Psyching yourself up for the big day

Getting a little too psyched for your wedding?

The happiest day of your life can also be nerve-racking. Making sure everything goes off without a hitch is one thing, but preparing yourself for a life-long commitment can leave couples with jitters before the big moment.

Wedding planners are in the business of handling the little details that go into your wedding. So what do they say to a bride or groom stressing out at the last moment?

Nancy Jeffries-Dwyer of NJOY Event Planning in Stowe said working out details early is key.

“If the stress is caused by the massive amount of wedding details, this can be solved by hiring a professional wedding planner early in the process,” she said. “If the budget will only allow for help three weeks before the wedding, then it is still a solid investment in maintaining a couples’ sanity.”

If the issue is more complicated, a breather might be in order.

“If the stress is creeping into the couple’s relationship, they should step back, set limits on even talking about the wedding, get a massage, go out on a date — basically remember why they are getting married in the first place,” she said. “If they are working with a member of the clergy, then that counsel would be welcome right about now.”

“During the planning process, I tell my couples that when the special day comes, concentrate on saying ‘I Do’ and enjoy your party and your guests — leave the details to us,” Janet Dunnington of Destination Weddings in Manchester, Vt., said. “Just before proceeding down the aisle, I tell nervous brides, ‘close your eyes, think of who is waiting for you at the end of the aisle, and take a slow, deep breath.’ ”