Wedding Day Calm: How to Tame the Butterflies, and Be Ready for “I Do”
Your wedding day: Possibly the most memorable and wonderful day of your entire life.
Every family member and friend you love gathered in one place. Declaring your devotion to your person in front of all of your people. An entire day dedicated to celebrating you and your One & Only.
You’ve planned this magical day for months, and it’s here.
Have you ever been this excited?
The butterflies are flut-ter-ing!
Actually, wait for a second...how have you never been this nervous?
Turns out, our bodies have the same response to excitement, and nervousness, thanks to our Autonomic Nervous System. When you get nervous or excited, a nerve is stimulated that activates the gut and causes that fluttering feeling in your stomach. But your body can’t tell the difference between delight and anxiousness. If either feeling is sustained long enough, our favorite response is going to kick in fight-or-flight.
While a small dose of butterflies can be dreamy, it’s a good idea on your wedding day to keep the nervous system somewhat calm if you can, to prevent the fight-or-flight response from taking over.
For some tips on calming the wedding day nerves, and avoid pulling a Maggie Carpenter, check out our list below!
Get moving
It’s no longer a surprise that there’s a proven link between physical exercise and mental health. Exercise produces endorphins, and can actually counteract the nerves you’re feeling in your tummy. Doing jumping jacks, push-ups, or going for a run can release some tension.
Bonus points if that exercise is in nature! Spending time in nature can help relieve stress and anxiety, improve your mood, and overall make you feel more grounded and calm. Hiking, kayaking, or even outdoor yoga are all great ways to move your body on your big day.
Speaking of yoga…
Get inverted
Yes, we mean get your body upside down, which can help correct blood flow to the stomach, thus calming the butterflies. There are a lot of great yoga poses for this, like downward dog, shoulder stand, or bridge pose. Not into yoga? Try laying on your back in front of a wall, with your legs up against the wall.
Try deep breathing and meditation
Mental exercises help you focus on your breath and bring you back to the present moment. This can manage stress and anxiety that cause a butterfly-filled stomach. Deep belly breaths can be especially helpful to bring calm to the entire body.
Take it easy on the coffee
The caffeine can fuel nervousness and anxiety, making it worse. Coffee can also have a major impact on the stomach, which is already twisty with nerves.
But guess what?
Alcohol is a-okay!
Alcohol is a sedative and a depressant that affects the nervous system. A moderate amount of drinks can calm you down and put you at ease. In fact, alcohol’s effects can be similar to those of antianxiety medications. Time to pour the mimosa!
Find space for yourself to relax
Taking a little time to clear your head and take control of your nervousness, even if it must be total alone time, might do just the trick. Don’t be afraid to excuse yourself for a bit — this is your day.
Remember what the day is all about
You’re excited and nervous; because this is an incredibly important day. But remind yourself that it’s a day to enjoy and to celebrate. A day to look into the eyes of your fella or lady and remember...the butterflies are worth it.