It’s been about six weeks since my wedding and there’s one thing that has really surprised me about married life: The wedding withdrawal is so, so real!
Being married is amazing and I’ve loved settling into life with my husband, but the fact remains….nothing can quite touch the high you’ll feel during your wedding. I spent a year planning the big day and then when it finally came, it was hard to realize that it was just that: a day.
I would be lying if I said I haven’t felt wedding withdrawal and I’m sure you will too once the big day is over. Luckily, I’ve found seven ways to deal with these feelings. They don’t exactly do away with my feelings of wedding withdrawal but for me, they help and I hope they’ll help you too.
1. Focus on your wedding photos. Before you get your wedding photos back, get yourself through the withdrawal by visualizing how amazing it will feel once you finally get to see them! Once they’ve been returned to you, focus on doing things with them. Create a Facebook album complete with thoughtful captions underneath each photo. Compile an album of shots from the celebration. Make a scrapbook. Have your favorite photos framed and displayed in your home. Submit them to wedding magazine or blogs (um, hello!) Just do whatever you can to relive the day through those photos.
2. Off your help to other brides: Reach out to your friends who are getting married and tell them you’d love to help them plan their own weddings. Get active on wedding planning message boards by answering questions posed by other brides around the world. Blog about your planning experience. This might help scratch that wedding planning itch you’re probably feeling.
3.Plan something fun for your first anniversary: You could write your spouse a long note about what your marriage means to you and give it to him or her at the one-year mark. Another option would be to write down memories thought the first year of marriage, place them in a jar and plan to go through all of them a year later. Not much of a writer? Consider documenting your first year of marriage with pictures or videos with the intention of going through all of them on your anniversary. On a similar note….
4. Celebrate “month”iversaries: It might sound a bit “high school” to celebrate a one-month anniversary…but it also might be a great way to deal with wedding letdown. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy but getting dressed up, going to dinner with your spouse and opening up a nice bottle of wine to celebrate the occasion might help you feel less nostalgic about the wedding and more excited for the future.
5. Throw yourself into a project at home: Whether or not you and your spouse lived together before marriage, your urge to start “nesting” is probably kicking into overdrive – indulge it! Start a project at home – whether it’s reorganizing your kitchen, creating a perfect gallery wall or even repainting a wall or two, this project will keep you occupied and focused on building your life as a married couple.
6. Take a vacation: It could be a full-on exotic honeymoon…or it could be a quick, inexpensive weekend getaway. It could even be a day trip if you’re really short on time! Having some time to get away with your new life partner is a great way to clear your head and reconnect once all the excitement dies down a bit.
7. Throw a party: Part of wedding withdrawal is realizing that after spending a weekend (or longer) surrounded by so many close friends and family members, it can feel really strange to spend time with just one other person. One great way to remedy this? Throw a party! Have a few close friends over for a fancy dinner party, an outdoor BBQ, a cocktail night or even an elaborately planned brunch. The important thing is that the event should be something you spend time and effort on and that you surround yourself with friends who can make you forget about your withdrawal.