By : Tina Richardson
If you’re anything like me, wedding day anxiety is a real thing. I was always excited to be getting married and seeing my spouse-to-be. But there were still plenty of moments leading up to the wedding where I felt really stressed out and anxious about what might go wrong.
It wasn’t until I started researching wedding planning tips that I realized how much control we have over our wedding day experience and how many things there are that we can do to reduce wedding day anxiety.
In this article, you’ll find 8 ways to conquer wedding day anxiety…
1. Reduce anxiety by doing a mental walkthrough of the day before
One of the most valuable wedding day anxiety reduction techniques is to do a mental walkthrough. By doing this, you can visualize all the pieces coming together and anticipate any problems.
This includes everything from what time people are supposed to arrive at the venue to someone getting lost on the way, or forgetting an important item they need.
This wedding day anxiety reduction technique is especially useful for people who are really detail-oriented and want to know every little thing that will happen.
2. Create an emergency kit for the day of the wedding
One wedding day anxiety reduction technique that we recommend is to create an emergency kit for the wedding. This can be anything from a little bag of granola bars in your purse or even some nail polish and nail clippers, but it’s important to be prepared just in case.
This kit will be completely personal. For example, I had a friend who was allergic to bees so she created an emergency kit with an EpiPen in it. For me, it was my CBD drops which I use for anxiety issues when they flare up.
3. Write down your thoughts and feelings on paper before they overwhelm you
Just put a pen and paper somewhere close by for whenever you start feeling anxious or overwhelmed and write about what it is that’s causing the anxiety.
That way, when you’re trying to get out of wedding mode before bedtime, all those feelings will be written down instead of bottled up inside and stopping you from getting some sleep.
4. Break up big tasks into small, manageable pieces and delegate
This wedding day anxiety reduction technique is perfect for those who are anxious about big tasks or need to divide the wedding into more manageable pieces.
For example, one small task could be to make sure the DJ has all of their equipment set up on time and to know where items like extra extension cords are stored.
Tasks like this can then be delegated to reliable friends or family members
5. Get plenty of sleep on the night before your wedding
The night before your wedding is a really important time for wedding day anxiety reduction.
One of the best ways to reduce wedding day anxiety is to make sure you get plenty of sleep and don’t do anything too hard on yourself like going out all evening or staying up late.
This will help ensure that wedding morning doesn’t come around and find you feeling frazzled and tired.
If you’ve already prepared your emergency kit from step 2 and written down your thoughts like in step 3, then you’ll find getting off to sleep much easier.
6. Eat healthy foods that will keep your energy levels high throughout the day
Anxiety can often be a result of not feeling well or getting enough nutrients, so make sure you’re eating plenty of healthy foods that will keep your energy levels high.
You may not feel like eating, but make sure you have a small breakfast before setting off to the church.
A good idea is to have a variety of foods that you know will make you feel energized and ready for the wedding: fruits, vegetables, almonds, oatmeal with raisins or blueberries; English muffin spread with almond butter and honey or peanut butter.
Don’t forget water too –
7. Stay hydrated with lots of water and drink herbal tea
Another wedding day anxiety reduction technique is to stay hydrated.
Stay away from drinks that can dehydrate you, such as alcohol or coffee, and try herbal tea instead. This will help keep your mind clear for the wedding ceremony.
Plus if it’s a really hot summer wedding, then there are some herbs that have been scientifically proven to lower your body’s temperature. Some of these are ginger, peppermint, and chamomile
8. Practice deep breathing exercises when you start feeling overwhelmed or stressed out
All you need to do is inhale for three seconds and then exhale for six seconds before repeating. Research has found that this will reduce your heart rate in as little as two minutes!
It’s also a fantastic technique if you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed.
Relax and enjoy your special day
There are many ways to reduce wedding day anxiety.
Some of these include practicing deep breathing exercises when you start feeling overwhelmed or stressed out and staying hydrated by drinking lots of water and herbal tea.
One thing that helps a lot is taking care in the days leading up to your big day as well as on the morning before it – such as knowing what time you need to be at the church so that you can plan for transportation, getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, and having some breathing exercises prepared.
