At Boizelle Affaires we love helping couples plan their dream day. We take great pleasure in finding the venue that provides the perfect setting and selecting linens that give that elegant touch. We are all about checklists, spreadsheets, and making sure nothing falls through the cracks on wedding days. We love pampering our brides and making sure they have those special wedding day moments they’ve been dreaming of. We cherish all of these things, but we also recognize that marriage is so much more than that one celebratory day.
We take pride in walking alongside couples as they begin the lifelong journey of marriage on their wedding day. Here are some of our own pieces of advice for how to prepare for marriage, not just the big day.
Learn from Others
One of the most effective ways we learn is by example – this goes for marriage too! Every relationship is unique, but many couples face similar stages and trials throughout marriage. Invest in a friendship with a married couple whom you admire and look up to. Hang out with this couple, ask them questions, and listen to their stories. Better yet, seek out multiple couples in different stages of marriage. You will undoubtedly come away with a newfound respect for marriage and maybe even a few tips and tricks to use within your own!
Seek Guidance
Spend time with a professional marriage counselor or spiritual director. Seeking counsel is beneficial for everyone, not just those with pain or unresolved issues in their past. Counselors are trained to help you understand yourself and your fiancé better. Many churches provide counseling that aligns with faith backgrounds. For more resources, check out the following:
Read a Book
Have you ever thought about starting a “book club” with your fiancé? Reading a book alongside your fiancé can provide topics of conversation to discuss as you get ready to start the next chapter together. Make it a fun date night and plan to discuss a chapter of your book over dinner and a glass of wine at your favorite restaurant! There are many marriage books out there from different perspectives. Two of our favorite books include The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller and Called to Love by Carl Anderson and Jose Granados.
Enjoy Engagement
The season of engagement is filled with many “to do’s”! You are wedding planning, deciding on registry gifts, booking a honeymoon – the list goes on! How easy it is to be caught up in it all that you lose sight of simply having fun with your fiancé. Make it a habit of going on regular dates together. Do the things that you enjoyed doing before engagement. Try to savor these moments and don’t always feel the need to cross off an item from the wedding planning checklist. Slowing down will help you soak in this season and not feel like you are sprinting to the wedding day. More than that, it will also help you and your fiancé get into a habit that will hopefully continue into life as a married couple!
Welcome Help
Last but not least, accept help. While friends and family members can help with certain elements of the wedding planning process, hiring a professional to at least tie up loose ends and get things organized ahead of the big day will help you focus on your marriage and those final days of sweet engagement before your wedding day! We totally understand how wedding planning can sometimes feel like it is consuming all of your time and energy. During this season there is barely any leftover time to think beyond that wedding date – once the day comes and goes it’s hard to imagine what you will spend your time doing! Our goal as wedding planners is to alleviate stress and allow couples to spend the necessary time preparing for their marriages. Let us handle the details, so you can focus on your relationship. Whether we help you every step of the way or come in during those final months, we are here to help you!
Photography: @immarykatherine, @kylajeanette, @anendlesspursuit, @aberrazioni_cromatiche_studio, @alexkrallphotography
