Tips to relieve wedding day stress and nerves

Most budding grooms suffer from nerves ahead of the big day as well as the usual stress and, of course, excitement.

But after enjoying an incredible Budapest stag do with your mates, the nerves and pressure really heat up on both the groom and the best man, but do not fear as we have come to your rescue!

To help you sail through all your wedding stuff we have asked a range of experts about what you can do to relieve wedding day stress and nerves.

So if you don’t want to be like this unfortunate fellow…

… we suggest you read on.

Be mindful of food and drink

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It is very easy to let food slip down the list of priorities when you are organising a wedding, but it is vital that you get enough nutrients as this could be the difference between you feeling great on the big day or feeling over-tired and over-worked.

Iron

Jo Travers, from the Harley Street Nutritionist said, “Iron carries oxygen around the body to all the organs including the brain. If too little is eaten it can cause tiredness, lethargy and even dizziness - the exact opposite of what you need for getting hitched without a hitch.

“Iron comes from red meat, beans, pulses, dark green leafy vegetables and fortified foods such as white flour products and breakfast cereals. Iron from meat is readily absorbed but iron from plant sources requires vitamin C to convert it to a useable form. Adding some fruit and vegetables alongside will aid this process. Iron absorption is hindered by tannins, which are found in tea, and also by calcium so it's a good idea to separate dairy and iron-rich foods sometimes.”

Magnesium

Laura Clark, from LEC Nutrition, advises the groom and other wedding goers to take in plenty of magnesium to calm the nerves on the big day.

She added, “This helps to relax muscles and is also important for a good night's sleep the night before.”

Laura Clark added that snacks containing foods rich in magnesium, which will serve you well as you prepare to say 'I do', include:

• Bananas

• Seed bars e.g. 9-bar

• Wholegrain cereal with milk

• Wholemeal toast and peanut butter

• Handful of nuts

Carbs

The Harley Street Nutritionist’s Jo Travers says the brain's favourite energy source is glucose, so carbohydrates are therefore important.

“As the body doesn't keep large stores of carbs it's necessary to get them from the diet at regular intervals. Everyone needs about five portions the size of their fist of carbohydrates every day, such as bread, rice, cereals, potatoes or pasta: some at each meal and the odd snack. This helps keep blood glucose levels nice and even, the brain alert, and hunger (and hunger-related mood swings) at bay. So please no carb-dodging diets!”

Breakfast

When it comes to eating breakfast, Jo Travers says that breakfast ahead of the big day is essential.

She added, “Anything is better than nothing, but some slow-release carbohydrates such as in whole grain cereals and toast or porridge are ideal. Avoid anything with lots of sugar as this can contribute to irregular blood glucose levels. Adding some protein will keep them fuller for longer, eggs on granary toast is the breakfast of kings.”

Hydration

Most people now know how important it is to keep hydrated, especially if you are a groom or best man, as you both need to keep concentrated for your speech – even mild dehydration can cause all kinds of problems with concentration and energy levels.

Jo Travers says, “Sipping fluids regularly throughout the day is the most effective way of keeping hydrated, but very sugary drinks may have the opposite effect. Juice is not hydrating, as it tends to draw fluids into the digestive tract rather than the other way around. Thirst is actually not the first dehydration signal. Early signs of dehydration can be quite subtle and non-specific such as fatigue, a lack of concentration and headaches.”

Food on the wedding day

When the big day arrives it can cause chaos with your nerves, but in terms of food it is important to try and eat whatever you can, whether it be a small snack or something more substantial.

Jo Travers, who also runs the London Nutritionist site, adds, “When you eat it will depend a bit on the timings of the ceremony and reception but make sure you have a good breakfast. Try to stick to small meals and top up with snacks. Keep well hydrated - this will help prevent any hangovers the next day too.

“When it’s over, you can cut loose and eat whatever you want, food is about celebration as well as nutrients!”

You must relax

The build-up to a wedding is stressful and when the actual day of the wedding arrives it can often come to a climax.

The Vivamus Psychologists advise grooms, best men, brides and bridesmaids to try some basic relaxation techniques.

Dr. Marie Thompson, a Chartered Clinical Psychologist at Vivamus Psychologists, says, “Relaxation techniques, such as abdominal breathing or visual imagery, can also help prevent the build-up of stress. These techniques need to be practiced regularly to be most effective.”

Delegating jobs will help you

Another important tip for the groom and best man to follow is to delegate jobs to other close friends and family as this will help reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed by the day that is supposed to be one of the happiest of your life.

Vivamus Psychologists, add, “Ask others to do some of the tasks for you. For example, writing the name places, picking up the suits, ordering babysitters etc.

“It is important that when you delegate you trust others to make the right decision and to do the job on time. Try not to feel guilty about delegating – other people often like to be involved and to feel that they are helping with the special day.”

Don’t avoid jobs

Vivamus Psychologists also recommend that in the build-up to the wedding; grooms, best men and brides do not avoid jobs that they know are going to be stressful.

Dr. Marie Thompson, said, “Avoidance of a stressful activity, whether it be the planning, the awkward discussions with friends or family about where they are sitting, or the choosing of vows, only makes the stress increase.”

Making your wedding speech perfect

The groom, best man and father of the bride speeches can often cause anxiety for all three people, but there are ways to reduce stress levels for all three.

Think about your audience

The best man’s speech is usually the most eagerly anticipated of all the speeches at a wedding as it is expected to rip into the groom. This, however, is dangerous territory as you need to consider your audience and must remember that the room will be filled with family and friends of the bride and groom.

So if you are considering telling that story about the strippers the groom had on his stag do in Krakow, it might be worth skipping that and telling some other funny stories you have up your sleeve. Try to fit in stories that everyone in the room can relate to.

Consider the length of your speech

There is nothing worse than rambling on in your speech so aim for it to be 5-10 minutes long as you will find that it takes longer on the day after all the laughing (hopefully) and cheering.

Practice, practice, practice

If you have it in your head that as the best man you are going to roll up and smash the speech, then you need to think again.

You need to practice your speech as the more you practice the more you can learn it off by heart. Then instead of reading it off of your sheet, you can look up at the guests you are speaking to.

Image Credit: The Harley Street Nutritionist, LEC Nutrition, Antti T. Nissinen, Christopher Head (flickr.com)