If you’re planning on getting married, this day will naturally be one of the biggest of your life, and can get a little stressful as well as exciting. Here, Jo Webber, Herbal Education Lead at Pukka Herbs will show you some natural tips for relieving wedding nerves.

Organising a wedding and getting married is a thrilling experience, but it can also be a nerve-wracking time. After all your efforts organising the wedding and writing the guest list, you’ll want to just relax and enjoy the day, so it’s important to find some ways to focus on your enjoyment of the event and manage those nerves.

Here, we’ll go through some ideas for how you can steady yourself naturally.

Delegate tasks to others

Remember that this is not only an exciting time for you, but also for your friends and family, and they will all want to help throughout the day to make sure that you have the best experience possible. So, don’t be afraid to involve them in anything you’re worried about and delegate some things to your loved ones so that you can sit back and relax a little.

This might be things like coordinating last minute adjustments with the venue or directing your wedding photographer. All these little things can become overwhelming when you are thinking about them all at once, but with the help of others you’ll have the event running smoothly in no time, and you’ll also get the chance to take some of the weight off your shoulders.

Talk to your loved ones

As well asking your friends and family to help with the organisation and running of the wedding day, you should also spend time talking to them about your worries. Everyone knows that weddings can be stressful, and your loved ones will understand if you are feeling overwhelmed.

Take time to destress by talking to people and sharing your concerns, and if you need to take some time away from the hustle and bustle of the event then do. It can help to make sure that your friends and family are kept close so have them around you as you get ready on your wedding day to help keep things relaxing and fun.

Do some breathing exercises

When your nerves get the best of you, breathing exercises can be a quick and effective way to calm yourself down. There are many different types of exercises you can try so pick the one that feels most helpful for you. Try slowly breathing in and counting to five, then slowly breathing out and counting to five. If you can’t make your breaths last until the count of five don’t worry, just focus on trying to breathe slowly and making sure the exhale is at least as long as the inhale.

You can also try making the exhale twice as long as the inhale, for example breathe in for four seconds and exhale for eight seconds, and experiment with breathing only through your nose, and breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, to see what feels better for you. It can help to practice your breathing exercises before the big day so that you can quickly tune into it when you start to feel nervous.

Take time to centre yourself

It will of course be a busy morning but you should make sure to take a little time out to centre yourself and prepare yourself mentally for the day. Just 20 minutes to yourself in the morning can make a difference if you find the right mindfulness and calming activities for you. Yoga and meditation are both good options if they work for you and can allow you to clear your mind before the busy day begins.

You might also want to take some time to go for a gentle walk in the morning to spend some time in nature and enjoy some gentle physical movement to start off your day. The night before the wedding and throughout the day, taking a moment to have a cup of herbal tea containing chamomile, lavender, valerian or oat flower can really help relax you too. Whatever you go for, taking some time to just focus on an activity that is calming can make a big difference and prepare you for the day.

Accept some imperfections

Although you’ll of course want your wedding day to be perfect, it’s good to accept that some things might not go to plan or happen as you expect. The catering might be a few minutes late, or a guest might get lost en route to the venue. It’s important to recognise that these little things do happen and they don’t mean that your day is ruined or that your planning wasn’t good enough.

So, just try to remind yourself that in years to come, you’ll remember and focus on the highlights and enjoyment of the day, rather than remembering tiny things that went wrong. Try to also focus on the fact that your guests won’t notice all the minutiae of the event’s organisation the way that you will, so let yourself relax and make the most of the day.

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Hopefully these tips will help you begin to focus on the positives of the day and relax throughout the event. However, if you feel that your anxieties are more persistent than temporary wedding nerves, do seek mental health support. For those encountering wedding nerves, our tips should give you some natural tools to tackle them and ensure your wedding is enjoyable and memorable.