New bride Aimen Khan speaks openly and shares her life-changing tips for the winter bride
Stay warm
Feeling comfortable is a crucial part of enjoying yourself as a bride. This is particularly true for the winter bride: shivering and (literal) cold feet will take away from all the fun! There are lots of easy ways to keep warm without killing your look: Wear tights underneath your lehnga. If your feet don’t show, put on a pair of socks. Have a cozy shawl in the car that you can wrap around yourself before and after the event. And you could always invest in a velvet jora!
Keep snacking and stay hydrated
The most practical and revolutionary advice I got before my wedding was to eat frequently throughout the day and stay hydrated. In the days leading up to your wedding-more often than not-you’re going to be stressed, jittery, and anxious. The discomfort of these feelings is heightened when you’re dehydrated and on an empty stomach. So keep a bag full of your favorite comfort food with you at all times: nuts, granola bars, fruit, chips, chocolate, juice boxes, and of course, water. Keep snacking and drink lots of water during your dance practices, make up appointments and wedding events!
Check the weather forecast
The cold weather is bad enough as it is; you don’t want your wedding day getting ruined by rain or zero visibility fog. The Pakistan Meteorological Department will be your saving grace. Use their website or save their number to get precise weather updates. I called them at least 500 times before my event and they were always very kind and helpful.
https://www.pmd.gov.pk/en/
Have someone next to you during your make-up appointments
Ask a sibling, cousin or best friend to accompany you to your appointments. I can’t stress how important this is. You definitely don’t want to be alone during the many hours you spend at the salon pre-event. At a practical level, you need a person who can make phone calls for you, hand you a snack or order some food for you, assist you as you put on your outfit, help you figure out a tricky make up decision, or speak up for you when the make up artist just won’t listen (9/10 times, this will happen). And as for your mental health, it’s good to know you’re not alone on one of the most stressful days of your life. You want to feel supported and taken care of, and having someone you can rely on next to you will do just that.
Talk to your therapist
Having frequent sessions with my therapist during the weeks leading up to my wedding was extremely helpful and calming during a time of high stress. You’re going through multiple life-changing transitions at the same time: leaving your family, moving out of your home, and living in a new environment. You’re also simultaneously planning and hosting multiple events and drowning in wedding errands. The best decision you can take for yourself during such a time is prioritizing your mental health. And if you don’t have a therapist, there’s no time like the present to find one!
