Planning a wedding is a lot of work. We get it. Countless decisions, made over months or years, have lead you to this point where your wedding day is within sight. Before you know it, the day will be here and gone, and the memories (and the photos) will be the only thing that remain. Here are 8 ways to de-stress your wedding day and be truly present in the moment.
You’ve dreamt of walking down the aisle.
You’ve dreamt of saying, “I do” and kissing your true love in front of those most important to you.
You’ve dreamt of dancing the night away to classic 90’s pop music, belting the lyrics at full blast.
You’ve dreamt of the perfect wedding day, full of details and dresses and special moments thatwill stick with you for the rest of your days on earth. Now you are trying to turn those dreams into a plan.
Planning a wedding is a lot of work. We get it. Countless decisions, made over months or years, have lead you to this point where your wedding day is within sight. Before you know it, the day will be here and gone, and the memories (and the photos) will be the only thing that remain.
Typically as you get closer to the day the stress levels begin to escalate as all the tasks start to pile up. Coordinating vendors, family members traveling from out of town, and making sure all the tuxes fit can all be sources of stress that can affect your experience on your wedding day.
Once the day arrives, it moves at light speed. Iif you aren’t set up correctly you can lose the feelings you’ve dreamt of since childhood.
Here are 8 ways to de-stress your wedding day and be truly present in the moment.
TIP #1: DO EVERYTHING AT ONE PLACE
Adding layers of logistics to your day can quickly add stress to your day if something doesn’t go to plan.
Late getting back from the hairdresser, getting stuck in a parade on your way to the venue (believe us, it’s happened), or a relative can’t find the ceremony location?
Do everything at one place. Getting ready, ceremony, reception, all of it. Remove the multiple layers of logistics and keep it simple.
TIP #2: Create a schedule AND stick to it!
There are lots of pieces to a wedding day and having a schedule of events can make it less stressful.
Our biggest advice is to add in extra time for things.
Think family photos will take 15 minutes? Schedule 30. Think hair and makeup will take an hour. Schedule and hour and a half.
It is better to be running a little ahead of schedule than to be scrambling to catch up. The most important part, though, is sticking to the schedule as best as possible.
Wedding days have unexpected surprises that arise without warning, we understand that. However, constantly running behind can add lots of stress to everyone involved and take the magic out of the day.
TIP #3: Delegate or hire a day-of planner
Your job as a bride is to make all the decisions ahead of time about your wedding day. Your job is NOT to be the one doing all tasks on your wedding day.
Get the ball rolling before your day, communicate your vision with capable people, and let the ball roll without you. There are plenty of people that can set up flowers, and iron chair sashes, and figure out how to get the microphone to work at the ceremony.
Your job is to soak in the moment, not set up the party.
Pro-tip:
Hire a wedding day-of planner. Many event planners offer a service where they show up on your day to help coordinate all the pieces. This is a great way to help everyone enjoy the day (parents, siblings, bridal party, etc) without having to worry about logistics.
Tip #4: Do a first look
Seeing your groom before the wedding has a TON of advantages, and all of them help de-stress the rest of the day.
Doing a first look allows you to get a majority of the photos done before the ceremony, which frees up the schedule afterwards.
By doing a first look not only do you get a private moment alone with your groom, but you get rid of the jitters that come with such a life changing moment before you go in front of the crowd.
It helps put the magnitude of this day into perspective, you get to remember what got you to this day, and you get to enjoy the rest of your day worry free.
Check out more reasons to do a first look on our other blog post here
Tip #5: Add in time just for you and your partner
This goes along with the previous point, but adding in strategic moments of just the two of you can shed the stress of the day in a big hurry.
Do a first look. Exchange love notes or pray together before the ceremony. Run to the local bar for a celebratory shot after the ceremony. Sneak away for sunset photos with your photographer. Whatever it takes.
Slow down and enjoy the moment. It is great to have all your family and friends around for such a great party, but sometimes a little together time can make things go more smoothly.
Tip #6: Make your wedding uniquely you
Wedding days have lots of traditions, intermingled throughout both the ceremony and reception.
That being said, if something doesn’t appeal to you, nothing says you have to do it. Make the ceremony the way YOU want it to look, not the way tradition says.
Don’t want to do a cake cutting or dollar dances or bouquet tosses? Don’t. You make the rules.
Many times the most meaningful moments we have witnessed at weddings are a break away from tradition, and allows for a fun way to make the stress of conforming to all the wedding day traditions less tangible.
Tip #7: Create an emergency kit
Follow the Boy Scout motto on your wedding day: BE PREPARED.
Have a little kit with you throughout the day that has anything that might come up inside.
Bobby and safety pins, breath mints, stain remover pens, touch up makeup. These are a few great things to always have by your side.
Being ready for the unexpected will keep you calm throughout your day, and will help you remember the meaningful parts of your day, not the hiccups.
Pro-tip:
Want a list of things that should be included in your emergency kit? Check out our blog with a checklist for your Wedding Day Emergency Kit.
TIP #8: Don't sweat the small stuff
There are lots of decisions you’ve made about your wedding day. I will promise you this: something WON’T go as you planned it. It is just how it works.
Many times, however, you are the only one that knows something didn’t go to plan.
Did the centerpieces get put in the wrong order? Is the color of the aisle runner not what you expected? Did the seating chart get mixed up?
In the famous words of Elsa from Disney’s Frozen, “Let it go!”
Everything on your day will be part of the story, planned or otherwise. Whether it went according to plan won’t make that much difference a year later, when the only thing you will remember is how much fun you had and what an incredible day it was.
BONUS TIP: Take a date night with your groom the week of the wedding.
Set yourself up for success by coming into your wedding day stress free. The week of the wedding, take an hour and go on a date with your soon-to-be spouse.
Catch a movie, go to ice cream, go for a hike. Do something completely unrelated to your wedding, and prepare for the party you have spent so much time preparing.
There is one rule, however. ABSOLUTELY NO discussion on your date about anything wedding related!!! There is plenty of time for that later.
Enjoy your moment before your moment and you will head into your wedding festivities refreshed and ready for life-changing experiences to happen.