7 Self-Care Activities While Prepping
For The Big Day (And Beyond!)
Article by | Lizzie West
Wedding planning can invoke thoughts of lists, timing, and booking ALL the things to make the big day come together. But, the most important thing about your wedding is that you are able to enjoy the journey and feel good from start to finish. That takes planning, too. From the start of planning, it’s important to initiate actions to keep yourself cool, calm, and collected from engagement to “I Do.” Let’s talk a little about self-care. You can make any of these things a part of your routine, or build them into a routine with your future spouse, too. Self-care is really ANY activity you take part in to help your overall health and well-being – physically and emotionally – especially during times of increased stress. Here are a few things you can do to help keep that stress under control.
1) Sleep – Good sleep habits are hard to maintain, especially as a busy adult under normal circumstances. Creating a routine for a restful night’s sleep is important all the time, but especially when you have more things added to your task list. Try to start winding down for the evening about an hour ahead of the time you want to put your head on the pillow for the night. Set up your phone to silence unnecessary notifications during the night to prevent interruptions.
2) Water – You’ll have a ton of opportunities to toast this amazing part of your life, so make sure you stay hydrated well before the celebrations begin. This helps with so many things, from improved mood, skin appearance, and recovery from a potential over-indulgence of non-water beverages. *wink*
3) Skincare – Building a skin-care routine isn’t just for looking your best, but it helps you feel better and can be a therapeutic process to help you face the day or wind down in the evenings. There are tons of excellent products in every budget to help you start several months ahead of the big day, so that you’ll be positively glowing by then.
4) Stress Relief – Stress relief can come in many forms. You can focus on prayer, meditation, journaling, mindfulness activities, massage, and therapy with a professional. The important thing is to do what works for you and find a way to be consistent, so you don’t find yourself in a stress emergency.
5) Nutrition – It can be tempting to dive into a restrictive diet in the months coming up to the wedding. I get it, you may want to put some focus on getting into better shape for your big day pictures. Remember, your partner fell in love with you as you are, and they probably care more about having a long and healthy life with you than if you fit into the same jeans you wore the day you met. When we talk about nutrition, make sure you focus on balance, realistic expectations, and how you feel overall. Try to get some healthy stuff in the mix but it’s also okay to have a treat here and there. If you are concerned about working toward a healthier weight, it’s a great idea to enlist the help of medical professionals to guide you with healthy resources to aid in a lifestyle change.
6) Movement – I’ll bet you think I’m going to say you need to exercise more. Work regular movement into your daily routine is fantastic. However, wedding planning is a marathon – not a sprint. You’ll have days that are packed full of activities, errands, and stress. It’s a great idea to take regular stock of your energy inventory and ask yourself, do I need to rest? Rest and recovery are an important part of movement routines. For some, making sure you make time for your rowing class is key to feeling your best each day. For others, you may need to find time to sit quietly and recover from overstimulation you have recently experienced. Stay in tune with your needs, and move or rest accordingly.
7) Self-soothing – The term “self-care” is everywhere! You may be less familiar with the concept of self-soothing. The way self-soothing may differ from self-care is that self-soothing is more like treating yourself in the moment to something extra. Whether that thing is widely deemed “good for you” may be more subjective. Self-care which is doing something that will make you feel better in the long run, more overall health-minded. Some self-soothing activities may include massages, getting hair or nails done, bingeing TV/streaming, bubble baths, fancy beverages, or blasting your favorite song while you sing and dance along.
Sometimes it can feel like you’re doing all the planning for everyone else, so make sure you take some time to take care of yourself. It’s also a great idea to utilize these self-care ideas as part of your lifestyle after the dust has settled from your wedding celebration as well. Whether you do them for yourself or as an additional way to continue growing your bond with your spouse, self-care and self-soothing are an important part of a person’s overall wellness. Feel free to look up other self-care and self-soothing activities – there are a ton that aren’t covered in this list. Take care!
Lizzie West is a local wedding make-up artist, Mary Kay consultant, and Bryan Broadcasting Digital Media Content Coordinator. She also loves to cook! Find more of her articles and recipes in prior magazine issues at BrazosLife.com.