Balancing Planning a Wedding, Work, and Buying a House {Featured Bride, Sarah T.}

Featured Bride, Sarah T., Wedding Location: St. Paul, MN | Wedding Date: April 10th, 2010

Balancing planning a wedding.

As we head towards our wedding we have had a few other big changes in our life so today I wanted to talk about how to balance planning a wedding, work, and buying a house. We got engaged during our last semester at college so we both graduated and started on our next step in life together.

Juggling full-time employment.

I began working full time and my fiancé enrolled and started in a Masters program for psychology. I actually enjoyed having a wedding to plan because it made me realize that while work is important there are also more important things waiting at home. It’s hard to find a good work/life balance, but there are a few things that really helped me.

Wedding vendors are rarely open before or after working hours so if you need Saturday appointments call well ahead! Another easier option is to have your Mom or someone else close to you with a more flexible schedule return calls or send emails during the day. It’s hard to let go but if you make the big decisions it’s actually nice to have someone else help you follow up with the vendors.

Buying a new home.

Another big change we encountered was deciding to buy a house. We were both renting before and figured out that with house prices as low as they are, and the tax credit, it would almost be cheaper for us to buy a house. The best thing to do is find a phenomenal realtor who is an expert in the area in which you want to buy. Our realtor walked us through the offer process, loan process, inspection, paperwork etc. We found our perfect house on the first weekend of looking, which was a little stressful because we didn’t know what to do next. Our realtor helped to keep us calm and get our contract finalized. She would email, call, or text almost all hours of the day and night so if that is your style I would recommend finding a realtor that meshes with you.

My advice.

I would say that work, a wedding, and buying a house all at the same time is not for the faint of heart. However, if you can multitask and manage stress well, it can be a lot of fun. Most importantly, remember to let your friends and family help! My parents and friends have been an enormous help throughout the entire process. Don’t try to do everything yourself and focus on the fun stuff!

Keep tuned for more from featured bride, Sarah T.!