Preparing to Be the Best You On Your Wedding Day
Planning for your wedding is an amazing time, but it can become taxing with all of the details that need to be prepared for: choosing a venue, a dress, makeup, shoes, suits, catering, honeymoon destination - the list goes on and on - It is a whirlwind of planning, organizing and juggling.
Sometimes you may find yourself overwhelmed with details and forget to take care of yourself. Parties, showers, planning, family, and career all vie for your attention. It is important not to lose sight of the goal – to BE THE BEST YOU ON YOUR WEDDING DAY!!
From our perspective, the brides who are the most self-aware during the process are the ones who are ready to enjoy their Best Day Ever. Here are a few tips to help you prepare yourself to be ready for your special day!
Don’t focus on trying to whittle yourself down to some magic number. Take this time to become the healthiest “you” that you can be. Focus on looking and feeling your best. It's ok to grab a couple of bridesmaids and start exercising for your day. Plan two or three thirty minute sessions a week. Take a walk, play a sport, enjoy yoga class, go dancing or take a class that might be something totally new. Physical activities boost serotonin in a matter of 30 minutes helping you look and feel great!
Eat healthy meals. This doesn’t mean depriving yourself, it means including healthy nutrient packed foods and excluding high sugar and high carb counts (except for the wedding cake tasting – those carbs don’t count).
Drink lots of water. When you increase your water intake it makes it easier to cut those sugary drinks. Drinking a 12 oz glass of water thirty minutes before a meal helps you to feel full faster. Your body runs better when it is hydrated and your skin will thank you.
Protect your mental health by taking time to practice gratitude. We often focus on the fun and frolics of the wedding process, but we rarely talk about the emotional aspects of planning a wedding. Weddings are a time for celebrating, but they can also be stressful which can set off triggers for some people. The simple practice of keeping a gratitude journal will help you to stay focused on all the amazing things that are happening during the process. When you have a particularly stressful day, taking time to reflect on the positive will help you keep your eye on the goal.
Keep your eye on the goal-enjoy this season of your life. It is the only time you get to do this wedding to this person you love. If wedding planning and the myriad of tasks associated with it become overwhelming, remember this is normal. Take a break and step away from the wedding planning environment. Reconnect with your partner and just have some stillness for a while. Make things all about being a couple for a minute before stepping back into planning mode. Think of three reasons why you love him. Remind yourself that, at the end of the day, you want amazing memories.
Self-Care looks different to everyone. When we feel stressed, pressured or unwell, the first things we drop are the things we enjoy. When we are out of energy, it is important to recognize that this is a burnout moment.
To Avoid Burnout Moments Use These Self-Care Techniques:
Make simple changes to your daily routine.
Set up a gab session with an old friend and don’t talk about weddings.
Hit pause on planning.
Lean in on your support system – your maid of honor should be at your side.
Do something “non-wedding” that makes you happy.
Laugh out loud.
Pamper yourself…get a mani and pedi.
Allow yourself to feel upset & practice letting it go.
Plan a special date with your love.
Sing out loud (even off key)
If wedding day stress brings on the wedding day blues it is time to put some boundaries in place and this means saying NO to things that don’t matter or feel out of place. Your wedding means you get to call the planning shots.
Here’s a moment of truth; You're not going to love every idea, suggestion or detail others have for your wedding day. During this process it is important to remember that it’s your day, your vision, your way.
Here are some key phrases to shut down unsolicited wedding ideas:
"It'd mean a lot to me and [partner's name] if we could do it our way."
"I love that idea, but let's tweak it a little bit."
“Ooooh, that’s really nice but we already have a plan for that.”
Pick your favorite from the above list and practice saying it with a smile. It is okay to say “NO” with a pinch of grace and gratitude. When all else fails, “No” is a complete sentence.
A year seems like a long time to plan, but it goes by quickly! Don’t get sucked into tasks that don’t make your heart happy. Find the parts of wedding planning that bring you joy and sprinkle in items that feel big and overwhelming, or hire them done. This way you will find balance somewhere in between MUST, SHOULD and IT MIGHT BE NICE when it comes to checking those wedding tasks off the to-do list.
It is imperative that you make COUPLE time a priority, time for the “US”, the “WE”, in the relationship, and enjoy the bliss of your engagement. I’ve seen the planning frenzy take relationships over, and it is NOT PRETTY! Planning and solidarity won’t happen if you are so busy nurturing the guest list that you leave your partner out...(#TRUTH).
A bride will sometimes spend so much time planning this AMAZING, ONCE IN A LIFETIME DAY that they forget that the most important thing: You are marrying the love of your life. Don’t let stress and worry steal the bliss of enjoying all the special things people have planned for you and your love. At the end of this planning process is a CELEBRATION of your love and the beginning of a great adventure. Layer your process in creating time to take care of yourself and your newness as a couple. Habits you set during this process can last a lifetime.
At Dream Field Farms we understand what it takes to plan for and create Dream Weddings. We offer packages that allow you to take the stress out of the planning process. For more information visit: www.dreamfieldfarms.com