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The Bride’s Guide to Good Health S TAFF R EPORT W HEN YOU ARE PLANNING A WEDDING , IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO FIND TIME TO ACCOMPLISH THE MANY TASKS THAT APPEAR ON YOUR EVER - GROWING TO - DO LIST . W ITH FLOWERS TO SELECT , VENUES TO ORGANIZE , MENUS TO DESIGN AND SEATING PLANS TO CO - ORDINATE , MUNDANE MATTERS LIKE EATING WELL AND EXERCISING MAY GET PUSHED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST . inding time to relax may seem like an unat- tainable luxury in all the chaos and excitement of wedding planning. But, if you do not find time to looks after your health and wellbeing, you may become too ill and exhausted to enjoy your own wedding day. Follow this simple guide to good bridal health to ensure that you keep calm and enjoy your wedding as much as your guests. P LAN A HEAD : The sheer number of tasks that need to be completed before the wedding day can seem overwhelming. By planning ahead and working out when key decisions have to be made, you will relieve some of the pressure. The more control you have over the situation, the calmer you will feel. In your plans, be sure to include some time with your fiancé, your family and your friends. Also find some time for yourself, to ensure that you do not burn out before the wedding day. S HARE THE L OAD : It can be tempting to carry out every task yourself. Perhaps you feel it is expected of you or that no-one else will get it right. How- ever, piling on such pressure can lead to unnecessary stress. Your husband and family may be willing to help, if you include them in your plans. If the thought of delegating part of the wedding plan- ning makes you anxious, consider allocating specific tasks that can be followed up as time progresses. T ALK TO THE G ROOM : Your stress levels may be rising because you feel that you are do- ing all the wedding planning and your husband-to-be is doing nothing. At the same time, he may be feeling unhappy because he feels ex- cluded from the process. This mis- match of expectations and lack of un- derstanding is a common source of tension in the lead up to a mar- riage. During all the many things that you have to do, be sure to find time to talk to your fiancé about how you are both feeling. Reg- ular communi- cation will help avoid tension build- ing up and boiling over into arguments and squab- bles. If your wedding seems at risk of being hijacked by well-meaning rela- tives with fixed ideas that conflict with your own, speak to your fi- ancé about how to handle it together. This is particularly im- portant if the pressure is coming from his side of the family. If you both agree on the priorities for your wedding day, you can stand firm against the de- mands of others. R ELAXATION T ECHNIQUES : At the end of a long day of wedding planning, a relaxing, candlelit bubble bath may be all you need to soothe away stress. If you find that the ten- sion continues to mount, con- sider incorporating deep breath- ing exercises, meditation and gentle exercise into your daily routine. When you are stressed, you may find that your breathing be- comes quick and shallow. Per- forming deep breathing exercises LIVING WELL..................................................................................................................................... 26 AL/ Metro 360 www.almetro360.com F