Planning a wedding can be a very stressful event, and if you have arthritis, you have more to think about than your average bride or groom!
Looking back on my own wedding from almost ten years ago, here are 6 tips that helped me have the best time possible despite my arthritis on my wedding day:
๐ง๐ถ๐ฝ ๐ญ: Choose your dress carefully.
I originally chose a heavy, beaded gown but when I tried it on in my size, I realized it was still too heavy to be comfortable for the whole day. I ended up reselling it and getting a much lighter one! Most people with chronic pain find it’s helpful to choose lightweight, comfortable dress that will not put extra stress on your shoulders, hips, knees or feet!ย
๐ง๐ถ๐ฝ ๐ฎ: Choose your ring carefully
Get a slightly large ring or an adjustable ring. Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming post and video about this topic, because there are a variety of designs that allow for swelling without fear of cutting off circulation or getting your ring stuck!
๐ง๐ถ๐ฝ ๐ฏ: Bring multiple changes of shoes
I had 4 pairs of shoes for my own wedding in 2012.
- One was a pair of gorgeous purple high heels for pictures, which matched those of my bridesmaids.
- Then I had wide low white heels for the ceremony (these were “ballroom dance” shoes so designed to be comfortable despite the low heel).
- I also had a pair of flat white keds for the majority of the reception
- Lastly, I had sparkly “Toms” shoes for the dancing part of the reception!
๐ง๐ถ๐ฝ ๐ฐ: Delegate to minimize stress
Delegate to your support team! This is a good tip even without arthritis, but when you have a chronically painful condition, you have to remember to let others pick up some of the slack so you’re not stuck doing everything. Delegating is key to minimizing stress on the day of, and we all know that stress can promote inflammation and rheumatic disease flare ups!
๐ง๐ถ๐ฝ ๐ฑ: Use pain tools proactively
Use your Pain Tools before the big day (heat packs, meds, etc). This is a bit of a no brainer, but remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
๐ง๐ถ๐ฝ ๐ฒ: Stay present
Stay Present + ENJOY when the big day comes! This is easier said than done, but so important for this once in a lifetime event.
What did I miss? Would love to hear your arthritis-friendly wedding stories.
