If there’s one day where you should be present, it’s your wedding day. It flies by so fast. Savoring each moment allows you to look back on your wedding day years later with vivid memories, but I almost missed it.
I was standing next to my husband underneath the altar at our wedding ceremony. Our 120 wedding guests sat quietly as we all overlooked the beach and felt the warm breeze roll over Lake Michigan on that warm summer evening. I held his hand as our officiant began his message when my mind started to wander. I quickly caught my wandering mind and pleaded with myself to stay in the moment.
I could have allowed my mind to wander and anticipate the moment we’d be announced as husband and wife. I could have giddily thought about our first dance or imagined how fun our honeymoon would be. I could have missed the special moment I was in by looking ahead.
Luckily I was able to take a deep breath and absorb the moment. I wanted to remember the message our officiant gave at our wedding, I wanted to remember the feeling of his hand squeezing mine so tight. I wanted to remember the glance I took as everyone closed their eyes to pray and feeling that surreal moment of being a bride.
It wasn’t my natural disposition to be still but for the sake of the most important day of my life, I used a few tricks and made it work. After two years of marriage, I can look back and say that I have those mental notes and images from our wedding day ingrained in my memory. Follow these three tips and thank me later.
Look Up
I know this should be so simple to remember, but it’s easy to get wrapped up in yourself… after all you are the bride! Remind yourself to look around. Take a peek at everyone seated at your ceremony when you’re at the altar, dance with your wedding guests, just pause and look around the room. This is how mental images are made.
Focus On the Senses
To help myself focus on my wedding day, I tried to meditate on exactly what I was seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, and tasting. This forces you to stay in the moment and absorb each part of your wedding day. You’ll remember the sound of your officiant, the look on your spouse’s face when you walked down the aisle, and the joy that radiated through your wedding reception.
Delegate
Allow your wedding coordinator, master of ceremony, or bridesmaid to worry about the day. Hand the schedule over to them before the wedding and let them tell you what’s next. This will help you from being the one to worry about what’s ahead and just enjoy each moment.
It’s not our natural disposition to lose ourselves in the moment, but your wedding day is one you don’t want to blink through. Being present and allowing your mind to not wander will give you lifelong memories of the most important day of your life.
Style Me Pretty Contributor – Kylie Thompson is a freelance writer, blogger and marketing professional from Grand Rapids Michigan, where she resides with her husband. When she isn’t working, you will find her exploring Grand Rapids’ newest culinary establishments with her husband, or traveling up and down Lake Michigan’s coast.