Tips on Planning Your Wedding at Work Effectively

-  Prep beforehand. Before you depart for the office each day, run through a list of reasonable wedding tasks you’ll be able to check off during work hours. It will be easier to handle your varying assignments if you know what to expect ahead of time.

-  Arrive early or stay late. If you can, come to the office 30 minutes early, or stay a little later, so that you can get bits of coordination done off the clock. Plus: planning can act as a nice warm-up or cool-down for the day.

-  Only do computer-based organizing. We strongly advise against bringing any physical planning materials into the office. Not only is it a dead giveaway to bosses, it’s practically an open invitation for coworkers to pry into your details, which could bring about some unpleasant, “I’m invited, right?” inquiries.

-  Use your full lunch hour. Modern Americans generally follow a “workaholic” narrative, and therefore do not take advantage of their full lunch hour. Give yourself a break, eat some yummy food, and relax into some of the more fun aspects of planning during the day (creating playlists, browsing real weddings online for inspiration, etc.).

-  Be careful about social media. We already advise against posting wedding details on your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts in general, but this goes for Pinterest as well. If your coworkers or bosses happen to follow you on this picture-sharing site, there’s a chance they could figure out that you’re doing most of your pinning during the workday.

-  Similarly, avoid sharing aloud. No matter if you’ve finally gotten confirmation that your venue has been booked, or that you’ve scored an appointment at your favorite bridal salon: don’t start a conversation about it! Even if it’s discreet – or if you play it off as having occurred during off-hours – it will open the floodgates for questions, comments, and unsolicited opinions, all of which are difficult to deal with when you’re on the clock.

-  Take small breaks and set time restraints. Plan for 15- to 20-minute intervals throughout the day for your coordinating, and keep accountable of those constraints! It’s so easy to get caught up and lose track of time, so set a reminder on your phone or computer.

-  Be conscious of your surroundings. Similarly, it’s quite easy to fall into wedding planning so much so that you forget you’re at the office. Be aware of the space and people around you – always be aware of when it’s time to concentrate on your work.

-  R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Keep in mind that you’re at work and that fact should be adhered to at all times. If someone questions your behavior, be honest, apologize, and refrain from wedding planning in the office for a while. While being engaged is an incredibly exciting time, it’s not an excuse to let your professional responsibilities fall by the wayside!

Opening photo by Docuvitae