5 Not-So-Obvious Tips For Staying Present On Your Wedding Day

I’ve been thinking a lot about time and our experience of time since listening to Oprah and Deepak’s newest 21-day meditation experience Making Every Moment Matter.

I hear from so many of my clients and friends that what they desire most for their wedding day is to “feel present.” But it’s hard to know where to even start, especially when there’s so much focus on creating your minute-by-minute “wedding day timeline.”

While I’m all for planning ahead, what’s tricky about these traditional wedding day timelines is they often don’t focus on what matters most. They are 100% logistical – how we are getting from point A to point B – and 0% soul. It’s no wonder why most couples walk away feeling like their wedding day was all a big blur! When we are go-go-go and don’t build in time to actually be, it can feel like there’s never enough time. But when we are intentional being present, our experience of time expands. So the issue isn’t about time itself, it’s about how you choose to use that time. It’s about making time for what matters.

Here are five not-so-obvious tips for staying present on your wedding day:

1. Create time for your morning routine

Nothing gets me more off my game than starting my day in a state of chaos. Many of you may already have regular morning rituals. Awesome! Don’t throw those out the window just because it’s your wedding day and there’s seemingly “too much to do.” In fact, it may serve you well to build in extra time for your morning routine on your wedding day. I hear about so many women dropping all of their typical self care rituals to make their 8 AM hair appointment. Don’t do that! So whether you have a regular morning routine or not, build in time for some self-care rituals like yoga, meditation, a walk outside, or a fresh cup of coffee to start your day off on a good foot.

2. Carve out time alone with your partner

Block off chunks of 5-10 minutes throughout the day to spend with your partner. It can be too easy to get swept up with the other to-dos and miss spending these great moments together unless you are intentional about adding blocks of time alone as part of your timeline. Go ahead – block that time off!

3. Make eye contact

Depending on the size of your wedding, it can be difficult to have a meaningful conversation with every single guest. Making eye contact with people can help you to feel connected to everyone, and vice versa, even though you might not be able to speak with them very much. There’s something so beautiful about being able to communicate with someone without exchanging a word. Give it a try (even though it may cause you to cry!).

4. Give gratitude

When you are in a state of gratitude, you reflect on what is bringing you joy. Joy is your secret compass for continuously guiding you back towards what matters most. Think about a toast you’d like to give, cards you’d like to write or pictures you’d like to share to honor the people who have supported you along your journey.

5. Pause

Remembering to pause and look around will help you to keep coming back to the present moment. When you are in the present moment, time will feel like it stands still. These are the moments when memories are formed.