Singaporebrides | Weddings 101

April 2012

One Step at a Time

By Audrie Soh

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As your big day approaches, images of you fainting at the altar or tripping during the walk down the aisle fill your mind. You desperately want to bite your nails but you’ve just had a bridal manicure, and you’re about to bubble over with nervousness. Given the urgency and severity of the situation, I’ll not beat about the bush any longer. Ladies, to survive that walk down the aisle, there are only two things you need to pay attention to – keeping calm and knowing how to walk down that aisle. Easier said than done, right?

My dear brides, you need to know that there isn’t any hidden meaning behind that bubbling nervousness and your unexplainable need to pace about in the room. Conversely, you have something to worry about if you’re not feeling that way. It’s only natural for you to feel a tad (read: very) nervous, excited and a whole lot of other emotions as your big day roll out in front of your eyes. What you need to do, is take a deep breath and acknowledge all that nervousness and excitement, sit down, and calm your frazzled nerves as you read on.

Stay Organised

Minimise any instances of miscommunication or misunderstanding by ensuring that everyone involved in the wedding is given a copy of a detailed wedding day schedule. If the idea of something going wrong on your Big Day is almost killing you, it is then your onus to draw one up a few days prior to your big day, showing exactly what’s going to happen, when and who’s in charge of what.

Don’t scrimp on details; ensure that the schedule includes everything right down to the colour of the flowers in your bouquet. Make copies and distribute to everyone to ensure they are on the same page. Don’t be lazy and skip this part – the more organised you are, the less you have to stress and worry about.

Employ and assign any remaining responsibilities to your bridesmaids, wedding planner or even your own mother, and leave the worrying to them. Kick back, try to relax and bask in the moment and let them solve any problems on your behalf.

Foresee and Prepare

Still, it doesn’t hurt to see further into the future and prepare yourself for what might go wrong on the day itself. Prepare an emergency kit that includes a sewing kit, safety pins, sticky tapes, extra hosiery, umbrellas, bottled water and so on. Entrust this emergency kit to your bridesmaid or wedding planner, if she is tagging along with you.

Prepare a second set of emergency kit with similar items and place it in your hotel room beforehand, in the event that the first kit is misplaced. As the saying goes, it’s always better to be over- than under-prepared.

Real Women Eat

I know you have to fit into that gorgeous gown that envelops you like a second skin – literally – and there’s just no room to fit any food in there. That, ladies, could easily be the worst decision you’ll make on your wedding day. Think about it: you’ll be up and about since the wee hours in the morning and on your feet until the end of the night, with barely any time in-between to rest or eat. Are you sure you don’t want any food in your system?

Well, I would recommend a hearty breakfast that includes carbohydrates and protein for brides before the whirl of events begins. Trust me, you’d need it – wedding stress uses up a lot of energy, which the carbohydrates and protein in your meal will replenish and provide. Having them in your system also keeps you relaxed, calm and alert. Also, pack healthy snacks such as fruits, nuts or packed salads in your ride and hotel room for you to munch on during the day.

Time Alone

Before everything begins, take 30 minutes to an hour to go through some yoga movements and breathing to empty your mind, calm your nerves and wake your body up. At any time during the day, if you feel jittery, close your eyes, focus on your breathing and zone out from everything that’s happening around you. If you need to spend some quiet time alone with your man, request politely for your wedding party to leave the room for a few minutes.

“Perfect” is Over-rated

Despite yourself, try not to hold on to the notion of a perfect wedding tightly – that’ll only contribute to the stress, worry and anxiety you’re already feeling should things turn out to be less than perfect. While you expect your wedding to go according to plan, expect also the unexpected. Acknowledge the possibility of things going wrong at any time, but trust the people around you to make things right and go with the flow. Remember: face any hiccups with a cool head, a sense of humour and a positive attitude.

Feeling calmer yet?

That’s only the first part to surviving the walk down the aisle. Walking down the aisle is not as easy as it seems, especially when the hem of your gown sweeps the ground your 4-inch stilettos will be walking on. In fact, can you tell that 4-inch stilettos are a bad idea? But, making your way down the aisle doesn’t mean it will turn into a disaster. Learn how to master that walk with two of our specially picked out tips.

Cinderella and Her Shoes

You want to be strutting down the aisle with poise and grace without tripping on your feet or gown. Neither do you want to be tottering towards your man. So if you’re not a regular stilettos person, I’d recommend you give them a pass. And who cares if they elongate and make your gams appear slimmer? No one will be able to see all of that when you’re in a floor-length gown. Don’t set yourself up for a fall or a day of misery by insisting on wearing stilettos when you’re not used to it.

Instead, go for one that a wider and shorter heel for better balance and more comfort, and still allows you the same amount of poise. It would be a good idea to practice walking in them to familiarise yourself with walking on heels. Doing so also breaks the new pair of shoes in, preventing any chafing or blisters on your feet. Then again, if you’ve been walking on high heels all your life, this should be a breeze for you.

An on-site rehearsal of your walk will give you a better grasp of the flooring, the width of the aisle and how far the stage is. It also gives you a fuller picture of how the banquet hall will look like.

Practice walking down the aisle in your wedding gown and shoes, as many times as you possibly can, to familiarise your body with the feeling and route. If you’re walking down the aisle with someone else, make sure you rehearse with them together with the wedding music. This allows you to coordinate your steps and pacing. The ideal pace should be slower than the one you’re naturally inclined.

Wedding jitters are natural but it is important not to let it consume you. Constantly remind yourself to keep calm, worry less and practice more. But if all else fails, turn and look at your man; whether he is waiting at the end of the aisle or right next to you, he won’t let you fall. So, straight back, chest out, chin up and put your first step out with as much confidence as you can muster.

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