Many brides find themselves feeling a little depressed after their wedding is over, and this feeling is much more common than many people would ever expect. The main issue is that you will spend the vast majority of the year leading up to your wedding obsessing and planning every little detail to ensure that everything is perfect, and then in the blink of an eye the entire event is over. Even if your wedding went exactly as you imagined in every regard, the fact that it is now just a memory compiled into a scrapbook can really create a hole in your soul. Don’t get too discouraged if this happens to you, though, you are not alone because “bridal blues” are very common among brides.
In fact, in a recent survey over 75% of brides said that they were still hanging onto unused wedding invitations, stacks of wedding programs, and other space-consuming items well over a year after their wedding was over. Sure, keeping a few of these items for your scrapbook or a “box of memories” is one thing, but keeping stack after stack of now useless items is another thing altogether. Fortunately, there are some simple steps that you can begin to take to help you beat these post-wedding blues, and taking it one step at a time can lead you to a new stage in your life before you know it.
Time before Your Honeymoon
Many couples book a honeymoon trip for after their wedding so they can share some romantic time together away from the rush of normal life. All too often, couples plan their honeymoon for the day immediately following their wedding which can clump the two events together without any separation at all. Instead, you should consider giving yourselves a week or two between the wedding and the honeymoon so the fun isn’t over as quickly. It may sound silly, but giving yourself something else to look forward to that is widely regarded as the last stage of the wedding can help you beat down the bridal blues before they ever set in.
Additionally, you should try to take a few days or even a week off between the end of your honeymoon and when you return to your normal daily life. This will give you time to do things like open your wedding presents, write your thank you cards, and change your name without feeling overwhelmed. Furthermore, this buffer time will let you translate the happiness of your wedding and honeymoon back to your home where you will be starting the rest of your lives together.
Communication
Many couples find that the first thing that begins to suffer after the wedding is the communication between partners. Now that your lives are considered to be lumped together into one, it can be easy to fall into the trap of taking the little pleasures in life for granted. It is a very good idea to make a strong effort to keep open communication about your feelings with your spouse. Set aside some time each day to talk about your feelings, frustrations, or whatever else happens to be on your mind so that things don’t build up and lead to a lasting depression.
Romantic Excursions
One of the most common causes of bridal blues is that the bride no longer feels like there is anything to look forward to in her life. Every ounce of your energy was dedicated to planning your wedding and starting your life together, and now suddenly that’s over and everything seems to be in the rearview mirror. A simple and effective way to combat this issue is to set aside predefined times to spend romantic time together. This can be something as simple as a date night or movie night, or even planning something like a weekend trip to a local orchard or conservatory. By having small moments to look forward to as a couple, you can create a garden of love that will continue to blossom for years to come.
Clean House
Though it may not be the most exciting prospect, getting rid of all the excess clutter created from planning your wedding is a great way to free your mind from that stage of your life. Having stacks of unused wedding invitations and wedding programs can be a constant reminder of planning your wedding, and there is no practical purpose for keeping those things around any longer. Set aside some time with your husband, who will likely be a great source of support during this process, and box up the things you want to keep as mementos from the wedding and throw everything else away.
Your wedding is bound to be one of the most cherished moments of your life, and fortunately you will have a huge collection of photos and videos to help you remember the joy of that special day. However, it is important to realize that your wedding is much more than just a single event; it is a commitment to the man you love and the beginning of an entire life that still lies ahead of you. As long as you shift your focus from planning your wedding to your husband, children, and all the other aspects of life, you can easily beat your post-wedding blues and begin to live the live you’ve always dreamt about.
