As if wedding planning does not already take a toll on all of us, now we are fighting a pandemic also. No big deal, right? No matter how zen we pretend to be let’s be 100% honest, something will and does go wrong and usually, it happens on the day itself. Yep, I'm a wedding planner and I said it. Stuff goes wrong - and guess what? There’s no way to prevent it either. AHHHH! It's true. It's horrible and I know you hate hearing it but I can't lie to you. However, don’t let yourself become a total stress ball before your wedding! I have been doing this for a hot minute, and let me tell you.... I have met a fair share of stressed-out brides-to-be and today, we’re tackling some of our best tips and tricks to keep stress at bay with our top self-care tips! Believe me, it is possible to not walk in to your wedding feeling like you're about to have an anxiety attack.
Taking care of yourself is vital not only to your physical health but your mental health as well. Planning a wedding is an emotionally straining experience at times and while you’ll always have a partner to lean on when times get a little hectic, it is important to make time for yourself while planning. My clients tell me all of the time that they feel overwhelmed. Whether it is the fact that COVID-19 wrecked your whole wedding plan or that your mother in law won't stop insisting on taking over every detail - we know where you're at. Just know that self-care does not need to take a ton of time or money either. It can be as simple as taking time to make yourself a cup of tea before sitting down and making the dreaded seating arrangement. Below, are some of my fave ways of kicking stress out the door.
Take a workout class! When in doubt - exercise. I'm not saying this because I care if you lose ten pounds for your big day, what I do care about is that you feel like a fucking badass. I cuss a lot, so my apologies... but that's the truth. Working out leading up to a wedding is hands down my favorite way to blow off mad steam instantly. Here's why, not only do you get a great workout in, you can really forget about everything else going on outside of your little bubble and just focus on slaughtering the person next to you, or your coach, or your time yesterday. Some people are into cycle classes and for good reason! Cycling is for every skill level. You can make it as hard or as easy as you want when you set your own pace. The point is, feeling like you're looking a little silly in a kickboxing class is better than going full on psycho on your best friend - just sayin.
Meditate. With so much to do and stay on top of (not to mention the life-changing event to come), it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Clear your head of worries. Start focusing on the in-and-out cycle of your breath for just a few minutes a day or when you're lying in bed at night. It will help slow your heart rate and relax your muscles, too. They even have all of your favorite comedians and celebrities out there running great meditations, check out Insight Timer for more info!
Aromatherapy is a must, seriously. Fill your home with essential oils – Scents have a powerful way of guiding our emotions. Fill your home with calming scents like lavender and ylang-ylang to promote well being 24/7. I keep a scentsy going at home 100% of the time. It covers up the smell of three gross dogs and gives me a sense of tranquility. Who knew?
Go crazy on your at home spa treatments. Buy sheet masks in bulk – Places like Target and Sephora always have budget-friendly face masks in the check-out aisle and you def need to take advantage of it! Go ahead and give yourself permission to buy one face mask per week when you do your grocery shopping and let the stress melt away.
Show your skin love. Indulge in some nice skincare products – There’s nothing like slathering on a new moisturizer or face balm that makes you feel truly luxurious, right?! Well, what better excuse than your wedding to splurge a little bit on some expensive skincare. Taking 5 minutes a day to massage your products into your skin will not only make them work better but will alleviate some of that stress you’ve been holding in your jaw and neck.
Get outside! Take a walk – Exercise really is one of the easiest ways to rid yourself of stress. But you don't have to think of everything as a cardio activity! Taking a nightly or morning stroll every day will allow you to not only get some fresh air and vitamin D, but you can let your mind ease and wander. Have a friend or your partner tag along for some company. Bonus point for trying some new hiking trails on the weekends!
Keep connected with your partner. I know it can be hard under the pressure and stress of planning a wedding not to lose touch with the person you love most -- your partner! Schedule date nights, be it a dinner out or a movie in, to squeeze in some quality alone time. And, if you have any concerns about your upcoming nuptials (it's natural), find the courage to tell them.
Write it down. Journaling is a safe and accessible way for you to express the emotions you've been bottling up. It'll help them from festering into anxiety. Identify what's bothering you, and address that topic solely. Something troubling you, like if you're upset that your late father won't be there to walk you down the aisle, title the entry "Missing Dad," and stay on theme to avoid flooding yourself with too many emotions at once. This process has helped me so many times to release emotions and allow myself a time and space to heal.
Delegate tasks or you'll go nuts! You can't handle everything by yourself -- as super as you may be. That's what wedding planners, best friends and moms are for! Weddings are major endeavors, so enlist friends and family to help with those cute Pinterest projects you're committed to making!
Pamper yourself! Once businesses begin to open back up, you know what you need? A massage, a facial, or even a manicure and pedicure?! How about all of them? Honestly, a spa setting can do wonders for your stress levels. When times get tough, don't think of these as indulgences. Think of them as necessities for staying well-balanced and on task. Until then, settle into the tub from time to time. A nice bath with all of those oils and bath salts I told you to buy is going to do wonders!
Here is my advice, the most important thing you can do is to take care of the body you have. Wedding planning does not and should never negate that. I know that the world is a dark and scary place right now, so it is more important than ever to be taking care of yourself. Making sure you’re getting the exercise your body needs as well as the mental break your brain needs from wedding planning is uber important to maintaining healthy relationships. I challenge you to do one simple thing each day for yourself while you plan your big day. I guarantee that by taking a little bit of time to bring yourself back to center you will be in much better shape to face the challenges in the days ahead. Wishing well to all of my lovebirds out there living this struggle - we will make it through this.