TIPS FOR A STRESS-FREE WEDDING MORNING
Oh, the big day is finally here! All the work, the decisions, the planning; the whole event is coming together and you’re GETTING MARRIED, and you want the most stress-free wedding morning possible, right? RIGHT! But here’s the 411. great weddings don’t just happen, they take meticulous planning, great time management, and organizational skills. And I will tell you exactly how to have a stress-free wedding morning!
The big day is here, it is so exciting, and the day will go by so fast that it is very important to take it all in, to enjoy every little moment, and truly slow down and literally or figuratively smell the roses! I compiled a few tips to make the most out of your wedding morning.
THE NIGHT BEFORE
A great start is actually the night before! I know it’s hard to relax when there are so many things running through your mind, but the morning of your wedding should be the time to hand off any last-minute tweaks, to-do lists, and anything of that sort, have a Wedding Person and let them handle all that. The night before your wedding is a great time to unwind, have a relaxed evening with your girls or family, maybe go to a spa, get massages or whatever you do to unwind and relax. Also, remember to (at least try to) get plenty of rest!
NO MORE PLANNING
A key part of a stress-free wedding morning is to know that some things happen outside of our control, but that is why planning is so crucial! If at all possible, don’t leave any tasks to be accomplished the day of, if unforeseen circumstances arise, delegate decision-making to your planner, your maid of honor, or a trusted wedding person (read more about a wedding person HERE!)
REMEMBER TO EAT
Breakfast is a must, even if you feel too nervous to eat, manage to get something to eat; it will be a long day and from experience, I didn’t have much time to remember to eat or touch my dinner, so I probably had a sandwich for lunch and that’s all I ate all day. Especially if you’re having drinks with your bridal party, we don’t want you to get drunk or even faint because you forgot to eat. A great choice is to eat a protein-packed breakfast that will keep you full longer.
SET THE MOOD
Create a playlist, or set your favorite Pandora radio station to play at your bridal suite, or wherever you’re getting ready. The music will not only help you relax and soothe you, but those songs could also bring memories back from your relationship with your fiancée, your bridal party, and later, bring you back to your wedding morning. You can also decorate your bridal suite with streamers, balloons, and color-coordinated decor.
SETTING BOUNDARIES
A key strategy to accomplish that stress-free wedding morning state of mind Surround yourself with the right people! Don’t overlook this advice. I have seen many well-meaning guests, moms, and friends that sometimes shift their anxieties onto you, and the last thing you need is to be bothered with problems or even worse, someone else’s problems.
Visitors may seem like it’s no big deal, but add them up and they can linger around, crowd the already full bridal suite and get in the way of not only your “girl time” but also cause other vendors to fall behind or ruin a tight timeline for photographs. Reassure everyone that they will see you shortly, and only your parents, bridal party, and photographers should be coming in and out.
The same goes for choosing your bridal party, surround yourself with your chosen special friends/family and get them to keep the others at bay or make it clear the day before. You will be seeing everyone at the wedding so you can save yourself until then. A large group or a high-energy group can be disruptive if you want a quiet morning or privacy to exchange gifts and read letters from your future spouse!
STICK TO A TIMELINE
Make sure your hairstylist and makeup artist are scheduled well ahead of time. And, make sure the appointment is as early as possible. This allows for any extra time it may take to get your hairstyle just right or to redo anything that doesn’t come out perfect the first time. Plus, you’ll be less stressed and can relax if you know you have more than enough time to get to the aisle on time (from experience, please allow more time than you think you need!).
Everyone operates on tight schedules on wedding days, and your makeup artist is only as good as your bridal party, meaning that if everyone decided to change plans, redo their hair, or even worse, are late, it will derail all of your portraits, so have a heart to heart with your bridesmaids and make sure they know when they’re expected and where and be clear that at the specifies time they need to be READY to sit down, not eating, not washing their hair and not leaving the house.
Change of heart about your style? Try and inform your stylist that you are having second thoughts about your look BEFORE the wedding morning. It will be stressful for both of you if she can’t get the look you wanted on your wedding morning. This can be avoided by having a last-minute trial if you are having doubts. The accessories or tools you want for the “new do” may not be available because the artist didn’t pack them, or didn’t know that it was needed.
GROUP YOUR DETAILS
The BEST thing for us photographers on wedding mornings is to start the day with all of your pretty details! That includes shoes, your dress, invitation suite, jewelry, wedding rings, bouquet, bridesmaids’ dresses, special hangers, veil, any special items, your something borrowed, blue, etc. It is extremely helpful for everyone if all of those details are all kept together so when we arrive and say hello, we can grab all of it and get started, instead of having to fetch mom or waiting for the best man to bring the rings. Better yet, you can have a “photographer tote bag with all of the details to be photographed!
HAVE FOODS AND DRINKS AVAILABLE
It is always a good idea to bring along some finger food or hors-d’oeuvre to keep everyone from needing to go out for food and drinks, keep it simple with foods that aren’t messy or require complicated heating or transportation. For drinks make sure to have water, especially for summer weddings, and also remember to use the restroom before you get in your wedding dress! Remember to also bring along disposable plates, glassware, and straws, to keep your lipstick intact!
STAY COMFORTABLE
When getting ready it’s important to be comfortable, wear something with buttons, or a robe that can easily be taken off without touching your fresh hair and makeup. If you are wearing a backless dress, don’t wear a bra the morning of your wedding to avoid back marks.
If you have matching outfits for your bridesmaids and want getting ready pictures with them, remember to let your photographer know and schedule more time in your timeline for that!
Lastly, have fun! Enjoy this last time with your best friends, take it all in, and create memories!
Happy planning!
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