event as to not even notice when certain behaviors cross the line. In order to help prevent you hurting – or even simply annoying – any loved ones, here are some toxic behaviors to keep an eye out for, so that you can self correct. 

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Photo by Wild Whim Design + Photography

- Forgetting perspective. While this may be one of the most important days in your life, it won’t rank nearly as high for your friends and family. Remember that they have their own lives going on and can’t drop everything to help you pick out items for welcome bags. 

- Setting expectations too high. It’s important to make sure your plans are reasonable for what your budget allows. Also, even the most extravagant nuptials will have something along the way go wrong. Don’t aim for perfect at the expense of being happy. 

- Not taking breaks. When your wedding plans consume your life, it’s hard to come back down to earth with your perspective and expectations. Have date nights with your sweetheart where discussing the big day is off the table, and be sure to hang out with your friends for non-wedding-related activities. 

- Ignoring opinions of others. Yes, it’s your day, but your future spouse should have a say as well. You don’t want the opinions of your parents or future in-laws to steamroll your own vision, but people feel better when it seems like they’re being heard. 

- Being competitive about the wedding. Comparison is the thief of joy, and if you spend your engagement making sure you one-up your frenemy’s big day, you might not enjoy yours. 

For more advice, discover red flags when looking to hire wedding vendors and find out what not to do the night before the big day. 

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