Staying stress-free in the lead-up to a wedding

Whether you’re the bride, the groom, family, or a close friend, a wedding can be an intense experience to be a part of — especially if you have responsibilities in the preparation for and execution of the big day. If you’re not properly prepared for the experience, you’re going to be stressed on the day you should be happy. So make sure to keep these tricks for stress-free weddings in mind as the day approaches and things get hectic:

1) Plan ahead

Whether you have an important role to play or not, taking a moment to plan your activities, your clothes, and everything else for the big day will help keep you stress-free as the day comes up. Just don’t overdo it, and become obsessive — that’s going to have the exact opposite effect.

2) Delegate any responsibilities properly

If you have an important job to do, don’t try to do absolutely everything by yourself. Find yourself a trustworthy sidekick or two to help you get things done, spot oversights, and put out any fires that arise unexpectedly. You shouldn’t be the only one making sure the mother of the bride dress doesn’t clash with the mother of the groom dress!

3) Remember what it’s all for

All the fuss and bother has an important purpose, and it’s not to stress you or anyone else out; it’s to make for a happy day, for the bride, the groom, and everyone else. Remembering what it’s all about is a great way to keep your eye on the prize and keep the stress from getting to you as the day approaches.

4) Take some me time

Whether you’re at the core of the wedding or the fringe, it’s okay to walk away and take a few moments to collect yourself. No one should expect you to maintain 100% full tension all the time from the planning stages through to the wedding; that’s not healthy, it’s not going to make the wedding any better, and it’s not going to make anyone any happier.

5) Smile, laugh!

It’s funny how our brains work – smiling and laughing can come before the feeling, and give us a little boost to our happiness and relief from our stress, even when it feels like we have no reason to do either. So smile, laugh, and make yourself and everyone around you feel a bit better! A happy wedding is a wonderful wedding.