Planning a wedding is a huge stress at the best of times but try doing it when there is a global pandemic, with most of the world on lockdown and you don't even know if your suppliers will be in business at the end of it, makes it possibly one of the most stressful things you've ever done!
Ok, I get it, but let's make a positive out of a negative! You have lots of spare time right now and also plenty of energy if you haven't been hammering back those G&Ts too heavily!
Spend this time now planning what you have to do in order of priority. Make a list and work your way through it, ticking off each item as and when you have dealt with it. A little tip, start with the shittiest job first as you will feel better and more positive once you have. You'll feel like you are making huge head way when you see all the ticks.
Sometimes though, tension can still get the better of you, so here are my top tips for de-stressing whilst wedding planning in a global pandemic!
DELEGATE!
Get your bridesmaidy ladies and best men doing their job. You probably can do it on your own but why bother? So, don’t turn them away! Put your trust in your chief bridesmaid, your bridesmaids, your parents, and other close friends and relatives. Supervise everything if you want, become a manager of your own wedding! It could be fun as well when you get to boss your big sis around fo the first time!
YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE!
Don’t be a people-pleaser! The only person you'll not end up pleasing is yourself! Bat the controlling friends and family who try to take over out of the way. Gently remind them that it’s your wedding, not theirs. And, if they don't take the hint tell them to bugger off! LOL!
RELAX!
Have time to yourself during your wedding planning and now more then ever being in quaratine it's the best time. Set aside some time where you can sit back and relax. Go for your 1 hour Boris walk. You'll be amazed how much better you'll feel after an hour in the fresh air. Excercise of any sort has been shown to be a great stress-buster and mood-enhancer and triggers endorphins (awesome feel-good chemicals!).
DON'T EAT CRAP!
Eat healthily! You know what you have to do here and I'm not going to preach because, being addicted to cheese, chocolate and on the chubby side, I'm no expert, LOL!
There are a number of natural remedies that are used to deal with stress—camomile tea (personally can't stand it. much prefer Yorkshire tea!) and St John’s wort has been shown to help alleviate symptoms of mild depression. But so has Gin! What? It's a botanical tincture and full of natural ingedients! I've proven in my own extensive trials that it makes me feel much better!
CHANNEL YOUR INNER SLOTH!
Get plenty of sleep. A sloth is my spirit animal so I can definately sing the vitues of plenty of good sleep. Eight hours of sleep is the recommended minimum, and I recommend you settle down a little before you plan to go to sleep, too. Spend this time unwinding in whichever way is best for you.
MEDITATE!
Personally, I love meditating and affirmations. Yes. I know it sounds all very new age and hippy but have a go at it. You may find that you really like it. It works by reprogramming your brain. Bombarding yourself with negative and unhelpful thoughts like, “It’s all going to go wrong!” "I can't do this!" can make wedding planning so much harder. To overcome it you need to start disciplining yourself to think and talk positively. There are loads of apps to download on and you will definitely find one that works for you. Every time you’re tempted to think negatively about something, try to think of a positive about that thing instead. This is called an affirmation. Repeat a positive sentence to yourself every day until the thought sticks, like:
“Every day I’m getting closer to the wedding of my dreams and marrying the person I love!”
or
"I'm going to win the lottery tonight" - Yes, before you get cynical, this worked for me! I won £30!
Photo taken before social distancing was a thing
