Let’s get right to it: Planning a wedding is time-consuming and typically stressful at some point. So Triple B tapped NYC-based life coach LaToya Morgan of Your Hidden Treasure to offer practical tips on keeping your bliss while planning.

Morgan reveals, “Through my experiences as a life coach and watching friends that have been brides, I’ve observed the wedding planning process and noticed it is a snapshot of the marriage. In most cases it’s the couple’s first time creating a project together.” She continues, “This condensed amount of time pushes both individuals to experience uncharted territories just like their marriage will. Like anything else, when it’s new it can be uncomfortable. Look at the process like your private classroom and playbook for your marriage…You will learn how to work together, trust each other and build strength for the years to come.”

Here are Morgan’s seven keys to assist you through it all:

Create an Intention with your Fiancé ~ Get clear on the purpose of this day, what the two of you want it to represent, how you both want to feel and your desired outcome. Write it down and keep it somewhere you will read it daily.

Release the Illusion that Everything Has to be Perfect ~ That thought only will keep you up at night. The process will all work out the way it needs to for whatever your playbook requires. Once you can let the idea of perfection go you will be able to move more freely and joyfully through the process.

Stay in Your “Classroom” ~ Do not compare your process to movies, bridal magazines or even your friends or family member’s experience. Comparing will add extra pressure that you do not need because their process is not a part of what is necessary for you to succeed in your “classroom”. Be present to what you and your fiancé are creating and stay there.

Shift Your Perspective ~ Find opportunity for growth in every challenge; believe me there is one in every challenge. Focus on what you can control and what type of meaning you give things. (i.e. – My wedding will not be beautiful if I don’t have roses in my bouquet.) Your preconceived thoughts can bring a lot of unnecessary tension.

Attitude of Gratitude ~ Acknowledging all that you are grateful for always helps make you feel better and pay attention to the bigger picture. You can write a daily or weekly list of what you are grateful for from the photographer returning your emails to marrying the person you love.

Create Rituals ~ When you have a system in place it is much easier to maneuver through the highs and lows of planning. You may want to have a dedicated time to pray/meditate together, establish certain days of the week for wedding planning discussions and a method to handle decision making (i.e. – No decisions made without at least 24 hours for both of you to examine thoroughly.).

Quality Time ~ Implement fun times where you and your fiancé bond with each other outside of wedding planning. Do things you like to do together and find new activities (they don’t have to require spending a lot of money; get creative). Also, create mini celebrations along the way especially as difficult tasks get checked off of the list.

Having tools to get through this process will reduce your head and heart aches. Use them wisely and enjoy your “classroom” — this is the class of lifelong learning.

What do you think of LaToya’s advice? Share in the comments and feel free to add additional tips.