Wedding season is well and truly in full swing, and for some people the endless weekly parade of white dresses, hymns, alcohol, dancing and hangovers is taking its toll. Whether it’s your wedding or you’re an honoured guest, it can’t be ignored that a wedding day is a marathon. Often starting in the late morning and continuing into the wee hours of the next day, keeping yourself going and your energy levels up can be a very difficult task! So if you’re looking at your upcoming social schedule and feeling a creeping sense of dread, you don’t need to worry. We’ve compiled our essential wedding day survival guide so that you’ll be able to see the entire day through with a smile on your face able to make memories you’ll cherish forever. As the old adage says, prior preparation prevents poor performance!

Get A Good Night’s Sleep

Weddings are always a great party, so try to get a good night’s sleep the night before. While it is tempting to go wild when the weekend hits, you’ll enjoy a Saturday wedding much more if your Friday night was a peaceful one rather than ending with your head down a toilet! If you struggle to get an early night, a great way to aid a peaceful sleep is to drink some chamomile tea, as well as avoiding screens for a couple of hours before you intend to turn in. Getting a solid 7-9 hours will give you the best start possible for the next day!

Have A Hearty Breakfast

Wedding ceremonies can be long, without taking into account the journey times between the venues. You might have been out for hours before you get to sit down to eat, so make sure you get a good breakfast in you before you leave. If you’re the bride or groom, you might be extremely nervous or feel like you have too much to do to fit it in, but it’s so important to ensure you enjoy your day, so take time for it, and maybe even make it more special with a small glass of bubbly!

Pack A Snack Sack

Especially important if you have young children, take a small bag of healthy snacks along to keep the energy levels up throughout the day. Things like yoghurt or granola bars and fruit are perfect energy boosters as well as being light and healthy. You don’t want to fill up on junk food as it will give a short term energy boost that will be followed by a lull that could leave you or your kids feeling lethargic and potentially irritable. 

Plan Your Journey

If you’re in the wedding party, it makes sense to assign someone the responsibility of checking the route to the venue before you leave. There are a number of online tools available to check for traffic jams, accidents or any other issue that could make you late, and if you have a long drive, it’s especially important to double check so that you don’t keep anyone waiting. Of course, it’s tradition for the bride to be a little late, but getting stuck in a gridlock due to a major accident for hours is not the ideal start to marriage!

Check The Weather Forecast

Sadly we can’t rely on the great British summertime to deliver us consistently beautiful weather every year. If only we could! If you’re headed to an al fresco wedding, it’s always a good shout to check the weather forecast before you go and plan accordingly. If rain is forecast it might be worth taking a coat, an umbrella and a change of shoes along just in case. And if it’s your wedding and dark clouds look like they’re going to be looming on your big day, it might be worth speaking to some local businesses to see if you can secure some weatherproofing last minute. A large marquee could make all the difference if the heavens open!

Wearing heels? Take some flip flops!

This one’s pretty obvious, but for all the brave heel wearing heroes out there, as badass as you are to consider wearing them for an entire day and night, you’ll definitely thank your past self for packing those comfy flats when the aching and blisters start to set in. To enjoy your day to its fullest you don’t want to be in pain, afterall who is going to tear up the dance floor if it’s not you?

And that’s it, our top tips for wedding day survival! If you’re getting married this summer, congratulations! We hope you have the most wonderful day! And remember, if you need help getting to or from a wedding this summer, contact ABC to book your taxi today!