With your wedding day drawing nearer are you beginning to get that feeling that there are not enough hours in the day? A towering pile of things-to-do is growing in every corner of your life. You’re watching the clock, trying to slow the fingers down. You have a constant headache and feel exhausted. Sound familiar? The guilty culprit is stress. It’s everywhere. It hangs out in the most innocuous places like your appointment book, the guest list, even in the bridal salon.
Believe it or not, stress doesn’t have to be your enemy. In moderate amounts, it can increase motivation and improve performance. But if you’re grinding your teeth till you jaw aches and the person in the mirror looks like you but is glaring back, you’re probably under too much stress and if you don’t do something soon it’s going to hurt you and ruin your special day.
And don’t forget, stress is linked to the six leading causes of death – cancer, heart disease, suicide, accidents, lung ailments, accidents, and cirrhosis of the liver. The tough thing about chronic stress is you can get all too used to it, so you may not realize it’s there until it’s too late. It’s also going to cost you. You won’t be able to focus on wedding preparations and you certainly won’t be enjoying them.
So what can you do to survive the pre-nuptial stress buildup and make your married life less stressful ever after?
Pre-wedding woes – If you trying to handle your wedding preparations solo, that can be overwhelming. Enlist some help. If your budget won’t allow for a wedding planner, ask family and friends to assist. Bridal gown shopping can be exhausting, especially if you have to trek all around town. You can avoid all the stress of bridal salon appointments by buying your dress here.
The chill factor: You have to know when and how to relax. Learn some breathing techniques to help your relax. Take some time out from the wedding plans and do something fun with your fiancé.
Mood busting food: Although you may be trying to lose a few extra pounds before your big day, it’s important to maintain a healthy diet. You can use food to help boost your mood without reaching for the ice cream. Try mussels, blue potatoes, Swiss chard, Greek yogurt, organic lamb, and dark chocolate (in moderation). These are all healthy foods to lift your mood.
The twilight zone: Don’t let insomnia wear you down. If you’re lying in bed at night obsessing over wedding plans you won’t get a good night’s sleep and this will affect your waking life. Enjoy a hot soak in the tub with relaxing aromatherapy oil. Have a warm milky drink before you turn in and avoid napping during the day no matter how tired you are.
Don’t get sucked into the Bridezilla zone. Learn to recognize when you are feeling too much stress and take some time out to control it.
Liam Pearson is a wedding planner. He actually specializes in organizing same-sex marriages but is able to offer up his wise words for everyone who needs a little help with planning the big day.
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