Wedding planners agree that their job fulfilling couples’ dreams often comes with mountains of stress. As the New Year begins, Destinations Weddings by ALHI talked to three highly successful wedding planners about their tips for managing stress, healthy habits and inspiration.
Jennifer Hardiman of Fabuluxe Events in South Florida, Megan Lentz of Vida Events in Northern Virginia and Erin Patrick McDonald of ErinMcdonaldco in Upstate New York and Chicago offered advice and insight about staying happy and healthy in 2025.
Personal Resolutions
Work-life balance is top of mind – for family, finding personal time and health.
Hardiman said for 2025, she wants to be mindful of how much she works.
“I don't think balance really exists. But I want to be mindful when I'm with my family to put my phone down and mindful to just take a little bit of time each day to not be working,” she said.
Lentz agrees.
“Each year, I'm always striving for more of a work-life balance,” she said. “As an entrepreneur, our brands become our personality, so really sticking to office hours and making personal time is a must.”
For McDonald, there is a deeper need.
“Having gone through cancer last year was a bit of a roadblock,” he said. “I was inspired to delve a bit deeper into how to stay healthy while conducting business in the event industry. Acupuncture changed my life. We focus on reducing anxiety, boosting the immune system and a bit of back pain due to the loss of so much weight which brought arthritis to the forefront.”
Managing Stress
So how do top planners manage stress?
“Take breaks,” Lentz said. “We are go, go, go every minute of every hour and this industry makes you feel like everything has a time stamp on it. Nothing is such an emergency that you can't step away for a breather.”
McDonald said he tries to avoid multitasking.
“Take one task at a time. Manage your time which will in turn manage your stress,” he said. “I used to take on so much at one time and realized that I have to work on what is right in front of me and not try to do too much all at once.”
That Darn Phone
The ubiquitous cell phone can be a source of stress for the planner – or used for good, Hardiman said.
“To be more present in the moment, turn the phone off. Or leave it in another room,” she said.
“The reality is it'll all be there in an hour. It'll be fine.”
On the flip side, Hardiman uses the phone to schedule a break or to record something that she needs to do or is thinking about and transcribe it for later.
“It’s amazing how you can make your shoulders go down a bit, and then you're like, ‘ok, I can spend time with my family now,’ and this thing is not rolling around in your brain.”
She also uses it to help her sleep.
“You’re having a hard time at night, and this is a huge stress reliever from me because my brain is going. I can make myself a list or text myself all the things in my brain for the next day. Once it’s sent as a text or an email, I can reference it in the morning and I don’t feel I have to be processing it overnight. I can go to sleep.”
Healthy Habits and Exercise
These planners say staying healthy can be as simple as walking, but it can also mean high-impact exercise and eating right.
McDonald said it all starts with his health, especially after his health issue.
“I drink a lot of kombucha, eat a lot of fermented food and take pre- and probiotics,” he said. “Once again, another health issue taught me the importance of gut health and how important our gut is to our overall journey. Clean your gut out and reset!”
For exercise, he does “tons” of stretching before the day starts. “A quick sprint on my Peloton and yoga are always my go-tos.”
Lentz says she’s an Orange Theory junkie.
“It’s had a huge impact on building my confidence and mental health,” she said.
But Lentz and Hardiman say the healthiest thing may just be getting outside.
“A lot of a planner's job is screen time, which isn't a bad thing, but is something we need to balance out with fresh air and letting our brains rest,” Lentz said. “If I've been in front of my inbox for a couple of hours, it's time to pop outside and take the pups for a walk, or read on the back porch. I also love walking, so anytime the weather is nice or the air is crisp, you'll find me outside with the pups or horses.”
Hardiman says her exercise regimen is simple.
“By no means am I into hiking or nature or anything like that,” she said. “I'm not that girl, but I walk around the block or walk the dog. Or just go outside and let the sun be on your skin, you know, feel the sun for 10 or 15 minutes.”
Inspiration
These planners say the new year is a good time to seek inspiration.
Finding that inspiration is an “endless tunnel” for Lentz.
“For me it’s travel, people, home life, art, unique designs and patterns – the list could go on and on.”
Reflection on personal growth is a source of inspiration for Hardiman.
“You can look back at where you were a year ago and see what you were doing and where you are now, and you can see your growth even in that time,” she said. “Sometimes it doesn’t feel like it but you are growing in the moment. That’s inspirational – look what I did.”
Hardiman also seeks inspiration outside of weddings, such as watching trending fashion and pop culture for ideas that might help personalize a couple’s wedding.
“What’s happening in pop culture?” she said. “Not that I'm saying everybody needs to go out and have a ‘Wicked’ wedding, but you know that’s coming.”
McDonald’s advice? Travel.
“Travel and my time to reset is when I get the most inspiration,” he said. “Learn to take time off for yourself and take a journey to a foreign land to learn other cultures and dive into their traditions.
“It is inevitable that someone there is getting married and it is always fun to peek in and see how they do things…just don't let them see you!”
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