How not to become a bridezilla: To-do and not-to-do

Getting married seems to go hand-in-hand with insomnia, stress, tension and lots of emotions. And while it may not be fair, the bride-to-be has to fight all these challenges and then also astonish everybody by looking picture-perfect on the big day.

To give the about-to-be-wedded some helpful tips, The Express Tribune got in touch with experts from the industry.

Clothes

Choosing the right designer and deciding on the colour/shades of your trousseau are challenging tasks. Fashion designer Umar Sayeed says one should have a ‘dream-come-true’ approach towards her wedding dress, but explaining this to one’s designer might be a challenge. Recently wed designer Mahin Hussain says, “The most important meeting for me was with my designer (Maheen Khan). I wanted something different and yet, something I could carry off with confidence.” Meanwhile, make-up artist Rukaiya Adamjee says it is important to “keep the heat in mind and dress according to the weather.”

Rest

The importance of sufficient rest and relaxation techniques can never be ignored. “To add an extra glow, careful attention has to be paid to one’s routine prior to the big day. Rest and sleep are essential,” says Hussain. Not enough sleep can not only increase your appetite and lower your metabolism, but can be a cause to those dark circles around your eyes, bad skin and future bad hair days.

Water

A healthy amount (eight to 10 glasses) of water can go a long way in clearing the skin and giving a healthy glow. “Drink lots of water for weeks before the wedding, you will look (and feel) better,” says photographer Tapu Javeri.

Jewellery

Jewellery designer Afroz Javeri suggests the bride-to-be should coordinate her ornaments according to the dress. But jewellery is really a personal choice and a bride can be “as modern or traditional as she likes,” says Javeri.

Diet

Meanwhile, attaining the perfect weight – not too thin, not too fat – can be a daunting task. Sayeed emphasises on the importance of the correct diet by calling it ‘key’ to the wedding preparation. Frances Largeman-Roth, senior food and nutrition editor at Health magazine, says the wedding diet should start six months before the big day. “Incorporate cardio and weight training into your workouts. Doing cardio three to five times a week for at least 30 minutes will help you blast fat,” said Largeman-Roth.



Being organised

As the date approaches, blood pressure rises and the last few days can be a real test of endurance. To try and stay calm, Hussain advises everyone to be organised on the last few days and says, “Coordination is key in the last week.”

Skin care

A pre-wedding skin care routine will help bring a healthy glow to the blushing bride. Adamjee suggests the regular use of a sunscreen and moisturiser. However, for best results, pampering must start well in advance of the big day. “Self-grooming should start a month before the rukhsati. Regular shopping trips were not kind to me and I desperately needed to get rid of the dullness on my face,” said Hussain.

Stress

Wedding nerves can kick in at anytime – and not just when you’re on the stage. The months leading up to the big day can leave you feeling totally overwhelmed. A key factor to help you stay calm during wedding preparations is to designate spaces in your home where it’s forbidden to talk about flower arrangements, guest lists or names of potential venues. Meanwhile, doing some regular sport not only helps you to get in great shape for your wedding, but is also an easy way to control and manage stress.

Hair colour

Meanwhile, Sayeed also stresses the importance of carefully selecting your hair colour. Getting the wrong hair colour can have a disastrous effect and end up making you look sickly and aged. Experts suggest that those with a warm skin tone should opt for golden shades such as caramel brown and dark bronze, while fair skinned people should stick to cool browns. Take advice from your stylist to make the correct choice of hair colour. In case one has reservations about getting a hair colour, experiment with semi-permanent colours and then make the final decision.

Shoes

Designer Nadia Hussain suggests the bride-to-be should spend ample time before finally purchasing shoes. “She should get shoes which are comfortable, if she is not used to wearing heels, she should not,” says Hussain, adding that one should keep an eye out for other more comfortable options. “A bride can wear chappals, if she is ok in them.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 25^th,  2011.