Clio Garland, Wedding Coach

While wedding planning is an exciting and joyful time in your life, it can also be a very stressful experience. 

From the flowers to the officiant, the bridal party to the guest list, it seems that everyone has an opinion.

In moving from “YES” to “I DO”, are you or your partner experiencing stress in any of these areas?

• Parents/In-Laws

• Relatives

• Guests

• Wedding Party

• Re-marriage

• Same sex marriage

• Religious tradition

• Cultural differences

• Venue (destination or not)

• Expenses

Our friend Clio Garland, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 30 years experience counseling families and couples, is a Wedding Coach and specializes in helping couples navigate these uniquely challenging experiences. 

Clio can help you resolve conflicts leading up to your big day so when you walk down the aisle, you will be happy and content, ready for your new life ahead!

Here are some of the ways Clio can help:

• Resolve conflicting ideas about size and scope of wedding

• Negotiate differences in expression of cultural and religious traditions

• Facilitate communication with difficult family members and friends

• Provide consultation with family members if needed

• Develop strategies to respond to people challenging your wedding     

  planning

• Foster greater understanding of your new role as a married person

  and its impact on others

• Resolve differences positively to form stronger bonds with your

  partner, family and friends

To give you a better idea of Clio’s unique Wedding Coach process, here a few challenges she has helped brides and grooms deal with in the past:

Problem 1: The Bride is upset with her mother because she wants to choose her wedding dress.

Interpretation: The mother is trying to exert her influence and hold on to the close relationship she has with her daughter, while the bride is trying maintain independence.

Solution: The Bride needs to be sensitive to her mother’s struggle, while realizing she is an independent adult who is able to make her own decisions, in spite of what her mother wants.

Task: The Bride should try on some of the dresses that her mother likes and listen to her feedback, without being negative. Let Mom know you appreciate her suggestions but you really love the dress you have selected. Offer to go with her to pick out her own dress.

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Problem #2: My fiancé doesn’t like my best man, who is my best childhood friend.

Interpretation: Marriage requires tolerating people who you might not choose to have in your life.

Solution: Help your fiancé understand she doesn’t have to have a relationship with your best man, but she needs to respect your friendship and the choice you have made.

Task: Talk to your fiance about the importance of this person in your life.

____________

Problem 3: The bride is angry because her future sister-in-law is trying to control her wedding.

Interpretation: The future sister-in-law is worrying about her changing relationship with her brother and his fiancé. Where does she fit in?

Solution: Have the groom talk to his sister and assure her that though he is now part of a couple, his marriage won’t get in the way of his relationship with her.

Task: The couple is instructed to give the sister-in-law the responsibility for organizing a wedding event, ie rehearsal dinner, shower, brunch. This gives her a specific role in the wedding planning.

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If you are experiencing challenges with any aspect of planning your wedding, be sure to visit Clio at cliogarlandweddingcoach.com or contact her at cliogarland@me.com and find out how she can help alleviate the stress of wedding planning!

Good luck planning your big day, and remember to take time to enjoy this special time in your life!