Planning a wedding is like a job in itself! Are we right?
We’ve simplified the process in this 11 step guide to planning your wedding but it can still be difficult to balance planning a wedding and working full time without the two overlapping.
Doing some wedding planning at work is inevitable. Inspiration and ideas can pop into your head at any time and in reality, vendors are only open working hours, meaning they can only be contacted during this time.
Not all bosses are understanding of this (what’s their problem?!), so we’ve come up with 12 sneaky ways you can plan your wedding at work and still be productive.
Before you get out your wedding binders and planners, check out our ultimate checklist for wedding planning first.
12 Ways to Sneakily Plan Your Wedding at Work
Come Into Work Earlier
Coming into work an hour or so before everyone else is a great way to tick some essential wedding planning off your checklist. Arriving before everyone else gives you time to properly focus on what you need to do without any disruptions.
It’s also a great way to plan your wedding at work without your boss looking over your shoulder and the printer will be free if you need to print anything out! Don’t go overboard though!
Use Your Commute
How long is your commute every day? 15 minutes, 30 minutes? Whatever it is, this is essential wedding planning time. If your commute involves public transport then this is a great time to read some wedding magazines like Confetti. It’s also a great time to call or email vendors if it’s quiet enough to do so.
If you drive into work why not create a wedding playlist with your first dance song on so that you can prepare yourself for the big day.
If you’re still looking for the perfect soundtrack, make sure you check out our edit of the best wedding love songs.
Don’t Take So Many Coffee Breaks
We’re all guilty of taking many coffee breaks throughout the working day. Start cutting down on these or quit them completely and use the collective time to plan your wedding at work.
This way you will make up a good 15 minutes that you can put aside during your day to call some vendors or look for some inspiration.
Take Your Lunch Break
How often do you take your lunch break in front of your computer screen with a sandwich in one hand and your mouse in the other? Start using your lunch breaks!
Normally we get about 45 minutes to an hour for lunch. This is essential wedding planning time and also the perfect chance for you to phone those vendors you couldn’t reach early in the morning. This time is yours to do whatever you want with, so make the most of it!
You can also use your lunch to attend appointments that you can’t make at the weekends and if you know they will take more than an hour ask your boss if you can stay late to make up the time.
Use Your Holidays Wisely
When you are planning a wedding it seems like your weekends and evenings are consumed with it, so why not book off some holiday days and get a good bulk of it done then. This way your weekends and evenings will open up and you will also get a good bit of your wedding planning done with little or no distractions.
If you’ve booked off some annual leave then make sure you’re armed with at least one of these wedding planning books.
Use Social Media
Social media is an essential tool when it comes to wedding inspiration and planning. Sites like Pinterest and Instagram have an abundance of information and ideas that help when planning a wedding.
When using social media at work it is very important to make sure that you are not logged into work accounts if you have access to them. Your boss and your co-workers will not be happy if they see wedding content all over their newsfeed.
If you are scanning social media on the sly make sure you stay in total ghost mode! This is when you are actively looking through the sites but are not actually liking or sharing any content. If you have just liked a blog post or followed a new page a few minutes ago, it’s very easy for your work friends or even your boss to see this.
Also, when possible turn your status off if you can. If your status on social media constantly says you are active then you could be giving yourself a bad reputation at work.
Before you start to plan your wedding at work and making your Pinterest boards, make sure you read these top tips on how NOT to use social media when wedding planning.
Online Wedding Planning Only
We cannot stress this point enough! Only plan your wedding at work online and under no circumstances bring your wedding planner or binder into your office. Even if your boss is cool with you taking some time out of your working day to do some planning, bringing your wedding binder filled with napkin samples and colour cards is totally unprofessional.
Instead, stick to using the internet. If you see something that’s really important and that you want to come back to later, make a note of it or even email yourself the link.
And if your boss isn’t so chilled about you planning your wedding at work, opt for two screens. This will become your new best friend. Have something work-related on your bigger screen and do all your wedding planning surfing on the smaller screen. This way it looks like you are actually doing what you’re supposed to be doing.
Pick A Friend
If you are always talking about wedding planning to everyone in your office then you’ll be sure to annoy a few people. You may also give yourself the reputation of the work chatterbox. Instead, pick one person in your office that you know will enjoy your wedding planning talk. Sort of like a wedding planning pal.
This person is usually someone who has been married before or is also engaged. The one rule of wedding planning is talking about wedding planning. So, anyone who has or is going through this too will love to share experiences.
Schedule lunch dates together so you can have your own space to talk and brainstorm ideas together.
Just make sure your friend has read these 23 things you should never say to the bride-to-be.
Keep A Notebook Handy
Wedding inspiration can come at any time, even during work hours. So, keep a notebook beside your work desk in case this happens. This way you’ll be able to plan your wedding at work and jot down any ideas that spring into your mind during the day.
Keeping a notebook handy is also great if you see something online that you want to make a note of for later.
We have loads of beautiful stationery in our shop, just have a look at these stunning notebooks.
Make Sure You Meet Work Deadlines
Before you start thinking about using your work day to do some wedding planning, make sure you have most of your work finished and that you have met deadlines. If you are continually missing deadlines or are caught not doing your real when you haven’t met that day’s deadline then you’ll have a lot of explaining to do.
At least if you are caught with Confetti open on your screen you’ll be able to say you have already met the deadline. This way you save any damage to your reputation.
Don’t Over Do It
Planning your wedding is an exciting time and it’s a lot of fun to do. Because of this, it’s very easy to lose track of time. So, if you are taking time out to plan your wedding at work make sure you set yourself a timer. This will save you from overdoing it and not having any of your real work done.
If Caught Don’t Lie
This tip is probably the most important! If you get caught make sure you tell the truth. Nothing will look worse to your boss if you start spinning a web of lies to their face. Instead, try explaining to them that the vendor you were trying to contact was only available during work hours or that you have hit a brick wall and needed a five-minute break before returning to your work.
Chances are your boss will understand this and will just tell you to get back to work. Phew!
If you are thinking of doing some of your wedding planning at work then make sure you follow these guidelines. It’s also very important to check your works policy when it comes to using the computer for personal use. Some companies are quite flexible with this, but some are very strict, so make sure you check this first.
Also, remember that most workplaces track what you are doing on your desktop or laptop. Again, some business aren’t too strict with this but some are like Big Brother!
Once you have checked all that then your good to start planning your big day.
This is such an exciting time in your like and here at Confetti, we are able to help you through all the way. So, why not take a look at these wedding traditions and superstitions.
