How to Avoid Burnout During a Busy Wedding Season

Busy season is coming…! I bet you’re prepping for it right now, nailing down final client details, building timelines and layouts, and collecting final payments. But are you also readying your mental health for this busy wedding season? The next 3-4 months will be hectic to say the least with back-to-back wedding weekends and multiple weddings per weekend. In between, you’ll be trying to manage the backend of your business and striving to still spend time with your loved ones, all while hopefully finding time for yourself!

Take it from a wedding pro who’s been there too: A busy wedding season can quickly lead to burnout if you don’t properly prepare. In this post, I’ll outline some simple and practical steps you can take to get ahead of the burnout and tackle this next busy wedding season while keeping your sanity intact.

Burnout does not have to be inevitable during a busy wedding season. Don’t forget that even amidst the chaos, you deserve to prioritize yourself and your mental health!

Plan Ahead

Just like you plan out your wedding calendar, make sure to carve out intentional time for self-care in your schedule before busy wedding season begins. If you have back-to-back weddings Friday, Saturday, and even Sunday, block out that Monday and Tuesday to recover. Schedule a nail appointment one month and a coffee date with a friend the next. If you’re a morning person, build time into your morning routine for journaling or a walk while you listen to your favorite podcast. If you’re more of a night person, start a reading list so you can dig into a good book before bed, instead of getting more screen time.

Most importantly, just as you stick to the client meetings on your calendar, don’t back out of any self-care appointments you make: They’re just as important! 

You may even consider treating yourself to a vacation at the end of your busy wedding season! Planning a getaway to either somewhere familiar or new will give you something wonderful to look forward to even in your busiest and most stressful times.

Hire a Wedding Virtual Assistant

A wedding virtual assistant like myself will be your best friend during this busy wedding season! Since my team and I effectively take all your administrative tasks off your plate, you won’t have to worry about keeping up with emails, making last-minute timeline changes, posting on social media, or any of the behind-the-scenes tasks that make up your typical day-to-day. You’ll also eliminate the guilt that comes from being behind on emails or putting important tasks like blogging, maintaining your email list, and social media on the backburner!

With a virtual assistant for wedding creatives (that’s me!) in your corner, you’ll have peace of mind that the backend of your business is running smoothly, as it should. All you’ll have to focus on is working onsite and doing what you do best!

While we’re talking about outsourcing, you may consider hiring extra help in your personal life too, so that you can truly relax and recharge during your off time. This could look like hiring someone to clean your house, having a nanny or babysitter help with the kids a couple times a week, using order-ahead services like Instacart for grocery shopping, or ordering a meal service subscription box like HelloFresh for a few months. There’s no shame in asking for help!

Set Up Automatic Email Replies

One simple step you can take right now that will help you immensely during this busy wedding season is setting up your automatic email replies! You can set an ongoing message that will inform recipients that it’s busy wedding season and your replies will take longer than usual. The automated reply can let them know that you’ll get back to them within 72 hours and provide your cell phone number for urgent use only. If you have another team member who can act as your backup while you’re onsite (like a virtual assistant!), you can include their name and contact info as well.

Here’s a handy template you can use, from me to you!

“Hey friend!  

Thank you so much for reaching out to me! It is currently peak wedding season and during this busy time, I would greatly appreciate it if you would please allow up to 72 hours for an email response from me, so that I can be fully present onsite to best serve our couples on their big days.

If your wedding is in two weeks or less and this is an urgent matter, please call me at [Insert your cell phone number here].

If your wedding is more than two weeks away, my adjusted in-office days are Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10am-4pm, and I will respond to your inquiry during that time. For a quicker response, please connect with my Virtual Assistant, Jessica Hetu, at jessicahetu@outlook.com and she will respond within 24 hours or less. 

Thank you for your grace & understanding during this busy time! I look forward to chatting with you as soon as I am able. 

Cheers!

[Insert your email signature here]”

Create & Test Automated Workflows

Establishing solid, automated workflows is imperative to your business’ efficiency and productivity, especially during a busy wedding season! Work with your wedding virtual assistant during slow season to create these workflows within your CRM, so that they’re ready to go by the time busy season kicks off.

I’ve built many workflows for my wedding friendors, including ones for new wedding leads, booked wedding clients, corporate event clients, and social event clients. When we work together, we can tailor your workflows to your specific business needs and demographics. Once I’ve set them up for you, I test them time and time again to ensure accuracy and that there are no hiccups.

Ready to take the next step in your business and set up your workflows? Connect with me by hitting the button below!

Mental Health Tips for Wedding Pros

My parting advice to you to avoid burnout this busy wedding season is to simply take care of yourself. Turn off those email notifications and truly unplug at night. Stay hydrated, don’t skip meals no matter how busy it gets, and pack snacks in your onsite bag. You may consider telling your family & friends that busy wedding season is coming up, so they know you won’t be as available and might need extra support over the next few months.

Overall, set boundaries with clients and with yourself in order to prioritize your own wellbeing. This may mean asking clients to send an email instead of a text, unless their wedding is 1-2 weeks out. You might need to put on “Do Not Disturb” overnight so you can get some well-deserved rest. Whatever it looks like for you, keep in mind that you are not alone! You may have a team behind you who can help, but you also have friends, family, and fellow wedding pros who you can lean on in stressful times. And if you need an admin professional/hype girl combo, reach out to me below and I promise to be a friendly and encouraging place for you to rest, vent, and destress.

Need Help for the Next Busy Wedding Season?

Hi, I’m Jessica Hetu! I am a virtual assistant for wedding creatives, who specializes in expertly managing your business’ backend, so you can focus on what matters most. In my 10+ year career in the wedding and event industry, I have been a wedding planner and coordinator, venue manager, and catering director, planning events at national brands like Walt Disney World, Loews Hotels, and Ritz-Carlton Orlando, to name a few.

When you work with my team and me, not only do you get a like-minded wedding & event creative, but you also get a new best “friendor!” We have hearts for service and are chronic perfectionists, so you can be confident that we will get the job done right with the same level of excellence you give to your clients.

Connect with Jessica by hitting the button below and get ready to make some magic together!