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Ahhh, progress. The simple family wedding followed by cake and butter mints in the fellowship hall seems to be a thing of the past. Today’s weddings, no matter how large or small, are more complicated than ever. Friends and family travelling in from near and far, endless choices of venues, music, flowers, food and themes can leave a usually calm and organized bride in a frenzy.
So, what can a bride do to plan for a peaceful, healthy, happy wedding day – no matter what? I asked some Aspen area professionals who work with brides and one recent mother-of-the-bride for their best ideas to ensure a wedding day that is a treasure, not a trauma.
Take Care of Yourself
“Brides usually worry about hair and make-up last,” says Christine Morris-Assalone, owner of Full Circle Massage, Esthetics and Holistic Fitness in Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado. But, putting her own beauty and wellness on the back burner can add to a bride’s last minute wedding stress.
Morris-Assalone has worked with many wedding parties and notes that the most relaxed brides plan ahead to look and feel the way they want on their special day.
Massage sessions before the wedding for the bride or the whole wedding party relax the body and clear the mind of distractions. Practice sessions for hair and make-up ensure that there are no surprises or disappointments on the wedding day and give the bride a chance to experiment with different looks in a relaxed environment.
With their own finishing touches planned in advance, brides have more time to enjoy friends and family. Some of Morris-Assalone’s clients have planned spa parties with their bridesmaids and even a “Martini’s and Manicures” party with moms, sisters and special friends.
With all the details to attend to, it is important for a bride not to leave how she looks and feels to chance on her wedding day, notes Morris-Assalone. Building in time to relax, enjoy friends and put the finishing touches on her look will provide both the inner peace and outer beauty every bride desires.
Breathe!
Emily Hightower is a yoga instructor for Full Circle Massage, Esthetics and Holistic Fitness in Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado. Hightower has worked with many brides, inviting wedding parties and families to pause and breathe together to bring peace and joy to the special day.
Whether it’s just the bridesmaids, women in the family or a general group of men and women, Hightower finds that wedding-day-yoga, “opens people up to connect mind and body, and is a wonderful way to laugh, expand your comfort zone, and make sacred the wedding gathering.”
Hightower likes to have the party practice in a circle, outdoors if possible, sometimes asking each group member to pronounce a one-word blessing on the couple. Simply being still and breathing helps jostled travelers and busy family members become grounded and present for the couple on their special day.
One group had those who could not attend the wedding send blessings written on handmade paper. Attendees added their own blessings and created a Hawaiian lei for the bride. This made the bride the focus of blessings and left the couple with a beautiful reminder of all those who wished them well on their wedding day.
Get Great Help
It is unrealistic and very stressful for a bride to plan to oversee every detail of her wedding day herself. Every bride should enlist trusted friends and family members to look after logistics of the day. Could your brother make sure the groomsmen get to the church on time? Could your cousin inspect the cake when it arrives? Every detail that a bride can delegate is one less thing she has to worry about on her wedding day.
In addition, professional wedding planner, Jason Burns, president and owner of DL Event Planning in Aspen, Colorado says, “Hire the best and most reputable wedding vendors that your budget will allow.” Choosing a florist, wedding planner, caterer and musicians that are trustworthy, experienced and easy to work with will take much of the pressure off the bride says Burns. “They can anticipate any problems and ensure a flawless day, often without your even knowing.”
Focus on the Bigger Picture
Recent Mother-of-the-Bride Susie Patterson says that focusing on friends and family rather than every little detail of her ceremony and reception allowed her daughter, Lacee, to enjoy a relaxed and fun wedding day.
A casual Friday night cocktail party at the home of the bride’s parents invited local and out-of-town guests to relax and reconnect. Each guest also received a “Where You Want to Be” card outlining all the weekend’s events so they wouldn’t miss any opportunities to celebrate together.
On the morning of the wedding, the bride and her bridesmaids took an early morning hike then gathered for breakfast at a local restaurant. Each bridesmaid signed up for a specific appointment time for her make-up and nails, ensuring that no one felt rushed or “squeezed-in” by overlapping schedules.
To avoid any last minute panic, Patterson told the wedding party to be at the church 30 minutes before they actually needed to be there, creating a comfortable buffer to keep the pace of the day relaxed. Finally, a group prayer before the ceremony served to refocus the wedding party on the joyous and sacred event they were about to experience.
Enjoy Your Day!
No bride wants to look back on her wedding day with memories of stress, worry and distraction. With proper planning to take care of herself, to build in time for relaxation and fun and to enlist great help, every bride can free herself to focus on her groom, friends and family and to truly enjoy the magic of her most special day.
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Source by Alana Appleby
