How NOT to lose your groom in 10 days.

Most people see getting engaged as a straight, one-way road to marriage, but no one tells you about the fork in the road: wedding planning. As an engaged couple you must face an abundance of high-stakes, expensive decisions unfamiliar to you.

On top of that, most of them are made while you’re tired, distracted, and constantly being nagged with unsolicited advice.

The euphoria of getting engaged can quickly devolve into a perpetual state of tension and conflict between the two of you. 

On the other hand wedding planning done right, can metamorphosize your engagement into one of the most memorable, exciting times of your relationship, all culminating in the celebration of a lifetime. 

The key is to turn planning into special moments shared with your fiancé(e). Plan dates that move things forward but bring you and your partner closer together.

Here are four to try.

1. The Last-Song Wine & Dance Date

The last song is a very memorable moment on your wedding day. Some people prefer a classic ballad while others a cross-generational banger. Many couples spend weeks arguing over what it will be. To make this decision, pour some wine and put on a playlist of possible last songs (yes, I made one for you right here).

Turn your living room into your dancefloor and see which song makes you stay a little longer on your feet.

2. The Wedding-Scent Date

It’s been proven that memory is tightly associated with scent. In order to make your engagement and wedding memories more vivid, you should choose a scent to wear during wedding planning and on the actual day. 

You could either go to a store together and pick each other’s fragrance, or you could go and create your own fragrance. Once you choose it, apply it only when you’re planning and on your wedding day. Years from now, one hint of this scent will take you straight back to this era.

3. The Registry Date 

Everybody loves making Amazon wishlists. But how about when you have to run everything by your fiancé who buys 3-in-1 body-wash?

Yeah... I thought so.

Before you start thinking about what you want to include, break the ice by choosing the 3 most hideous items and showing them to each other for a good laugh. If you are feeling goofy, make a sales pitch for each one.

Another option is to select 10 items, three of which you wouldn’t be caught dead buying.

Test your fiancé’s taste by making him guess which three are the imposters. Add the other seven to the registry 🙂

4. The “Collect This Era” Date

After successfully making any big decision (e.g. choosing a venue, selecting a DJ), go out together, do something small, and collect physical proof that this chapter happened.

Put these things in a box like a time capsule. Here are some examples:

• A candy wrapper or receipt from a store near your venue

• The cork from the bottle you opened during your first real planning night

• A napkin, photo, or tiny artifact from a “we needed a break” moment

Years from now, you won’t remember the emails, but you’ll remember those small, magical moments.

And don’t forget…

Wedding planning doesn’t have to be something you “get through.”

With the right framing, it can become a collection of moments that actually strengthen your relationship instead of testing it.

For more ideas like this, check out the Mostly Rational Bride Toolkit.