The Wedding Guy: Calm planning key to perfect wedding

Of all the questions asked of me, the most frequent is whether I come across many "Bridezillas'' as clients.

My response is often "no, I can't say I've ever encountered a Bridezilla in my 15 years in the business''.

I have learned any Bridezilla-type personas are the result of a bride feeling misunderstood, frustrated, anxious, or overwhelmed by one or more aspects of the wedding planning process.

This frustration can be the direct (or indirect) result of either not being able to secure the wedding ceremony and/or reception venue on the preferred wedding date, miscommunication between bride and suppliers involved in the wedding day, or other nightmarish scenarios.

This can result in the undesirable effect of turning planning your own wedding from what should be a fun experience into the journey from Hell.

If you've recently become engaged with a view to tying the knot in 2013/2014, here are three hot tips to reduce your stress levels and enjoy the planning of your big day:

1. Plan well in advance and prioritise your planning via a pyramid method. Planning a wedding requires a great deal of organisation and patience ( ... and attention to detail goes a long way too). Think of the planning framework as similar to the shape of an inverted pyramid _ all the major decisions are at the top, and the rest of the decisions trickle down to smaller and smaller ones as the wedding day draws nearer;

2. Get a notebook, diary, or wedding planner guide of some sort. Writing stuff down is invaluable to staying on track. There are great wedding planner booklets available..

3. Book now to avoid disappointment. Once you know your wedding date start booking the most important aspects first, that is wedding ceremony and/or reception venue. Many a wedding has come unstuck when it's left too late to book. Venues should be booked 12-16 months in advance to ensure you've got a choice of great venues.