There is no way of sugar coating it…wedding planning is stressful! Even the actual day can be pretty stressful. Which is why I asked the wonderful Ruth Prowse who is a Clinical Hynotherapist and Coach to give a few points on wedding stress and how to handle it. Here’s what she had to say…

“Leading up to a wedding and the actual day can feel pretty stressful. It is completely normal to have moments when your mind feels frazzled with all that needs to be done. Some couples feel anxious at the thought of being centre of attention or petrified of standing up in front of all of their loved ones to make a speech. Here are my top tips on how to stay relaxed as your wedding approaches and on the big day.

1 What might be a cause of stress?

Consider what you might feel stressed about as you prepare for your wedding day and on the actual day. Is there any aspect that you can delegate or get help with? Or perhaps you are worried about certain family members, can you get a buddy system in place. The key here is preparation. You will recognise what triggers stress in yourself and your partner so think about steps that can be put in place rather than burying your head in the sand.

2 Self-Care

Getting married is a major life event. If you are doing a lot of preparation yourself it can almost feel like a full-time job. So, take the time for yourself to reboot and recharge. That could mean taking time off work to get wedding planning done rather than cramming it into the evenings and weekends, getting some support from someone so you don’t have to do ir all yourself or maybe it means booking yourself a massage to get rid of some of that wedding tension.

3 Stay connected

In the whirlwind that is wedding planning it can be easy to lose sight of what you are actually doing and why! Take time to stay connected to one another. Commit to one date night per month and make a rule of not discussing your wedding. Spend time with one another having fun and growing your bond. It is equally important to stay connected to your support group, ask for help if needed and share concerns.

4 Remember to breathe

If you are feeling the anxiety raising and panic setting in, remember to breathe. Often when we go into panic mode we are worrying about something, running through things in our head or perhaps you are practising your speech. Take five deep slow breaths. This will help you to centre yourself and bring yourself back to the present moment.

5 Head chatter is just that

As humans we spend a lot of time up in our heads. We worry about what might happen, we judge decisions we have made in the past or we are constantly running through the mental list. It is important to become aware of when the head chatter is getting out of control. Our internal voice is not instructional and it doesn’t have a crystal ball. We can spend a lot of time in our heads which can set off a stress response. Taking the time to turn the volume down or get quiet (meditation) can reduce this head chatter and bring calm and clarity.

6 You don’t need to do all of the things

Take the pressure off. You do not need to do all of the things despite what Instagram and Pinterest tells you. We can over complicate things very easily and things can escalate without us even realising. If you are feeling overwhelmed either ask for help, hire the help or strip things back. Your mental health should not suffer became you want a “Gram” worthy wedding otherwise you may just turn up on the big day totally burnt out.”

If you want some added support, maybe overcoming wedding speech nerves or reducing wedding anxiety Ruth provides 1-2-1 Hypnotherapy and Coaching so get in touch with her and see what she might be able to do to help you. You can contact her on hello@ruthprowsehypnotherapy.co.uk

Happy Wedmin-ing!

Amy x