For Better Or Worse: How To Handle Wedding Day Stress
While a wedding should be one of the happiest days of a bride’s life, the planning process brings with it plenty of anxiety-inducing triggers. So how do you handle an event that’s all about you? We ask the experts…
“A wedding is hopefully a once in a lifetime event. Many of us have been planning this day since we were little, so the pressure to create the perfect wedding can be immense”
There’s no getting around it – planning a wedding can be a stressful experience. From respecting traditions of both sides of the family, to sticking to a comfortable budget, finalising the guest list and selecting vendors, it can be enough to keep even the calmest of us awake at night. “Today’s modern way of living means that there are likely to be significant time constraints for many trying to juggle work, home life, social life and other tasks while planning a wedding at the same time,” Dr Gurveen Ranger, clinical psychologist at Dubai’s Sage Clinics tells Bazaar Bride.
It’s no surprise then that the mental health specialist has seen an increasing number of brides becoming preoccupied with wedding planning to the point that it becomes difficult to focus on anything else, with many falling into a ‘black and white’ way of thinking. “It’s either things will go perfectly or they will go horribly wrong; I will look incredible or I will look awful,” she explains. “The more stressed we are, the more rigid our thinking becomes, and this sends us down a rabbit hole of worry. Common physical signs of stress include feeling irritable, restless, loss of appetite, poor sleep and frequent headaches and tensions.”
Luckily, whether you’re worried about being the centre of attention at your wedding, or juggling all the admin is weighing heavily on your mind, there are ways to calm your anxiety. And remember, realistically you and perhaps your groom are the only two people who know what the day was really supposed to look like. “If there is something that hasn’t turned out exactly as you envisioned then embrace it and don’t allow it to ruin what you’ve created,” adds planner Tania Kreindler, founder of My Dubai Wedding.
Make A Plan – And A Checklist
“A wedding is, hopefully, a once in a lifetime event,” says Tania. “Many of us have been planning this day since we were little, so the pressure to create the perfect wedding can be immense. Leading up to the wedding day, most of the tension is caused by not having everything planned properly so make a checklist for everything.” Also, instead of spending a lot of mental energy nitpicking every single detail, prioritise your non-negotiable elements and get them sorted right at the very start of the planning process to avoid any unnecessary stress further down the line.
Hire A Planner
You will have likely invested a huge amount of money into your nuptials, and the best way to ensure they run smoothly is having a professional to at least coordinate on the big day itself to ensure any unforeseen circumstances are dealt with. “Planners know what to look out for, how to neutralise any and all issues and can be trusted to minimise your stress levels,” explains Tania. “At the very least bring someone in as your on-the-day help. Mums and friends will offer to assist, but they should be getting dolled up with you, not on their hands and knees straightening tablecloths and making sure the signage is in the right place.”
Avoid Comparison
With the internet, Pinterest and social media brimming with dreamy set-ups, comparing pictures to what you can realistically budget for isn’t going to help manage your anxiety levels. So before you start hiring the celebrity photographer or booking an extravagant venue, ask the experts for accurate quotations so you can understand what it would cost to create the wedding you are dreaming of. “And remember that your nearest and dearest are there to celebrate the love between you and your other half, not assess if you have out of season long-stem rare flowers on the table,” reassures Tania.
Practice Self-Care
“Mindfulness can be a great way to ground us and bring us back to the present moment when we find our worries about the upcoming nuptials getting out of control,” says Dr Gurveen. Find pockets of time where you can do something you genuinely enjoy, be it taking a Pilates class, booking a massage or drawing a bath at the end of the day. Bonus points if your self-care activity is known to decrease stress, like meditation or exercise. “And please don’t try any radical facials or diets. Give your skin time to heal and let your make-up artist and photographer work their magic on the day,” adds Tania. “Get to bed early the night before too. If you don’t sleep too well that’s normal, but you will be well rested.”
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s Bride Spring/Summer 2024 issue.
Lead Image Courtesy Of: Instagram / @ambani_update