Finding the perfect wedding dress, sorting through various vendors, and navigating the many personalities of your wedding attendants is sure to create a little stress over the course of the many months devoted to wedding planning. If you’re like most brides, you’re also worried about staying within your budget, planning for the honeymoon, and maybe even preparing to move into a new home or apartment.

If all the stress from preparing for and starting your new life is becoming overwhelming, you’re probably looking for some fun and easy ways to de-stress and relax. Here we’ve compiled a list of suggestions for brides who are looking to manage their wedding stress and feel better during the pre-wedding preparations.

Take a Break. As one of the most important days of your life, it is very easy to become consumed by it and think about your wedding all the time. But to avoid the stress associated with obsession, it’s important to think about and remember all of the other wonderful things going on in your life. One way to do this is to set aside specific days each week devoted to the wedding and plan other activities for the other days. Take frequent “breaks” from wedding planning, which means avoiding talking or thinking about the wedding with anyone.

Do Something New. Concentrating on learning a new skill is a wonderful way to focus your attention elsewhere and helping you alleviate wedding-related stress. Maybe you have always wanted to take a cooking or painting class, or maybe you used to dance, and there is an adult class being offered locally. Focusing on the project or activity at hand will force you to think fully about something other than wedding planning and help you relax.

Exercise your Stress Away. Working out is beneficial for a number of reasons. In addition to helping you get fit or even losing a few pounds for the wedding, it can be helpful in reducing your stress levels. Exercise has positive emotional and psychological effects, and any physical movement will help produce more uplifting and stress-stabilizing endorphins. Find a workout buddy and try to get active. Maybe that means a trip to the gym with your future spouse, a cycling class with a friend, or a few laps around your block with a relative. Maybe you can join a recreational sports team and have one night a week where you socialize and exercise your worries away!

Meditate to Relax. Meditating is a great way to increase your mindfulness and relax. Meditation techniques can help us transform our mind from negative to positive, from disturbed to peaceful, from unhappy to happy. Using meditation can assist you in overcoming negative minds and cultivating constructive thoughts that help us become more efficient and effective in our everyday lives.

Get Out of Town. Sometimes a quick weekend getaway can make all the difference in your stress levels. Take a quick trip to a nearby family member’s house or stay at a local bed and breakfast. Maybe a full vacation out of town can help you and your future spouse take a break from the craziness of wedding planning and reconnect. Simply getting out of your routine and seeing someplace new can help you refocus and relax. You may even be able to get in a little time outdoors!

Engage in Self Care. Self- care can take many forms. A massage, a facial, or even a manicure and pedicure in a spa setting can work wonders for your stress levels. Don’t think of these as indulgences, but consider them necessities for staying well-balanced. If you can’t afford a spa, settle into your tub from time to time with bubbles, Epsom salts, or even softening scents. Light a few candles and bring a great book to the tub, allowing your worries to melt away.

Talk or Write About It. Sometimes venting to a family member or friend about the particulars of our stress sources can be helpful in reducing them. Keeping feelings of worry or anxiety bottled up can make things even worse, so when you’re feeling the stress, don’t be afraid to share your thoughts and feelings with trusted family and friends. They’re there to help! If confiding your concerns creates even more stress for you, think about keeping a journal or log. Jot down those feelings and leave them in the pages where no one can read them. Unloading the negative thoughts may help you reduce those feelings of being overwhelmed and help you move on with your day.

Delegate. Remember that you don’t have to do it all! Family members and friends often want to help, but don’t know how. Assign tasks to trusted loved ones and relieve yourself of some of the responsibilities. They will feel part of the pre-wedding planning, and you will feel a load off of your shoulders!

What are some suggestions you have for de-stressing during wedding planning?