How To Beat Wedding Day Stress: The Flip-Flop Mentality
By: Vrej Sarkissian, CEO of L.A. Banquets
It’s the morning of your wedding. Even before you open your eyes, only one thought buzzes through your brain: Today is The Day — The Day you’ve spent months planning, The Day you’ve waited for your whole life. Your excitement and anticipation made sleep nearly impossible, but you lie in bed a few more minutes, thinking over all the details:
- Roses and lilies delivered — check!
- Handmade decorations in the reception hall — check!
- The construction of your five-tier passion fruit and dark chocolate mousse cake — check!
Everything has come together just like you and your fiancé planned, but…
Then you realize that something, everything could go awry. What about the band? Did they get the playlist? Did the photographer get the right address and start time? Has the champagne been chilled? You bolt out of bed, about to call every vendor to triple-check orders and…
Stop.
Before you let stress consume you on The Day, remind yourself that you’re already prepared. To help yourself relax, think back to your last run of sleepless nights filled with anxiety…
Preparation Beats Perspiration
Remember finals week in school? Think of your frazzled friend, cramming at the last minute. She was so stressed out, she couldn’t concentrate on even eating. Then think of your other friend who stumbled into the classroom in flip-flops, coffee cup in hand, looking like she just came from the beach. Both had studied and were equally prepared, but who usually scored better? The friend in flip-flops, of course. She knew she had prepared, and that exam day is too late to learn more, so why stress about it? Her calm confidence helped her more than any last-minute cramming would.
On your wedding day, emulate your second friend. No, don’t wear flip-flops down the aisle (unless tropical beach is your wedding theme). Just remind yourself that you’ve done all that you can in the months leading up to this date. Anything that doesn’t go according to plan is beyond your control. Florist deliver flowers in the wrong shade of pink? Ceremony run a few minutes late? Only you will notice, so let others think about them — your parents, your wedding planner, the professionals at your banquet facility. Instead focus on the life-changing event that matters: marrying the person you love.
Here’s another tip to keep you stress-free and confident in the days leading up to The Day: while planning your wedding, keep the details organized. Try the Ultimate Wedding Planning Checklist at Real Simple, and the wedding planning tools created by Google and the wedding experts at Style Me Pretty. Share the documents with your fiancé and anyone else helping you plan.
Using these tools will help free your mind, so instead of sweating the details you’re savoring every moment. And while you’re getting your hair and make-up done, try on a pair of flip-flops – they’ll remind you that everything will turn out better than even you expected.
