Tame the stress of the wedding

I got into the discussion group of a wedding planning website earlier this week. The first post on the list asked if anyone had any tips for dealing with the stress of a wedding. Good grievance! Okay, I could probably be a little more understanding, but in reality, the difficult decision has already been made. Committing to spending your life with someone, making a home and a life together, and maybe starting a family, that’s the most important thing! The wedding is just a party.

Okay, so it’s a big party, maybe complicated and expensive. Perhaps the biggest you will ever release in your life, but let’s keep things in perspective.

The first order of the day is for future bride and groom to visualize what they want. What is important? Do you have any specific intention for your wedding day, apart from enjoying yours, of course? Once you’ve set your intention for the day, you’ll have a guiding star to return to if there are times when the going gets tough. And let well-meaning but perhaps overzealous family members know what that intention is. There may be times when you also need a gentle but firm reminder of your intention. I’m sure they’re just trying to support you on this important day. If it sometimes seems like they are injecting too much into the process, be aware that they may also feel stressed. Acknowledge them, but calmly remind them that it is their special day.

Then do your research. Get a realistic idea of ​​what a wedding will cost before you start shopping around. Ask others who have already done it what to expect. Decide what are your non-negotiable? Where are you open to alternative input and suggestions, and where can you compromise? With a framework in place, you can prepare a budget and then search for your best deals.

Having said that, I feel compelled to add that wedding professionals have spent years gaining experience in their area and undoubtedly continually spend the money, effort, and time to keep their skills honed and style up-to-date. Nobody likes to feel like they’ve been beaten and stained to death. If your practitioner has been subjected to this, you may feel some kind of resentment, consciously or unconsciously. Nobody needs this hanging around on their wedding day.

Trust the help that your professionals can offer you. Wedding planners, caterers, florists, deejays, or any other wedding professional you can hire have done this many times before and have probably seen almost everything. Their job is to support you in whatever way they can. They wouldn’t be in business if they didn’t have a sincere desire to help you achieve the day of your dreams with the least amount of stress on your part.

Take good care of yourself throughout the entire process. Continue with your regular program of exercise and meditation or prayer. If you don’t have one, now is a good time to start. Exercise will help you look great on your wedding day and prayer / meditation will help keep you cool. Get plenty of rest the week before your big day. Schedule a massage a couple of days in advance.

And finally, enjoy the process, and especially the day. Realize that it is your very special day. Your friends and family are there to celebrate, and your job is to just enjoy yourself. Now, is there really something worth getting so stressed out about?