Hi guys,
I am writing this from Croatia, where I am currently chilling and recharging! Its Mental health awareness week, so what better time to write this blog!
I am a massive advocate for promoting the positives that speaking out loud about our mental health can have, and being honest with ourselves and others. Its absolutely ok to be struggling, and even more ok to admit that and ask for some help. Life is not hunky dory all of the time, and we should embrace that.
I think we have all come a long away from the 'taboo' that speaking about mental health once was, but there is definitely still progress to be made.
Mental health isn't just about being diagnosed with depression or anxiety, we hear a lot about this on the tele, but its so much more than that. You don't need to be diagnosed with a mental illness to suffer from a temporary period of poor mental health. We all go through stressful times, stress and pressure can trigger a weakness in our bodies that more often than not may cause us to be physically unwell with a cold for example, but it can also cause us to have a momentary recession with our mental wellbeing.
A huge example of this added pressure can be planning a wedding, the stress that planning a wedding can cause can be enough to not even look forward or enjoy the day. Its almost like when you spend ages cooking a dinner, to not even be hungry when its ready to eat.
And if you already live with a mental illness, the anxiety may be heightened with the thought of the wedding day.
Tips for dealing with anxiety before your wedding:
Theres no one size fits all, and you have to first identify what is causing you the most discomfort. Its important that you have one of two people that are aware of how you are feeling, and can be on hand to support you. It may beneficial for this to be someone other than your partner, as they may be feeling the same way as you. There are lots of wellbeing meditations for pre wedding anxiety. If you are not able to obtain that support from friends or family, then it may be an option to seek professional support from a therapist that specialises in pre wedding anxiety.
Dont give in to the 'social perception' regarding what your wedding should be or look like, or what you should be or look like. There is so much pressure on brides to be their best selves, even at wedding shows, you see aesthetics companies selling botox and fillers. None of that is needed for you to be beautiful.
Don’t forget your partner, or become so focused on the wedding that you forget the importance of maintaining your relationship. Getting married is a unique, special, and often overwhelming experience, and it’s an important time to really rely on each other to come out stronger on the other side.
If you are feelign overwhelmed with planning your wedding, enquiry with a wedding planner, don't be afraid to admit your can't do it all on your own.
I recently organised a styled shoot to reflect that its ok to be living with a mental illness, and although weddings are often referred to as 'The best and happiest day of your life' its ok for it not to be.
I teamed up with an excellent bunch of wedding suppliers to promote this message, and I hope you like the images!
The areas in which this topic was incorporated were as follows:
Handwritten vow stationery
A handwritten muslin runner
A personalised leather jacket which said 'It's amazing what a smile can hide' on the back.
The use of specialist crystals which promote positive energy and healing.
The main two crystals used in this shoot are Amethyst and Titanium aura quartz. The Amethyst can act as an energetic shield and an 'aura repairer' helping to clear the mind of self defeating thoughts and riding the body of difficult emotions.
The Titanium Aura Quarz is the ultimate 'clearer' It makes a path for life force to flow through. Worn directly on the head in a crown in this shoot, this allows the bride to benefit directly from that clearing - from her crown chakra all the way down to her base.
The team:
Planner/Stylist and floral design - @rosedecorstyling
Photographer - @finnandthefox
Make up - @makeupbylular
Hair - @gracebaileybridalhair
Cake -@cakeandleaves
Stationery & jacket @mama_inc_studio
Bridal dress - morgan_davies_bridal
Crystals - @twinflamestyling
Aisle runner - @leigh_calligraphy