Planning a wedding can be one of the most stressful times in a bride’s life and everything from the major decisions like venue and dress to the seemingly more minor decisions like centrepieces and wedding favours can seem like an incredibly daunting and induce stress in even the calmest and most composed of brides.
While it would be ideal for your day to go exactly as you have dreamed of and have been planning for, it is important to remember that you need to take the time to destress and relax during the planning to ensure the run-up to the big day isn’t engulfed by stress but rather an enjoyable and memorable experience that you will have with your other half and closest friends and families for the rest of your life.
If you’re worried that you’re the only bride who’s pulling their hair out with all the competing pressures of planning a wedding – fear not, there are a lot more brides in exactly the same boat as you.
Fortunately, there’s a few easy and proven methods to tackle the stresses of planning for a wedding and some handy tips to help your day and its run-up to go as smoothly as possible.
Planning a Wedding is Not For The Faint-hearted – and the Statistics Prove It
According to a survey done by wedding company, Zola, on 500 engaged or newlywed couples, 96% of those survey called wedding planning stressful with 40% of those surveyed even going so far as to describe it as extremely stressful.
When probed as to the biggest stressors:
- 35% stressed most about getting everything done
- 20% stressed most about managing guest lists and RSVPs
- 14% stressed most about finding a venue
Perhaps one of the most interesting statistics to emerge from the survey however was the fact that 71% of participants said that wedding planning is more stressful than one or more of the following:
- Public speaking
- Finding a job
- Having bad credit
- Applying to college
- Buying a home or moving to a new house
If you’ve been feeling the effects of wedding stress, you’re not alone. Many couples experience a high number of stress-induced symptoms when planning a wedding, as is evidenced by the results of the Zola survey, which found that of 86% who experienced on average three or more stress-induced symptoms:
- 56% had elevated anxiety
- 37% had difficulty sleeping
- 35% had mood swings
- 30% had shorter tempers
- 27% had headaches
- 15% had skin breakouts
- 12% had hair loss
Signs You’re Too Stressed
It is important to recognise that stress and pressure is part and parcel of planning for one of the biggest days of your life. It is highly unlikely you will meet a bride who has said that they didn’t find wedding planning stressful (and if you do, they’re lying). Some signs that you may be too stressed and on the verge of burn-out are:
- You’ve got wedding on the brain – you are obsessing over the minor details all day, every day from when you’re in that work meeting, to when you’re lying in bed at night even so far as when you’re in the toilet
- You start questioning all of your decisions – you want everything to be 100% right and you begin to overthink every decision you ever made
- It’s not fun anymore – wedding planning is supposed to be fun and exciting, but it feels like more of a chore now
- Your relationship with your partner is strained – you’re freaking out because your partner isn’t freaking out about all the things that could go wrong on the day and its affecting your relationship
It can be easy to lose the run of yourself and plans can spiral and become unmanageable. The best way to tackle this problem is to take a step back from the wedding and the venue picking, dress choosing, food tasting and band listening by making some time for yourself to relax. That way when you come back to it a few days’ time, you’ll have a fresh head and be able to approach your ideas much better and your wedding (and your guests) will thank you for it. Some of the best ways to beat the wedding stress include:
Get a Massage
A massage is not only a luxurious, indulgent break for both your body and mind, it also has proven health benefits and is well-recognised by healthcare professionals for its healing properties in the fight against stress, with many studies showing that massages reduce anxiety and depression.
Services like The Massage People who provide mobile massages in London and Match Skin Salon who offer Massages in Brighton & Hove are a great and cost-effective way to fit a massage in and get that golden relaxation time that your body and mind so desperately crave. What’s even better is that the therapists will always come to your specified London and address.
With loads of options of massages to choose from such as Swedish massage, Indian head massage, relaxation massages and full-body massages, it really is a relaxing experience like no other and a must for brides in the run-up to the big day. Why not kill two birds with the stone and incorporate some massages for you and the girls into your hen party or bridal shower?
Exercise
The benefits of this age-old remedy are two-fold: you’ll fight the creeping stress as well as contributing towards how good you’ll look in that dress on the day. Even something as simple as going for a walk is a great way to free your mind and will leave you feeling more focused and relaxed in the long-run (pun intended!).
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Reserve seating plan woes and dress shade troubles for strictly the day time. Your bed is the place to be resting not planning so before you settle down for the night, put your wedding thoughts in a box, get into a comfy pair of PJs and relax so you’ll get a restful night’s sleep
Take a Break
Whether it’s rock-climbing, reading or going for a massage, set aside a few hours every week where wedding talk of any sort is under a strict ban and let your mind go elsewhere. Stick to the wedding planning in the designated hours.
And remember, no matter how stressed you are, wedding planning is a joyous occasion and a memory you’ll have for the rest of your life so make the most of the madness and try not to let the stress bog you down as your day will always be great in the end!
