There's a very special and specific kind of anxiety that can arrive on a wedding day. And the anticipation and excitement that a bride feels is unique to what anyone else will be feeling at that same moment. Having been a bride myself, I can tell you that it's very difficult to even try and describe how it feels to wake up and know that you are getting married that day. There is the feeling of joy that the day has arrived, the overwhelming sensation that you'll be walking down an aisle with all eyes on you, and the palpable feeling of elation that you finally get to call this person your partner for life.
As a bride, I never felt terror. The worst thing I felt was exhaustion, because I had too many nights of parties leading up to my big day and not enough sleep. (Read: get a few really good nights of sleep before your wedding because you'll be up most of the night the night before with butterflies in your tummy!). As a wedding planner however, I see many, many brides feel and experience something close to fear when they are about to leave for the church or temple or take that first step down the aisle in the garden or under the tent.
How can we alleviate this, I've thought to myself? It's very difficult in that moment to take away the feeling of being scared. What I've learned is that it is the behavior leading up to the wedding day that paves the way for how a bride will feel in that moment. What I mean by this is that if you take care of yourself in the weeks leading up to your wedding and practice certain behaviors, you will be more likely to wake up on your wedding day feeling refreshed, ready and BRAVE. And believe me, you need a certain amount of "chutzpa" to face the day!
Follow these simple steps in the weeks leading up to your special day and I can guarantee that a great deal of your anxiety, fear and stress will disappear. You have nothing to be afraid of. No one is judging you. You will undoubtedly be the most beautiful woman in the room (even if, God forbid, you get wine on your dress), because you will be glowing. You'll feel peaceful, refreshed, excited and most of all, calm.
*Drink plenty of water. Sounds trite, but it works for your skin, your body, and your overall well being.
*As I said above, sleep, sleep, sleep! It's the best gift you can give yourself.
*Pass off ALL wedding plans and details to someone else on the Wednesday before your wedding (or three days before). You have worked hard on your planning for months; you deserve three days of relaxation. Believe me, if you've planned well, those three days won't make a difference in the world.
*Have a night out (or in) with girlfriends in the week before your wedding, with no more than three cocktails involved. You don't want to be hungover, you just want to have an opportunity to release some tension, complain about your mother in law, and above all else, LAUGH.
*Make a list and check it twice. Put all of your important ceremony and reception items in one place and put someone else in charge of them! Someone you trust implicitly.
*Journal daily. It's incredible the amount of stress this simple act can relieve.
*Exercise regularly. See above.
*If all else fails, have a good cry.
XOXO
grace
