Trying to live in the moment is tricky at the best of times, with our phones constantly distracting us, diaries dragging us into the future and forward planning being the biggest part of most of our jobs.
And no day goes by faster than your wedding day, so staying present and engaged the whole time is vital. Here are some tips for how to take it all in…
1
TURN THAT PHONE OFF
The best way to connect? Disconnect. Everyone you know and love is probably in the room with you, so your phone will be redundant anyway. Instead of living your day through the camera lens, see your guests with your eyes, make eye contact, smile and enjoy!
2
MAKE A DUMP LIST
Sounds glam, doesn’t it? What we mean is: make a list the night before the wedding of any little niggling things that you need to remember (swapping your engagement ring to the other hand while the ceremony is happening, for instance?) and either keep it with you or give it to a bridesmaid. Having the things noted down will declutter your mind, but you’ll stop worrying that things will be forgotten.
3
WINGWOMAN
This is why you have bridesmaids! The wedding day is the one day you can be, dare we say it, a bit selfish. Ask for help, rely on others to take care of things, and designate a bridesmaid to help you with things for the day. Need to use the loo in a giant dress? Don’t go it alone. Asking for help and surrendering control can help you relax and stay in the room.
4
OPEN YOUR EYES
Everyone will want to chat to you, hug you, tell you how wonderful the day is etc., so getting time alone is a challenge. But try to steal a couple of moments at each part of your day to just look around, take a breath and absorb the love and good feeling in the room. The aesthetic memories will fade, but the feelings never will, so let yourself feel!
The beauty of asking us for a hand with your day means we field all the questions, take all the details out of your hands and put as much passion into carrying them out as you would. Pressure off, time to dance, drink and enjoy!
