The Working Bride

Engaged? Congratulations!

It’s time to start planning, which can be daunting when you already have a crazy work schedule.

In fact, nearly 90 percent of women do a bulk of their wedding planning at work.

On average, wedding planners charge anywhere from $1,500 to $10,000 for their services – a steep fee for those who don’t want to accumulate wedding debt.

So, how does a busy woman pull everything together without a planner?

Bridget Lewis knew what she wanted in her wedding; a beach, intimate guest list, chapel feel.

Working as a busy TV producer and planning a Caribbean destination ceremony sans wedding planner seemed taxing, at best.

So how did she do it?

Her secret was strategic scheduling. “You want your wedding day to be perfect, so treat it like you would a very important project for your job,” says Lewis.

Even planning was planned.

By using a shared calendar with set days to sit down and make decisions, Lewis and her now husband were able to tackle every detail, from photography to party favors.

Lewis recommends an excel sheet for those beginning the planning process.

Christin Camacho, Senior PR Specialist at Redfin, agrees. Working then on the Xbox 360 games team at Edelman, Camacho was planning both a campaign launch and her dream day.

She created her own “Wedding Logistics Book.”

“I was so busy at work that I felt like I would miss major wedding deadlines or forget the little things if I didn’t have it all written down,” Camacho says.

Comacho reminds busy brides-to-be to “remember to let go!”

Enjoying the day is what is most important.

Bonus PINK Link: Many women blog about their wedding expeditions. See how you can turn yours into extra cash!

By Amanda McCoy

“The more you invest in a marriage, the more valuable it becomes.” Amy Grant