If your big day is coming up, you might find yourself a bit more stressed out than you’d like to be. A bit of stress over your wedding is completely understandable; the average number of wedding guests is 136 people, and that’s a lot to coordinate for any event. However, too much stress can lead to you not enjoying your big day as much as you should. Here are a few tips for self-care leading up to your wedding to help you de-stress while you get ready.
Treat yourself
Eating healthy and taking care of your diet is important when it comes to self-care. A healthy diet can help you feel more energetic and improve your mood, which can seriously help with wedding stress. One of the most important parts of a healthy diet is staying hydrated. Getting enough water and staying hydrated can also help improve your skin to keep you feeling your best on the big day.
That being said, it’s okay to treat yourself with something sweet every now and then. Consider that Chinese cuisine has five key flavors in almost every dish: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy. Eating healthy but depriving yourself of your favorite foods and flavors in the process isn’t going to help reduce your stress; if anything, you’ll stress yourself out more. Allow yourself to indulge in your favorite foods, like candy. There is too much of a good thing, though. Nearly 25% of American adults will choose to have at least one piece of candy every day of the week. Let your favorite sweets and less healthy foods be a special treat, rather than a frequent habit.
Strong body, strong mind
Exercise is another great self-care option that often goes ignored. People see exercise as an exhausting and sometimes even painful chore; maybe that’s why 67% of people with gym memberships never use them. However, now might be a great time for you to start using that membership if you have one; the right exercise routines can help you reduce stress and feel physically better leading up to your wedding day.
Pick out exercise routines that make you feel good about yourself and your body. This will look different for every person, so what worked for your friend might not work for you. Pick an activity or routine that empowers you and helps you reduce your stress, and do your best to make a habit out of it to help you stick to it, maybe even after the wedding.
Spa day every day
Treating yourself to the occasional spa day can be nice, but not everyone can afford regular visits to a spa, especially with the soaring costs of a wedding. If visiting a spa isn’t an option, either due to a busy schedule or a tight budget, do what you can to take care of yourself at home.
Even if you can’t set aside a day for a major self-care spree, make little changes to your beauty and care routine to take better care of yourself. Treat yourself to an occasional at-home manicure, or give yourself a hair mask. Just remember that not all treatments are meant to be daily; according to a May 2017 survey, 51% of responding U.S. consumers reported using hair care products every day, but washing your hair every day can actually damage it. Moderation is important, but so is taking care of yourself.
Focus on what matters
A wedding can be stressful, but at the end of the day, it’s you and your spouse’s day. When you’re planning your wedding and preparing for this big life event, remember that it’s ultimately about what you want. Focus on enjoying the process, and try not to stress too much over it. As long as you and your spouse enjoy it and have a wedding that the two of you are satisfied with, then the rest really isn’t too important. Take care of yourself while you prepare for the big day to make sure you enjoy as much of it as possible.
