Britons find wedding planning a stressful experience, claims study

From compiling the guest list and selecting a venue to exploring cuisine, brides and grooms have their work cut out when planning their big day.

A poll of 2,000 British married couples found seating arrangements, photography and venue decor were key tension-contributors, with 52 per cent declaring the whole process "stressful."

The survey found brides will try on four different wedding dresses on average.

Eighty three per cent of reposndents said they were heavily involved in the planning of their own wedding, while the remaining 17 per cent were happy to take a backseat and let someone else do the work.

While partners played a major role in the planning, another pivotal role was also attributed to the mothers of the bride and or groom.

While brides are likely to focus on issues affecting the dress, seating arrangements and decor, grooms were found to tackle the venue, catering and honeymoon booking.

“Planning a wedding is a huge challenge, and expectations for the big day are understandably sky-high, so it’s no surprise British people want to put the work in to make sure everything goes smoothly," said Charlotte Hill, director of romance at Mercure Hotels, which commissioned the study. "However, tackling some of the big choices in plenty of time, such as finding the perfect venue, dress and caterer, can take care of the lion’s share of the stress of planning a wedding.”

The poll found that only nine per cent of respondent took the plunge with a wedding planner in tow, while one in six began to plan the big day within a week of the proposal.

Some were happy to wait a little longer with one in four taking up to a month before getting stuck in.

In total, 86 per cent felt their wedding day went as planned. However, they did admit another five months to visualise some of the finer details would not have gone amiss.

On the other hand, there were those who were not so happy with three in 10 who said they woulld organise their weddings differently if they had the chance to do it all over again.

The whole stress of the experience also caused fireworks for some, with 27 per cent experiencing arguments and disagreements with people trying to help.

Of these, 46 per cent fell out with their partner over an element of the wedding and one in four had some choice words for the mother-in-law.

One in four confessed they made a handful of decisions about their wedding day just to keep their parents, or in-laws, happy, while 25 per cent were careful to ensure older family traditions were observed.

Three in 10 chose a significant date in the calendar to propose, with birthdays the most popular choice, followed by Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve.

When seeking inspiration, one in five will think back to weddings of friends to aim matching or topping the show, while one in seven woll scour social media.

Ms Hill said: “Weddings are a time to get together for a proper celebration, providing there aren’t run ins when family and friends insist on getting involved in every plan and detail."

SWNS