Real Life Weddings

Bridechilla (continued)

Listen and learn 'Elena' By Benjamin Roberts
If a bride is in danger of losing her head, it’s the people she knows best whose job it is to help her find it again! Most of us are lucky enough to have plenty of different personality types within our social circle, and this can be especially useful when planning a wedding. Some friends and family are naturally excitable, bubbly and likely to start screeching at the drop of a wedding hat – these are the ones to phone when you’ve just ordered The Dress and need to share this gigantic piece of news with someone as hyper as you are.

Other steadier, more placid characters are genetically programmed to project an aura of serenity at all times, and somehow manage to keep their heads no matter how dramatic a situation is unfolding around them. Friends like these are vital to have around when you need to be particularly rational and make big decisions. Perhaps take them with you to view venues. They’ll be a much-needed civilising influence when you’re getting ready on the wedding morning as well. Until then, best to have them on speed dial just in case you get your invitations back and spot a typo in your soon-to-be-MIL’s name!

Release buttons 'Oscar' by Caroline Castigliano
Everyone needs a way of escaping what can be all-encompassing pre-wedding thoughts and emotions, it’s simply a case of finding what works best for you. Whether it’s going on the excellent SWD forum to chat it out with like-minded (ie equally crazed) B2Bs, or just having a good old-fashioned tension-releasing cry. Or quite possibly both.
Exercise is one of the most well-documented ways to get those feel-good hormones pumping around your body, and has the added bonus of helping you shape up for the wedding. But you don’t have to be a gym bunny to benefit – just take a walk in the park whenever you feel like your head’s about to explode, taking time to stop and smell the roses. And if your head does feel overly full and it’s getting a bit chaotic in there, jotting all your thoughts down on paper always helps, even if your notes make absolutely no sense to anyone else.
Other tried and tested techniques include a night out with good friends, a massage (or other relaxing treatment of your choice), and of course a romantic night in to remind each other why you’re getting married in the first place. For the last option, get the wedding talk out of the way within the first hour – if you ban it completely, it could make you even more tense as you battle against speaking your mind. There’s a lot to be said for simple pleasures too, so when it all gets too much, indulge in a long hot bath, a healthy dose of trash TV and a large mug of hot chocolate. Not all at the same time though.