How to Have a Relaxing Wedding Day
Advice 28.06.2022
A relaxing wedding day? Is that even possible? Absolutely. After all those months of planning and organisation, the big day is finally here. So now’s the time to kick back and enjoy every minute. Here are our top tips for having a relaxing wedding.
Ditch traditions and do it your way
It's easy to get caught up in a whole load of wedding traditions. But if you’re only doing them to please others or because you think you should, then don’t. Remember, this is your wedding. So only keep the traditions you want. Some couples who don’t like cake are eschewing a wedding cake in favour of cheese stacks or doughnut walls. Others are not having a seating plan, either at the ceremony or at the reception and letting guests sit where they want. While other are choosing best women and bridesmen to accompany them down the aisle. If every part of your day feels like you, you’ll have a more relaxed day.
Only invite guests you love
This is a tough one. But if you want to ensure you have the most relaxing wedding day possible, only invite those friends and family members who mean the most to you and who you’re really looking forward to seeing. It's just not worth inviting members of your family who don't get your vibe or who you haven’t seen in years. And think of the cost too. Sorry Barry, second cousin once removed, you’re not invited.
Give tasks to the bridesmaids to the groomsmen
On the day, give jobs to individual bridesmaids and groomsmen, or a specific circle of friends. Perhaps one of the bridesmaids is the keeper of your emergency kit, with another responsible for looking after the little ones. While one of the groomsmen could make sure everyone knows where to go and at what time. Your wedding squad is there to help you, so make sure you use them.
Or hire a wedding co-ordinator
As the person responsible for making sure every element of your wedding runs smoothly, a wedding co-ordinator can be worth their weight in gold. They can manage the timeline of the day, be the go-to person for the caterers and any other suppliers, handle any last minute mishaps if they occur, and let you get on with enjoying the day.
Choose a photographer with a relaxed style
If the thought of endless formal group shots makes you stressed, choose a photographer who has a relaxed, reportage style instead who will capture the moments of the day as they happen. Choosing a photographer who already knows the venue is an advantage too. Meet your photographer beforehand so you can let them know the kind of shots you want, and then on the day, you can relax and let them get on with job.
Allow extra time for everything
Give yourself plenty of time throughout the day, so you can enjoy every moment and don’t feel rushed at any point.
Before the big day, speak to your make-up artist and hair stylist about how much time they need, and work out who in the bridal party goes first or last. Aim to be ready an hour before your ceremony, so you have time to hand out bridal party gifts or enjoy a glass of bubbly or a ‘first look’.
Make sure there’s time between the ceremony and the reception to chat to guests. And include some time for the two of you to have some intimate and informal photographs taken on your own.
Make the whole day fun
If you want to feel relaxed all day, ensure your guests feel the same and inject a bit of fun into the proceedings. Giant board games and garden toys are a great way to keep small and big guests amused and entertained between the ceremony and the reception. Include quizzes and games on the tables. Or set up a photobooth with plenty of props.
Have a treatment the day before
Stay calm on the day by booking a couple of treatments for the day before. You may opt to have a manicure or pedicure. Or even better, book yourself a full body massage. It will help you get rid of any anxiety and stress, and it will help you sleep well too.
Get an early night
Have a quiet, booze-light dinner with the ‘girls’, drink plenty of water and get to bed at a reasonable hour. You’ll feel so much better for it in the morning. If it’s taking you longer to drift off to sleep than normal, play a relaxing playlist, or use the Calm app or a guided meditation app, and you’ll be in the land of nod in no time.
Have a healthy breakfast
You may feel you’re too excited to eat on the morning of your wedding. But a healthy and hearty breakfast will give you the energy to keep going throughout the day and stop you feeling hungry and anxious. A huge fry up may be tempting. But you’re better off leaving a greasy full English to the day after. Instead, opt for muesli, yoghurt and fresh fruit on top. And to drink, have a cup or two of herbal tea. Choose mint or chamomile to help you relax.
Choose calming scents
Bring your favourite relaxing candle, diffuser or natural oil with you so can fill the room with a calming and familiar aroma as you’re getting ready. Also, as part of your ‘emergency kit’, include a lavender spray that you can spray on your wrists to relax you throughout the day. And choose a perfume you love. In the future, whenever you smell that scent, you’ll be transported back to your wedding day.
Have someone else do your hair and make-up
Make-up artists and hair stylist are professionals and know all about timings and working quickly. And having someone pamper you while you sit back and relax, is always a good way to start your morning. Remember to have a trial run before the big day, so you already know what colours and products will be used.
Consider a 'first look'
Many brides feel anxious about seeing their beloved for the first time when they walk down the aisle. So think about a ‘first look’ instead. This is when the couples see each privately before the ceremony begins. It’s a really intimate moment between you and your partner (and your photographer) and can help steady the nerves.
Choose the right music
Having familiar music playing at certain points in your day is an easy way to feel relaxed. We’ve mentioned having a relaxing playlist to help you get to sleep. Have a getting ready playlist too full of uplifting, happy tunes that remind you of good times. Choose a beautiful song that has meaning as you walk down the aisle. Hearing it will keep nerves ad and anxiety at bay. Then throughout the day, have chilled music by a solo guitarist, string quartet or live band to keep everyone relaxed. And finally, choose an absolute favourite song for your first dance to kick off the celebrations.
Choose a wedding venue that reflects you as a couple
If the thought of a traditional church wedding or a formal sit down wedding breakfast gives you the chills, choose a wedding venue that enables you to have your wedding day exactly how you want it. At Ash Barton anything goes. There are numerous places to get married, you can dress up how you like, you can play garden games in the walled garden, you can party all night long, play what you want, eat what you want and do what you want. When your wedding day is exactly as you planned, all you have to do is relax and enjoy it.