Okay, so by now you probably know that I’m someone who loves to overplan and overthink. It’s in my nature and most of the time, I actively try to not do it, because it holds me back in daily life. You know that feeling where you spend more time thinking about a task than actually doing it? Yeah, that.

But when it came to our wedding, leaning into that part of me (aka going all-in on the overplanning) was hands down the best decision I could’ve made. And I’ll tell you why.

Our Wedding, Our Way

We got married in Vienna on a Friday afternoon, with just 35 of our favorite people. Small, intimate, relaxed, but still with the dream aesthetic I’d always imagined.

For me, three things mattered most:

• The venue (and making sure it worked in any weather condition – indoors just as beautiful as outdoors)
• Food & drinks (we splurged here, no regrets)
• Music (the soundtrack to your day matters more than you’d think)

That was my secret recipe. I didn’t care about sticking to traditions or what was “expected.” I cared about creating a day that looked and felt like us.

Why Overplanning Made It Perfect

Here’s the thing: Overplanning didn’t make me stressed. It made me relaxed. Because by the time the day arrived, I had thought through every possible scenario. Nothing could surprise me.

I literally made a 10-page PDF that covered:

• The day before the wedding (because we don’t live in Vienna and had to arrive early)
• The wedding day timeline (down to the smallest detail, like who had the hotel room key at what time)
• The day after (because we were leaving straight for our honeymoon and couldn’t go back to pick up forgotten things)

And here’s one thing I really want to highlight: thinking about the day after is just as important as planning the wedding day itself. You don’t want to wake up the morning after your wedding and stress about where to get breakfast, unpacking and repacking suitcases, or realising you forgot something important. You’re in a whole new level of life at that point (in your little love bubble) and the last thing you want is to think about toothpaste or gluten-free breakfast options.

Because we left for our honeymoon right away, we had our travel suitcases already packed and in the car, so there was no frantic repacking. I even planned our breakfast the next morning: coffee from our hotel room and the rest of our gluten-free wedding cake (so my husband didn’t have to hunt for a gluten-free café). We booked a late checkout too, which turned out to be the best decision, because who knows how long a wedding night will last? It all made the morning after feel calm, cozy, and easy … exactly how it should be.

The 10-page PDF I created listed who was responsible for what, from carrying makeup in their bag to picking up flowers to handling the shuttle payments. Everyone (bridesmaids, best man, maid of honour) had their role.

And you know what? They loved it. They didn’t have to guess or scramble, they knew exactly how to support me.

5 Tips for Stress-Free Wedding Planning

If you’re a fellow overthinker, here are five ways you can use that energy to your advantage:

1. Know Your Priorities

Figure out what matters most to you. For me: venues, food, music. For you, it might be something totally different. When you know your priorities, you know where to splurge and where to keep it simple.

2. Create a Master Plan (Yes, Even a PDF)

Map out not just the wedding day, but the day before and after too. Think through logistics like suitcases, car keys, flowers, and shuttles. It’s the tiny details that cause stress if you leave them to chance.

3. Delegate Smartly

Your bridesmaids and groomsmen aren’t just there to look pretty in photos. Give them small, specific responsibilities. They’ll feel involved, and you’ll feel supported.

4. Expect the Unexpected — and Let Go

Something will go differently than planned. For us, it was a last-minute seating chart change. But because I had planned so well, I could just sip my Prosecco, enjoy my playlist, and let my maid of honor handle it. No panic, no stress.

5. Remember Who This Day Is For

This is the most important one: your wedding is about you and your partner. Not about traditions, not about pleasing every guest. And it is also not about the perfect execution of your preparations. Of course you want people to be happy & experience the day as you imagined it to be, but in the end the day is about your love story & this present moment that will stay with you for a lifetime. Keep that at the center.

The Result? Pure Calm

Everyone thought I was a little crazy with my 10-page PDF. They said I was overthinking it and making too big of a fuss. But the truth is: because I planned so much, I could actually let go on the day itself.

I had the calmest, most relaxed morning with my girlfriends. We had brunch, listened to music, wrote letters, and cried happy tears. I didn’t look at the clock once.

And one of the best things I did: I didn’t look at my phone once, either. My phone stayed in the hotel room the entire day. No scrolling, no checking the time, no calls or texts. I wasn’t even tempted, because I had thought about everything beforehand, even down to who would play the music from which phone, and making sure the passcode was turned off so there wouldn’t be any last-minute panic. And honestly, that freed me more than anything else.

I wasn’t stressed, I wasn’t anxious, I wasn’t worried. Just fully present. And that’s exactly why I’d do it all again, the same way.

So if you’re planning your wedding: don’t feel guilty about overplanning if that’s who you are. Use it to your advantage, and then release control when the day arrives. Trust your people. Be present. And remember: it’s about you.

If you’d like me to share more behind-the-scenes tips (like how to plan your wedding without a planner or my exact PDF structure), let me know. I’d be happy to write another post or answer your questions.