How to stay energized throughout your wedding day

Remembering to eat well and drink plenty of fluids can help couples stay energized throughout their wedding days.

A couple's wedding day is the culmination of months and months of planning. For most, it is one of the most memorable, magical days of their lives, filled with fond moments of time spent with close friends and family.

As enjoyable as a wedding can be, most brides and grooms who have already tied the knot can attest that a wedding is a long, often tiring day. It is very easy for energy levels to wane. To ensure you have enough energy to last through to the final good-bye of the evening, follow these suggestions to remain energized.

* Recognize your wedding day is a very long day. It's possible to rise quite early in the morning to begin prepping with makeup, hair styles, wardrobe and more. If the party is an evening reception, it could last until the wee hours of the morning. You may find yourself up for nearly 24 hours, when the cameras will be flashing and the video rolling throughout. Naturally, you'll want to look your best throughout.

* Get a good night's sleep the night before. Get to bed early the night before so you will get ample sleep and look rested. It is understandable that nerves and excitement may get the best of you and make it difficult to fall asleep. If you often grow anxious and struggle to fall asleep before big events, talk to your doctor prior to the wedding to ask if you can be prescribed a one-time-only sleeping pill that will ensure you get to sleep promptly. Do not take this medication with alcohol, and be sure to take it only if you can get a full 7 to 8 hours of sleep. Otherwise you may experience medicine hangover.

* Enjoy a hearty breakfast. At breakfast on the morning of your wedding, consume a combination of carbohydrates and protein. The carbs will provide the initial burst of energy you need to get going, and the protein will keep you feeling full. A combination of whole wheat toast, fresh fruit and Greek yogurt makes for a filling start to the day.

* Stay hydrated. Although drinking a lot of water can result in more frequent trips to the bathroom -- which can be cumbersome for brides wearing their gowns -- it is essential to stay hydrated. Dehydration can result in headaches, weakness and dizziness and may make you feel cranky. Be sure to consume water throughout the day.

* Pack some snacks. The time between breakfast and the cocktail hour of a wedding may be significant. In your wedding "survival" kit, be sure to pack some easy snacks to eat. Trail mix can be nibbled for a boost of energy, and a banana can take the edge off of hunger pangs. Avoid anything messy that can drip onto clothing or get stuck in your teeth. Arrange to have snacks stowed in the limousine or another mode of transportation so that you can refuel on the way to the ceremony or in transit to the reception.

* Don't overdo it with caffeine. It may be tempting to lean on an energy drink or a super-size cup of coffee to give you the boost you need. But caffeine is only a temporary fix. After the effects of the caffeine wear off, you could find yourself more tired than before and crash at an inopportune time during the day. Instead, a brisk walk outdoors may recharge your batteries. Afterward, time spent on the dance floor enjoying the reception will likely stimulate some adrenaline to keep you going.

* Eat dinner. When family is beckoning and the photographer needs to get yet another pose, it is easy to skip dinner. Be firm with your decision to enjoy your meal. After all, you paid for it and it should not go to waste. Besides, sitting down to dinner enables you to rest and absorb the atmosphere of the wedding.

* Continue to drink plenty of water throughout the night. Alcoholic beverages may be flowing, but too many spirits can compromise your energy levels. Be sure to balance the booze with hydrating fluids, such as water or juice.

Weddings take up the entire day, and it can be easy to succumb to a lack of energy as the day progresses. But by heeding a few tips, it's possible to remain in top form throughout the entire wedding day.

          

Disc Jockeys  |  Emcees  |  Entertainers

www.alexxus.com  |  563-590-5815

Dubuque / Galena

The Difference

Why I Hired a Professional
Same Wedding. Same Moment. Same lighting. Same Editing Programs. Same Camera!
These pictures were shot feet apart at almost the same exact moment with identical cameras and very similar lenses.
Why the big difference?
The one on the left was shot by a photographer with hours and hours of experience, thorough camera knowledge and solid photography training.

the one on the right was shot by your friend . . . with a great camera.

______________________________________________________

I'd like to follow up our guest blog from NYC photographer G.E. Masana with a few comments of my own. Above is a photo I came across on Facebook, and I cannot tell you how true it rings. Last September my website designer - who is a also a Professional photographer - and I attended the National Association of Wedding Professionals Fall meeting in Madison, WI. The featured speaker was nationally known wedding marketing expert Rick Brewer. During his presentation he commented that no one has taken it in the shorts in the digital age more so than the photography industry. It seems anyone who has a Best Buy credit card, access to a computer and can go to Vista Print and get 250 free business cards can instantly qualify themselves as a 'professional' photographer.

Let me make this point though - and this comes from someone with 20+ years experience in the wedding industry:

They're not the same.
They're not the same.
They're not the same.

Last year after our first 30 weddings we worked with 27 different photographers, many of them who you could tell were making their first trip to the rodeo. We encountered:

• A bride and groom who went behind the cake for that cake cutting moment, only to discover that there was no knife and server. It was actually in front of the cake in plain site of the photographer but she just stood there, not knowing what to do. The bride and groom just stood there, unsure themselves. Finally,  after what seemed to be a long awkward moment of confusion, I grabbed  my microphone to let them know where the knife/server were but a guest realized the dilemma and fetched the utensils for the newlyweds.
• A photographer who was fortunate enough to get seated right at the edge of the dance floor for dinner, and then when those first dances came up she just swung around and took pictures of the historic moment right from her chair. She never even got up!
• Then there was the guy we had to go fetch from outside when we needed him. Apparently he was too busy smoking and schmoozing with the bridesmaids. He was also the guy who ran over to the buffet to be the first in line.
• And finally the 'professional' photographer who announced to me that we had to do all of the wedding traditions right away because she did not have a car and her husband was picking her up at 8pm.

I could go on, but if that is not enough to convince you that a professional photographer is worth the extra $$ look again at the picture up above. Which one evokes an emotion you want to leave your family, friends and future children with? If this is your second (or more) wedding than I can understand being a bit more conservative with expenditures. But if this is your one-and-only wedding, wouldn't you want keepsake memories that you can be proud of for years and years to come?

end of rant

Until next time,

~ Mike ~

More Quotes

I just spent a few days in Minneapolis at the DJ Conclave 2.0 produced by John Young and the Disc Jockey News. Besides the great information I picked up I also got some great sound bites, and although they are not from famous celebrities or public figures like those quotes that I had posted in an earlier blog, I found them inspirational and humorous none the less:

· “You want them to get that you care.”

· “If you don’t have anything to say—don’t say anything.”

· “We had a memory coach here last year. Ironically I can’t remember his name!”

· “If you’re getting nowhere with your e-mail, do something different.”

· “We have to get people to dance! We have to get white people to dance!!”

· “Wealth is not what you make, it’s what you keep.”

· “It’s not about what you do the best—it’s about what they want the most.”

· “We sell happiness.”

· “Telling someone they’re not your ideal client is like breaking up with your girlfriend. It’s not easy.”

· “Being the best is not a destination—it’s a journey.”

· “Don’t be noise, be purposeful.”

Until next time . . .
~ Mike ~