If you’re anything like us then you can’t get enough of the Netflix show Tidying Up With Marie Kondo. We can barely watch the organizing consultant for five minutes before feeling compelled to start cleaning something up at home or around the Amplify office. ?

Like the homes that Kondo organizes, a wedding can often feel like a very messy affair: the planning, the decor, the food, the venue, the guest list (oh, the guest list!).

There are just so many things that go into planning a wedding. When many couples first meet us, they already feel overwhelmed and stressed out (don’t worry, we’ll help you feel much better).

If you’re planning your wedding and feeling really stressed out, you may consider injecting some Kondo-esque minimalism into your wedding to cut out the unnecessary and make the whole thing a little more manageable.

Therefore, we have a new phrase for you: Kondo that wedding! You can Kondo that wedding and tidy up your special day with these 3 methods.

 

Unplugged Wedding Ceremony

 

Minimalism is all about removing everything unnecessary. It’s a big day for the couple. The last thing they need is an obnoxious ringtone going off during the service. But here’s the thing: It doesn’t end there. It’s not just about a ringer going off. In an era where the latest iPhone has features previously reserved for $10k DSLR cameras and hours of editing, many people think that makes them a professional photographer. Trust us, it doesn’t lol. And it can actually have a detrimental impact on the actual professional photos. Case in point from one of our photographer friends:

Is the act malicious and/or intentional? Of course not. But it’s still something worth solving in advance. The easiest way to avoid this is to ask guests to leave their phones in their vehicles until after the ceremony, but we understand that a lot of our clients feel like that is too harsh. If so, you can have your DJ or your officiant make an announcement just before the ceremony starts to turn off and put away phones during the ceremony.

Here’s a script you can give your DJ or officiant to use:

“Welcome to wedding, everyone. We’ll be getting started in just a few moments, so now would be a great time to take out those phones, turn them completely off and put them away. It’s not just about the ringer. There are professional photographers here, and we want to make sure they are able to capture the beautiful bride and not just capture people capturing the beautiful bride with their phones. Thanks a ton, and thanks for being here!”

 

Small Guest List

Consider embracing a minimalist approach to your guest list. 

Weddings can be notoriously stressful because of a huge guest list. There’s nothing wrong with keeping your invites to intimate friends and family. Don’t get us wrong, a 350-guest count wedding can be a ton of fun, for those clients, we’re here for you too!

But so can a 50-100 guest count wedding. And it will save a literal fortune in the process.

Although you may feel like you’re being polite by inviting every single one of your third cousins, you can easily overwhelm yourself with planning a wedding for hundreds of guests, especially if your personality type is not one for big crowds.

A small guest list can make your wedding a much more manageable, affordable, and intimate affair, while keeping it classy by spending money on the priorities and necessities.

 

Ditch the gifts

 

Ditch the gifts? You serious?

This tip is definitely the one that’s most in touch with Marie Kondo’s spirit of minimalism. If you really want to embrace it at your wedding, you’ll tell everyone to skip the whole gift-giving thing.

How many of those gifts do you really want? How many of them end up taking up space in your garage or basement? Instead of gifts, ask your guests for experiences with an experience registry.

Besides, this is your wedding. This is about love, you don’t need any other gift than the person with whom you’re making your vows.

 

 

Your wedding day will be one of the happiest and most fun days of your life, but that doesn’t mean it won’t sometimes be stressful during the planning phase.

Nobody will blame you for feeling overwhelmed at times, but by embracing minimalism during your efforts, you can make everything a little more stress-free. Remember: at the end of the day, your wedding shouldn’t make you feel stressed out and overwhelmed, but happy excited!