Wedding Planning Stress during a pandemic

5 tips for maintaining a level of calm and balance, when planning a wedding

Wedding planning is known for being a stressful time in our lives. According to a study by Zola in 2018, 96% of couples said that planning their wedding was ‘stressful’ while 71% thought it the cause of more anxiety than other major life events, like finding a new job. Throw then a global pandemic into the mix and we have a lot of extremely stressed and panic stricken brides and grooms to be, trying to navigate their way through these unchartered waters.

Naturally, as destination wedding planners, we want to try to help, calm and reassure anyone who is, or has been trying to, plan during this very difficult time to figure out the best and least stressful way of moving forward. It’s our job to help remove the stress for our brides and grooms-to-be, planning their wedding in Italy.

So how do we keep calm and plan on? We’ve teamed up with expert and all round wonderful human, Astrid Ennis, from Astrid Ennis Therapy, to help advise how to get through this difficult time.  

Here Astrid gives her top 5 tips to help balance your stress levels whilst planning a wedding :

1. PRACTICE A CONTROLLED BREATHING TECHNIQUE

Being able to calm yourself with breathing techniques can really help ease your mind and emotions. Many people don’t realise that they have the internal capacity to breathe through the feelings of stress and anxiety. An example of such technique is:

Count backward from 10. Do this slowly and calmly and take deep breaths as you’re counting backward. You’ll feel the stress dissipate, which will help you to clear your mind. You can do this out loud, or in your head if you’re in a crowded area with a lot of people. There’s no right or wrong way to do this one.

2. GO OUTSIDE

Aim to go outside at least once a day, switching our environment and focusing on the outside world away from out ‘To Do’ lists and digital distractions helps our mind return to the present. Look up to the sky and pause and notice the bright blue sky or the clouds being guided by the wind or try to spot star constellations. Allow you mind to be still for a few moments.

3. RECHARGE YOUR BATTERY

Not your phone or computer, recharge your emotional energy battery regularly throughout the day. Whilst we can’t just plug ourselves into a socket, we can take the time to recharge ourselves. This can be achieved through exercise, meditation or mindfulness and of course taking a nap. Each time you check the charge on your digital devices check in on your mental and physical energy levels- ask yourself what percentage and I on at the moment?

4. BE GRATEFUL

At the end of each day before you go to sleep, allow you mind to reflect on the day and identify 3 things that happened in the day that you are grateful for. This can be something that involved another person or a moment of beauty in nature that caught your attention.

5. TAKE TIME TO TALK

about something else, if you notice all your conversations with your partner, friends or family are just about the wedding. We can get lost in all the plans and by changing the topic our minds get to take a break from being in planning mode. Create a list pf people you can call or text when you need support. Note down what they provide or do that helps you. It could be the friend who tells those funny, cheesy jokes, or the member of your family who is just happy to listen to you.

Astrid provides one to one Cognitive Hypnotherapy and Coaching sessions as part of a bespoke treatment plan to support you to achieve positive changes in your psychological well being. For more information on her services click here.

For anyone looking at planning a wedding in Sorrento or the Amalfi Coast, contact us to start discussing your dream destination wedding in Italy.