For plenty of couples, the experience of planning and celebrating a wedding can go by in a whirlwind of emotions and half-remembered moments. Since you’re putting a lot into this event, it stands to reason you want to enjoy it and be present in body, mind, and spirit. Naturally, this requires a bit of work. If you want to let the stress and anxiety fall to the wayside, learn how to practice the art of mindfulness. By exploring a variety of approaches to being more mindful, you stand to find a tactic that works for you.

Forget the “Deadline Stress”

From the moment you select a date for your wedding, an official countdown begins. Many couples capitalize upon this, using the number of days until their nuptials to feel the urgency of the moment. However, this push forward can also create something known as “deadline stress”. With a future date looming over you, simple tasks can become more taxing on an emotional level. This, in turn, takes you out of the moment and makes it more difficult to focus. 

While you can’t forget about your wedding date altogether, you can limit how much emphasis you put on the countdown. Don’t focus on every second that passes from the moment you get engaged until you walk down the aisle. Instead set a mini countdown a week or so before the event. This way, you get to feel the excitement without the debilitating stress that can sometimes tag along.

Set Aside Expectations 

The easiest way to take yourself out of your present mind on your wedding day is by having too many expectations. When you’ve spent a lot of time planning an event, it makes sense that you’d be fixated on everything following a specific flow. Unfortunately, you can’t both oversee and enjoy your wedding. What’s more, you’re probably already paying several people to worry about these details for you. Wedding planners, vendors, and venue managers can all take care of making sure your plans come to fruition. 

A good truth to remember on the day of your wedding is that accidents can and will happen. No matter how hard you try to avoid error, something may inevitably go wrong. This is why you want to forget about your expectations and open yourself up to whatever possibilities may come along.

Don’t Plan Down to the Minute

Some people are natural planners. If you like to create miniature itineraries for anything you do, then you might feel ready to tackle all of the time-management challenges that wedding planning can bring. In truth, being adept with organizational skills can be as much of a hindrance as it is a help. If you plan every detail of your event down to the minute, you’re leaving very little flexibility. Should something simple set you back, like traffic or a late officiant, the entirety of your plans could be torn asunder.

When putting together the details of your wedding, include plenty of wiggle room for delays and surprises. Not only does this help in the event of a setback, it also reduces the overall stress of your wedding day and makes it easy to stay present. 

Put Away Technology for a Bit

If any kind of event is considered “Insta-worthy,” then a wedding is it. However, you don’t want to be on your phone on your wedding day. It might be difficult to resist the urge to share some quick snaps on Facebook or a video on TikTok, but you’ll find you’re more focused on the moment when you aren’t worried about getting it online. 

From hiding your phone to letting go of the countdown, there are many easy ideas to consider when it comes to being mindful on your wedding day. Find a strategy that works for you and do your part to remember the joy of the moment as you practice the art of mindfulness.