planning a bilingual wedding
5 Stages of the Wedding Planning Rollercoaster
You’ve probably seen this meme on Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest while doom-scrolling for wedding inspo. And if it hasn’t reached you yet—trust me, the algorithm will eventually find you. It’s the one about the five emotional stages of wedding planning. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check it out.
It’s hilarious, but it’s also so accurate. Which is exactly why I wanted to break it down in a bit more detail, especially if you’re planning a bilingual wedding. Consider this your roadmap: equal parts humor, honesty, and a little bit of hope. So if you’re deep into wedding planning already, take a deep breath (or a shot) and let’s walk through it together.
stage 1
Excitement
PRO TIP
Every wedding has its own vibe and it’s usually a clear reflection of the couple. That’s what makes it memorable.
Congratulations, Future Mrs! You’re newly engaged and floating on cloud nine. Whether it was a total surprise or you spotted the ring in his underwear drawer months ago, you and your fiancé are now officially over the moon.
This is the dreamy phase: Pinterest boards exploding with inspo, TikToks saved by the dozens, FaceTiming loved ones, popping bubbly with friends, and starting your vision board. Enjoy it. Truly soak in that “just engaged” glow, because like all honeymoon phases… it fades.
And here’s when reality first peeks in: the questions. When you announce your engagement to family and friends, their first question is: “When’s the wedding?”. That’s quickly followed by “Where’s the wedding?” especially if you’re bilingual, trilingual, multicultural, or international bride. Which brings us to…
stage 2
Reality
Then reality hits – and it hits hard. You’ve started reaching out to vendors and suddenly the numbers start rolling in. “Wait—what do you mean $20,000 just to rent a venue for one night… with no food, no décor, no tables, no chairs?!” Cue panic mode.
I’ve been there. I remember thinking maybe we just elope, no big wedding because everything on my Pinterest board seemed over budget and I still wanted to do things beautifully.
Here’s the truth: your wedding is about celebrating love with your people. They don’t care which vendor you booked or which Pinterest mood board you couldn’t quite recreate. They’ll have a great time because of the energy in the room, not the chair covers.
PRO TIP
Instagram is great for inspiration, but vendors with perfect feeds are often on the pricier side. Expand your search by using wedding marketplaces or platforms. Or even Google Maps – that’s how I found my wedding venue which was a hidden gem with barely any social media presence.
stage 3
Panic
It’s basically the mid-life crisis of wedding planning. Your balancing the budget, managing guest lists, navigating family expectations, and have 100+ email correspondences with vendors. This is where wedding planning becomes a marathon, not a sprint.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but go with your gut. Every decision won’t be perfect, but it will all be worth it in the end. Promise.
stage 4
Bills, lots of bills
The invoices start piling up. You made that first 30% deposit months ago, but then (surprise!) the remaining 70% is due all at once. And often… it’s due on your actual wedding day. As if you have time to chase payments while you’re getting ready.
This is the moment to delegate or automate. Set up scheduled payments and wire transfers ahead of time in your banking app.
PRO TIP
If you’re wiring money internationally, account for processing delays. Always save confirmation receipts and share them with vendors so nothing gets lost in translation (literally).
STAGE 5
It's D-Day!
After months of planning, endless emails, spreadsheets, and deposits… it’s here. Time to rock and roll.
Yes, you’ll be nervous. Yes, you’ll want every detail to be perfect. But your job now is to let go. Step back and immerse yourself in the moment. The day flies by faster than you think, and the last thing you want is to realize you were too busy managing details to enjoy it.
FINAL THOUGHTS
One Last Thing
Through all the highs and lows of planning, I want you to keep this perspective throughout: gratitude. How grateful are you to have found your person. How grateful that you get to plan a wedding. How grateful you are to have loved ones who will travel the world just to celebrate your love.
Hold on to that, and trust that everything else will fall into place.