5 Little things to do the morning of your wedding (to help you slow down)

And to help you relax, honestly. For my more fellow introvert brides, this one is definitely for you!

While my wedding was a bit unconventional and not*over the top*, I did things a bit differently. I didn’t have a wedding planner, and a lot of things I did on my own. Though, I will say, based on some of the choices I made (such as not having bridesmaids in my wedding or a bridal party), the morning of my wedding was seemingly…mellow. Time was on my side and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

*This* really allowed me to take everything in, relax and slow down. Am I speaking from a place where I know exactly what the wedding planning process is like? Again, no, because I went a more unconventional approach. But I have been in and to several weddings where, from the sidelines, all I could see was one super stressed out bride not only the morning of her wedding but throughout the big day.

All I know is that I didn’t want to look back and remember how stressed I was and how much of that day was a blur. Therefore, my aim is to offer brides a little morning-of-the-wedding advice – little things you can do to help slow down, relax and live in the present moment.

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5 Little things to do the morning of your wedding (to help you slow down)

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Spend some time alone

Simple. Whatever amount of time you can muster, or allow. Most of the time I see brides spending the night with their bridesmaids and alas waking up surrounded by a group of other tired, maybe hungover, and sometimes otherwise *moody* women. Let’s be real, because everyone is different in the morning.

If you can’t wake up alone, then at least do yourself a service with some well-deserved quiet, uninterrupted solitude at some point the morning of your wedding. Whatever you do with that time is up to you – read a book, enjoy breakfast in bed, share an intimate phone call with your future Mr. or get a few extra ZzZ’s. Just don’t forget to set an alarm when it’s Go-Time.

Go for a walk

Nothing crazy. Depending on where you’re at, you might take this opportunity to walk the beach at sunrise or go for a small hike. Whatever the case, get out in nature or take advantage of the hotel gym – something just to get the blood flowing and mind properly stimulated.

This is something I wish I would have done differently – instead of spending way too much time finding parking to go to a sit-down brunch with my mom, I would rather have grabbed something to-go and had a morning stroll on the beach where I would soon be saying I Do.

Write a letter

This could be a letter to your future self and your husband (for you to read a year or 5, 10 years down the road). You could write a heart-to-heart prayer for your marriage or simply a sweet Love note to give to your forever-bae to read before he sees you make your grand entrance.

Either way, something about writing is so…poetic, calming and romantic, especially on your wedding day. So carve in some time without distractions, when it’s just you and your thoughts and dreams about the future and put them down on paper. This can also help clear your mind from the stress of anything that could go wrong on this day because your focus will be on what’s the most important: your future life from here on out.

Schedule some much-needed pampering

I’m not talking about the pampering that comes with getting your hair, nails and makeup done the morning of your wedding. Not ah. More like…a cup of chamomile and ashwagandha tea, a long, hot bath or massage. Again, nothing too crazy, like a salt float or facial, unless that’s already your thing and you’re used to it. Just keep it basic and simple, like a foot and calf massage, since you’ll be on your feet most of the day.

As much as you may think anything is either too much of a risk (because you might have the one in a million chance of an allergic reaction) or a complete waste because you wouldn’t be able to relax anyway, that’s probablyyyy a sign you need it the most. Your body holds tension, so even if your mind is the one racing it’s crucial to find some way to help you relax, even if its using a cold pack on your stiff neck or a warm heating pad on your ankles. This will benefit you physically through the rest of the big day.

Eliminate something

I don’t know about you, but I easily get overstimulated. When too much is going on or in my face all at once, I tend to get agitated and shut down (or zone out). And when I think back on my wedding day, I really didn’t have much of that like I anticipated. Though I know many brides probably experience absolute wedding morning chaos, to the point its a total blur. This is one sure-fire way to stress you out more than you need to be, especially when minute to minute is planned out on a strict, no-buts schedule.

You’re allowed to change your mind or decide on something based on how you’re feeling in that moment, you know.

So, eliminate something. It doesn’t really matter what it is, it could be anything and it could be multiple things. Anything that you decide is unnecessary, you don’t need/want, or ultimately is bringing you more stress than joy.

Maybe you cancel the bridal party brunch to spend time alone. You decide you want to do your own makeup. You prefer less noise and chatter as you’re getting ready. You choose not to drink like everyone else, or give into the pressure to *let loose* because alcohol only makes you more anxious and even nauseas. You want fewer cameras in your face as you’re getting ready (or less pictures taken of you prior to walking down the aisle, period). Or, instead of having your wedding planner check up on you every hour you kindly ask them to relay info and take orders from your maid of honor.

It’s a big day for you, a once in lifetime moment to live, and you ought to be taking it through peace not stress.