Five Reasons Why You Should Talk to Your Friends About Wedding-Related Stress

You expect that the months spent planning your wedding will be time filled with excitement, joy, and anticipation; while that's the case for many couples, even the happiest of pairs will tell you that it's also a time when stress—related to everything from family to money—sets in. In fact, the Holmes-Rahe Stress Inventory ranks getting married as one of the top ten stress factors in an adult's life. While spending time in nature, getting a massage, or practicing deep breathing and yoga are some known tactics for stress relief, talking to your friends can also be hugely beneficial. Not only are friends helpful sounding boards when you need a little extra assistance, but a good vent session is sometimes all you need to put particularly stressful situations behind you.

In case you're hesitant to share the burden of wedding-related stress, here are five reasons to talk to your friends about how you're feeling.

Normalizing wedding stress benefits everyone.

It's very uncommon for a couple to get through the entire process of planning a wedding completely stress-free, and yet many couples bottle up their emotions leaving friends in the dark about their experiences. Whether your friends have already gone through their own wedding stress or will in the future, it can be a tremendous relief to have someone you can confide in when things are getting difficult with your family, budget, or expectations. Your friends might be able to share a similar story from their own wedding planning that helps you put your own situation into perspective, or vice versa.

They may be able to help you troubleshoot.

Most couples depend on each other exclusively to troubleshoot while planning a wedding, but bringing an outside voice who's less connected to the situation at hand can bring in a new outlook or solution to your issue. Lean on your friends when you're struggling with making a decision or coming up with a Plan B.

Your friends can help you take your mind off of your wedding.

Possibly the most important reason to talk to your friends about wedding planning stress is that they'll know when it's time to get you out of your wedding funk. Maybe they'll suggest going for a hike, a day trip to a winery, or booking a massage together. Maybe they'll even show up at your door with tickets to a local concert or take you to a movie. Whatever their chosen method, simply forcing you to think and talk about something other than your wedding for a little while is sure to ease some of your stress.

Your friends may offer to take tasks off your hands.

If you're at a point where offloading some of the tasks on your list feels like the only way you'll accomplish everything you need to get done, call in the troops. Most of your friends will be happy to come to your rescue and know they've contributed in a helpful, positive way to your wedding.

They'll make you laugh about the things you can't control.

A good friend is guaranteed to find a way to make you laugh about things that are simply beyond your control, and laughter is absolutely the best medicine when you're stressed to the nines. So, go ahead and put your to do list off until tomorrow and go spend time with your friends!