PLANNING A WEDDING IN SIX MONTHS?
According to Google search analysis, many more couples are looking to reduce the time it takes to plan a wedding. Since the beginning of 2022, we’ve seen average monthly searches for ‘planning a wedding in six months’ more than triple. Challenging yourself to plan your wedding in six months has many advantages but it can be extremely stressful. With more couples experiencing heightened planning anxiety, or ‘planxiety’, Glenys Jackson, Clinical Lead for Mental Health at Bupa UK, has six of the best ways to curb planxiety ahead of your big day.
‘We all need a little bit of stress in our lives to help motivate us. However, if we experience too much of it, our physical health and wellbeing can suffer. So much goes into planning a wedding, from getting your venue booked to organising suppliers. It’s completely natural to feel intimidated and overwhelmed in anticipation of an event you’re looking forward to.
Making decisions under pressure can feel overwhelming. Here are seven of the best ways to unwind and keep your planxiety in check as you work through your wedding and get ready to make it a day to remember.
Learn the signs your body is feeling anxious
You might think you already know when you’re struggling with stress, but it’s likely that your body will already be sending out subtle signals before you start feeling overwhelmed.
There are several physical, emotional and behavioural tell-tale signs that your body is struggling with stress. Being aware of these signs can help you to understand how your body reacts to stress and prompt you to share how you’re feeling or seek help earlier to help reduce the impact of your symptoms.
Physical signs of anxiety
- A racing heartbeat (palpitations)
- Muscle tension and regular headaches
- Stomach cramps, diarrhoea and feeling or being sick
- Tight chest, shortness of breath or fast breathing
- Dizziness or a faint feeling, trembling or shaking
- Sweating
- Numb or tingling fingers, toes or lips
- A dry mouth
- Needing to wee more often than usual
Emotional and behavioural signs of anxiety
- Feeling more irritable than usual
- Trouble sleeping
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feeling on edge or more tense than usual
- Feeling tired
Share how you’re feeling
Those you’re closest to will know that you’re under a lot of strain as you plan your wedding. Don’t forget to share how you’re feeling with them. This can help make sense of what you’ve already achieved and how you can tackle what’s next on your to-do list.
Giving a name to how you’re feeling might feel like a scary thing to do, but it can go a long way into helping you understand your feelings and why your body is reacting in a certain way. Talking to someone you trust about what you’re going through can help offer you a different perspective and they may even be able to offer practical advice to help you cope.
Book in regular coffee catch-ups with your partner, a family member, a friend, or a colleague. This gives you the opportunity to share how you’re feeling. For example, you could open up by saying “I’ve been worrying a lot lately”, or something similar. You could even write things down to help plan out how you want to share your feelings and ask for anything specific you might need to help soothe your anxiety.
Understand how you best unwind
Practising regular relaxation techniques can help to reduce any stress or anxiety you’re feeling as you plan. Relaxation comes in lots of different forms, so it’s really important to find out the way that works best for you. Whether it’s engaging in tranquil activities like breathing exercises or gym workouts or exploring more structured forms of relaxation such as guided meditation sessions, find what truly helps you to disconnect from the strains of the day.
Make time for mindfulness
As you’re ticking things off your planning list, it can be easy to lose sight of the good things that happen to use every day. Mindfulness – a meditative approach that can help reduce stress and learn the art of being present in the current moment – comprises of lots of little changes that can help make a big difference to our day-to-day wellbeing. Try our one month of mindfulness calendar to help get you started.
Limit your time on social media
Social media can be a great way to communicate with your guests in the run up to your wedding, along with being a great source of inspiration. However, it can also make it easy to compare yourself to others and feel pressure to push yourself in ways you weren’t originally planning to.
Limiting the amount of time you spend on social media can help you to focus on the true essence of your wedding – celebrating the relationship between you and your partner.
Remember that each wedding is different in its own way. Reflecting on what’s important to you and your partner is the most important thing – not replicating what you see on social media.
Remember that you’re allowed to take time away from planning
Planning your wedding can feel all-encompassing but it’s really important and good for your health to take time away from it. Spend time with the people you love and to do activities you enjoy. It’s good to remind your partner of this too so you make time to spend quality time together before you begin married life.
Don’t forget that help is out there
Experiencing anxiety over such an intense period may feel debilitating. If you’re struggling to open up to those close to you, there are lots of free resources filled with advice and tips to help you cope with anxiety.
Don’t forget that you can always make an appointment with a GP to share how you’re feeling and get some help. The earlier you seek help with anxiety, the better, so don’t delay if you’re struggling.’
With thanks to the Mental Health from Bupa UK
Consider speaking to an established Wedding Planner to help with your day. See our Listed Suppliers here
