It’s normal to feel a little jittery prior to your wedding. The big day, when you’re making a lifetime commitment in front of family and friends, is approaching. Some anxiety often accompanies emotions of excitement and joy.
Preparation and self-awareness are key to managing any stress. If you know what’s likely to cause you the most stress, you can take steps to manage it and make sure you are calm when you walk down the aisle. So read on to discover some tips to help you manage this!
1. Stay connected with your fiancé
The stress of planning your wedding and the amount of time it takes may take a toll on your relationship. Squeeze in some time to be alone together, whether it’s a date night out or watching a movie together at home. If you can get through the pressure before the wedding together, it bodes well for your marriage.
Talk about anything that’s bothering you and don’t try to carry it alone. If you talk about potential issues before the wedding day, it’s the best way to make sure nothing comes between you on your special day.
If you can avoid it, try not to plan your rehearsal dinner the night before your wedding. If you can schedule it for two days prior to the wedding, you can take time the night before your wedding to be alone with your fiancé and relax together. Shannon Doherty, a wedding planner, says that her brides and grooms often have dinner alone the night before the wedding.
2. Make sure everything fits
When you take your wedding dress home, take off the garment bag and check it. Joan Michaels of Special Events says that she has seen brides put on wedding dresses, only to find pins still in it or incomplete alterations.
Additionally, aching feet can spoil your big day. Break in your wedding shoes beforehand to prevent this. Try to stretch them out in advance by wearing them with a thick pair of socks or use a hairdryer on tight spots and keep them on while they cool. Just in case, take a change of shoes along to slip on while shooting photos or after your first dance.
3. Don’t be afraid to delegate
A wedding is a major endeavor, and it’s impossible to do everything by yourself. Many tasks can easily be delegated to family members and friends, such as making place cards and running errands.
Designate someone to meet and greet guests flying in for the wedding at the airport. You may want to pick them up yourself because you’re so excited to see them but this adds to your stress, especially if a plane is late.
A sister or maid-of-honour will know enough to be able to take some of the stress off you on the day. She can help the photographer to gather all the family members for photographs.
Rely on her to keep your mother calm and to answer any questions guests may have. She can be the one you turn your cell phone over to for the day. Lindsey Cole of Your Big Day suggests this, saying that otherwise you may find yourself constantly being distracted.
3. Focus on your own wellbeing
Don’t become so busy that you neglect your own wellbeing. Giving in to the stress can negatively affect your special day. Try to eat healthy, balanced meals in the weeks prior to your wedding.
Get away from all the preparations to go for a walk, take an exercise class, read a book or decompress in some way. In the time leading up to the wedding, a massage or facial can do wonders for reducing your stress. Don’t think of it as an indulgence but a necessity.
Music can also provide a powerful way to relax. Megan Kay, who got married recently says that she relied on a playlist of her favorite relaxing music and kept it going right up until she had to walk down the aisle.
4. Try meditation and deep breathing
Kay Lawson of ProEssayWriting, says that she relied on meditation to handle stress before her wedding. She says that even a few moments of deep breathing when tension was high helped her to focus on the big picture.
On the actual day, a few deep calming breaths helped to keep her mind off the flower arrangement that was off-kilter and other little details that had gone wrong.
5. Be strategic with your guests
Know what could cause drama between guests before your wedding and design your seating plan accordingly. Ask friends and family members to let you know if any guests need to be separated. You can even go as far as talking to certain guests to make sure they’ll keep the peace and not spoil your day. Remind them how much the day means to you and ask them if they can set aside their differences for the day for your sake.
Try to keep guests busy before the wedding by suggesting activities and places in the area. You may be able to join them for an activity or two to spend some time with those you love and introduce guests to each other.
6. Organize an emergency beauty kit
With so many details to take care of, it is easy to forget some essentials. Having a basic beauty kit handy can stop small mishaps from becoming major emergencies. Has a bridesmaid’s makeup smeared? No problem. Is a hem trailing? You have the answer.
Keep the following in the kit: mascara, concealer, blush, lipstick, and makeup removing wipes, Q-tips, feminine products, safety pins, double stick tape and a small sewing kit.
7. Keep a positive attitude
Accept that not everything may not go as smoothly as you wish on your wedding day but that you won’t allow it to spoil the day. If you are a bundle of nerves and haven’t eaten or slept for days, you will ruin your wedding day. Maintain a positive, relaxed attitude, and you will be able to enjoy your day and make it one full of memories to cherish.
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