A wedding is supposed to be the happiest, most beautiful day of your life. You've said yes to the person of your dreams, slipped on a stunning ring, and called up just about everyone in your phonebook to let them know the news. Now, all that's left is to wait until Monday morning, and figure out how you're going to inform all your work colleagues of the upcoming celebration...
Sharing your engagement news with your work colleagues can be an exciting, but somewhat worrying experience. Sure, they're going to be excited for you, but you're also going to have to struggle with things like choosing who to invite, scheduling time to plan, and avoiding potential arguments in the office. Here, Rebekah Carter of OfficeGenie.co.uk covers what to keep in mind when announcing your big day at work.
Invitations are Going to be Your Biggest Concern
If you thought that choosing a venue and caterer was going to be tough, just wait until you need to decide which of your colleagues you're going to invite to the wedding. Everyone you work with is going to expect an invitation, and the chances are you're not going to want all of them watching you take your vows.
A recent study by OfficeGenie.co.uk found that of 2,000 working people, 77% wanted their co-workers to join them at their wedding, though only 3% claimed they'd invite everyone from the office. At the same time, a significant percentage of people (20%) felt inviting their workplace friends was a bad idea. Many (59%) of those unwilling to invite their colleagues feared issues from the office might end up spilling into their big day and a further 17% were concerned by the extra expense of additional guests.
My advice? Pick the option that causes the least stress. If your office is a small, tightly-knit group of people, then you're going to struggle to invite one person and not the rest. On the other hand, if you work with a large, diverse group of people, you might get away with being more selective with your invitations.
Know When to Plan
Announcing your upcoming wedding is just one of the things you'll need to think about when you're an engaged professional. You'll also need to work out how you're going to fit in your planning schedule around your hectic deadlines and chaotic client meetings.
If you're the manager of a large team, and elbow-deep in a big project, then you might need to ask for some help from your co-workers to save unhealthily tipping your work-life balance. However, I'd recommend only seeking assistance from people who are invited to the wedding, otherwise you risk burning bridges.
Additionally, a good way to keep on top of your planning urges is to schedule quick sessions for brainstorming during the day. Try to get up an hour earlier to start prepping before breakfast, or make the most of your lunch-break. Only 30% of UK workers (cipd.co.uk) currently take a lunch-break, so you might as well use the time to pick things such as your themes and colours!
Find Out How to be More Flexible
Finally, if you want to make your life much easier when you're planning your wedding, ask your boss about remote or "flexible" working provisions. Particularly if it’s a speedy turnaround from your engagement, these flexible working hours will be crucial to making sure that you can get everything done for the wedding. Many employers are more comfortable with the concept of remote working these days; in fact, 91% of polled firms (onecom.co.uk) in Britain have at least one of their employees working from home.
You don't have to give up working in the office for good, but if you can keep your boss happy, and schedule cake-testing appointments around a more flexible schedule, then you'll find it's much simpler to keep on top of your wedding arrangements.
Stay Calm, You Can Do It!
Planning a wedding as a professional comes with a lot of challenges. From announcing your engagement at work (and making sure you invite the right people) to finding the time to get everything done, you could find yourself running into periods of serious stress. Just remember to stay calm, and ask for help when you need it. You can have an incredible wedding and an illustrious career at the same time! It just takes a little planning so why not sign up to the Guides for Brides wedding planner so you can tick on thing off at a time.