Planning a wedding can be a stressful job. Being enrolled full-time in college can be a stressful job. When you’re a full-time college student as well as planning your own wedding it can be a very hectic task while trying to juggle all of the things that need to be done.

Taylor Troncin, secondary education senior, is not only going to school full-time, working part-time and being a mother, but she is planning her wedding for next summer as well.

“As far as planning goes, we are in the beginning stages of it,” Troncin said. “My fiancé’s sister has been giving me decorating ideas, but we don’t have anything set in stone yet,”
Troncin is thankful to not have had to take out student loans to help pay for school. However, she has other financial obligations with taking care of herself and her son, Wesley, 5, as well as future financial obstacles once she graduates in May.

“I worry about how to pay for the wedding a lot,” Troncin said. “In addition to the wedding itself, there are a lot of financial things to consider, like purchasing a house or an apartment.  While my fiancé has a full time job, I am not guaranteed to have a teaching job right out of college, which is stressful within itself.”

TheKnot.com, a wedding planning website, stated that the average American wedding for 150 guests costs approximately $25,000. This grand total includes the cost of attire, venue, photography, videography, food, stationary, wedding rings, transportation and parking, gifts and entertainment. That breakdown of expenses does not even include the cost of a honeymoon, bridal shower, bachelor and bachelorette parties or engagement party. Couples are now spending more on their big day than in the past despite other life expenses such as school tuition.

According to Wedding Budget 101, an article by TheKnot.com, it is still traditional for some bride’s families to pick up the entire tab but that many times the groom’s family helps out as well. Troncin plans to make a spreadsheet of goals so that she can have the wedding of her dreams but still be within her price range.

“It is just a matter of trying to stay organized. I try to set goals for myself by saying that by this date we will have this thing done, such as discuss the guest list or whatever. Anyone on Facebook will tell you I have many to-do lists posted on there daily,” Troncin said. She plans to have deadlines in order to stay focused on her goals for her wedding.

“My biggest challenge is to find the balance between everything. It’s really hard to find a balance between school, work, my fiancé, my son and my hobbies,” Troncin said.

Jess Herd, elementary education senior, is currently planning her wedding for next November and said that she has had a lot of help from her friends, family and fiancé.

“A lot of girls in my education program classes are planning weddings or just got married so that is helpful plus I am in a wedding this month, and my cousin is getting married this month too so I will be able to get a lot of ideas,” Herd said. “The only difficulty that we are having is finding time to meet up with our photographer. We just have to sign the contract but we are always busy.”

Troncin said her advice to brides in similar situations is to just breathe and to take time for themselves.

“The ‘me’ time is important. I know so many people who try to go full-time with school and work and then they wonder why they are so burnt out. It is because they don’t take time to just do what they want to do. Taking time for yourself is very important to do so you don’t get overwhelmed.”