- Giggi's Bridal
8 Top Tips For Keeping Calm On Your Wedding Morning
Whatever kind of wedding day you're planning, there are a few things you can do to ensure you get through the morning as stress-free as possible
How the morning of your big day plays out depends entirely on the nature of the wedding itself.
If you have rigorously organised it to the last detail – well, good for you! But for most of us, things may fall on the more frenzied side.
Perhaps you’re looking forward to the hustle and bustle of getting ready with your mum, bridesmaids, hairstylist and photographer. Or maybe you’d rather just bolt yourself in a quiet room to mentally prepare for the mayhem to follow.
Either way, you'll want to be feeling as calm as possible – so here are our tips on shaking off the shakes...
1. Rest up
As we’ve already touched on, it’s not always possible to get the best night's sleep before your wedding. You might find that you’re frantically busy up until the last minute. But you can, at least, ensure that your bedroom is a place of tranquility, to increase your chances of quality r&r when you do hit the hay. Speaking of sheets, aim to change them before your big day – there are few things better than laying down in fresh bedlinen when you're tired and stressed (not forgetting a fragrant spritz of pillow spray).
2. Squeeze in a little ‘me-time’
However manic your morning is looking, fit in an hour to indulge in a spot of self-care – whether that means kicking back with a face mask, painting your nails or going for a gentle jog. This should go some way to setting you up for what will be a day of back-to-back, super-intense socializing.
3. Schedule your hair and make-up appointments early
Your hair and make-up is a fairly key part of your wedding day. If you’re having yours done professionally or by a friend, schedule it earlier than you might think necessary. For a 3pm wedding, you might book an appointment for, say, 10-11am. Going it alone and doing your own make-up? There’s all the more reason to leave a comfortable window of time.
4. Delegate out last-minute errands
If you feel uncomfortable asking friends and family for favours – well, you’re not alone. But allowing those closest to you to help with last-minute, on-the-day errands will help you far more than it will hinder them. Ask in advance to avoid unnecessary stress on both sides.
5. You can’t be too prepared
Even if you don’t end up needing it, packing a little wedding kit (things like safety pins, hair pins, hairspray, make up) will make you feel more prepared, and therefore more ready for the day itself.
6. Don’t forget to eat
You have probably been lectured, many times, on the importance of eating something on the morning of your wedding. Low blood sugar will only make you feel more anxious – as well as tired, shaky, tearful and dizzy. However, breakfast will be the last thing on your mind, so go easy with something light and bland. Avocado on toast, porridge, yoghurt and granola or a smoothie are all great, easy-to-digest options. Stay hydrated but avoid coffee – the last thing you’ll want is to feel even more jittery!
7. Keep yourself occupied
Stagger the morning so that you’re too preoccupied to be left alone with your own thoughts (and by thoughts, we mean worries). In all likelihood, after you’ve showered, eaten something, had your hair and make-up done and seen your mum and dad, you won’t actually have much time to work yourself into a nervous funk. Listen to music, watch your favourite sitcom or listen to a soothing podcast to reduce anxiety and inject a bit of normality into the day.
8. Ask your wedding driver to arrive early
If you’ve booked wedding transport, ask the driver to be there around half an hour early – knowing that he's ready to go will set your mind at ease. And if it looks like you’re going to arrive at your ceremony venue a little too punctually? Drive around the block a few times! Being early is a whole lot better than sweating in traffic.