We’ve all had important events that have required a lot of our time and energy to put together. Events like weddings, graduation parties, and birthdays often need planning, thought, and can be incredibly time consuming.

Fortunately, there are some ways you can plan an event without tearing your hair out. In fact, putting together these events can be quite fun when you have the tools in order to help your event run smoothly.

Here are five ways you can make your event run smoothly and efficiently.

1. Plan far in advance

Oftentimes, the most stressful events are usually the ones that are planned at the last minute. If you know that you have an event coming up (such as a wedding or a birthday), and you plan for it ahead of time, you are less likely to find yourself running around at the last moment trying to get every detail perfect.

It might be worth it to sit down and have a planning session or two in order to relieve some of the stress of planning an entire party or event in a short period of time. The longer you have to plan, the more your event will eventually look like how you have imagined.

2. Know where to give yourself a break

While you might have a certain idea of what your event should look like (and more often than not, it looks like it should belong in a magazine), you might not have the budget or the connections to make it happen. Accepting the realities of planning an event, such as using fake flowers instead of real ones, or folding chairs instead of designer-brand chairs, can greatly ease your mind. Likely, you will still have a beautiful event even if it doesn’t match your mental picture.

3. Don’t invite too many people

One mistake many people make is that they often invite too many guests to their event. Not only does this sometimes create unnecessary chaos, but it also requires extra planning, time, and food for the guests.

Having hundreds of people at a wedding might seem like a good idea initially, but you might want to consider whether it is truly important to your day to have an extra hundred people attend. Not only does it run up the cost, but it can make your event all the more stressful—meaning you’ll be worrying more if there are enough canapés than whether you are having a good time.

4. Ask for help

There are those who can put together an entire event on his or her own, and there are those who need a little help doing it. More likely than not, if you’re not a professional event planner, then it might be worth it to ask for a little help. Hiring someone to help you, even if it is just for some basic decorations, can take your mind off the little things, and can help you focus on the overall effect of the party. Even asking for a friend’s opinion can help you to feel like you have some control over the situation.

5. Take a deep breath

Remember, part of putting together a successful event is knowing that it won’t go exactly as planned. Being able to take a step back, relax, and enjoy yourself will not only help you feel as though you’ve done a successful job, but it will also help you to enjoy the special day that you have put together.

Part of the fun of an event is accepting the mishaps and mistakes – it makes the day unique. After you’ve completed everything, remember to relax and enjoy the party. You deserve it!