I am a big fan of ritual on a wedding day. I feel that taking your time to get ready will help time with your friends become more memorable and help prolong the day a bit. The wedding day goes by in such a blur, this is one occasion where you can really reflect and enjoy.
For the bride, mimosas or some other brunch drink is always nice. It really helps calm the nerves. Of course, saying hydrated and keeping your blood sugar balanced is also important so you don’t wilt halfway through the day, so make sure to have your favorite foods handy. Keep things bite sized and non staining for extra precaution.
Getting ready with all the bridesmaids at a salon or on location is a fabulous way to spend the morning. You are with your best girlfriends, and their stories and antics will help the morning go by without getting too nervous. I have noticed that the most stressful time for a bride is the half hour before walking down the aisle. All the anxiety and pressure becomes very VERY real. And the same can happen if you get ready alone or without distraction. Your mind can wander to the to-do list or other stresses and it can give the start of your day a negative vibe. So try to stay ahead of the stress and plan the morning to be light and happy and carefree.
Pre-plan the morning (who is riding with whom, how are the stylists getting paid, how are programs getting to the church, etc) a couple days ahead of time so there is nothing to think about besides seeing your fiance on your wedding day. Having a personal attendant and wedding planner help with this SO much! It is amazing how freeing it is to brides to hand over the responsibilities to a third party and have no worries.
Create a wedding day soundtrack on your Ipod and bring portable speakers to your getting ready location, music helps a ton! And then have a party mix ready for the limo ride, it is always a buzz kill with the wedding party is saying a toast and ready to party and a commercial comes on the radio. Be sure to pamper yourself the morning of your wedding, and splurge a little bit, this is the one time you get to do this!
Now on to the guys. I am a huge fan of Heimie’s Haberdashery. Think about sitting around drinking a cognac and getting a warm towel shave. It is a great bonding experience and helps the brain prepare for the importance of the day. Quite a few times we have seen the groom get out of bed, put on his tux and say, “that’s it?” and then spend the rest of the morning lounging around. It kind of has an anti climatic feel, and not the way to start the day.
Have an early round of golf with your buddies, or go for a run…some activity that makes you feel great. Just make sure to give yourself enough time to get ready without rushing. Taking a spare moment or two to write a note to your fiance is a great way to go to the top of the Most Awesome Groom list and will make her day. Something I encourage our grooms to do is to spend a special moment with their mom. Whether it is having breakfast, or having her tie your tie, your mom will cherish that time with you forever.
The whole purpose of this blog post is to encourage you to preplan the morning of your wedding day so there is some meaningful ritual to it. This will help prepare you, get your game face on, so to speak. It will help you reflect and to remember to breath throughout the wedding day. It will put you in a positive mood and make that first sight all the more exciting. Happy Planning!
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