Postwedding Depression Advice

by YourTango 0

We're happy to present this post from one of our favorite sites, YourTango. After the big day is over, lots of brides face a letdown. So what's a girl to do?

Can you think back to when you were a little kid and you waited for a really long time for something special? Maybe it was Christmas or your birthday or a special trip you were going on with your family. You spent lots and lots of time thinking about it and what it would be like. Finally, the big day comes, and you are so excited. But then it ends, and you feel disappointed. As the saying goes, "All good things must come to an end."

For many gals, the same holds true for their wedding day. Since you were a small girl, you dream about what this day will be like. What your dress will look like, what types of flowers you will have, what type of music there will be, what the cake will look like, and what kind of place you will be married in. The list goes on and on.

When in fact you do have to plan for your wedding day, there are endless details. Even though this is a wonderful, positive event, it is also fraught with stress. You want it to be absolutely perfect — the day you've dreamed about all your life! Hopefully, the actual day will go off without a hitch, or at least, none the guests will notice. My own daughter recently got married. I advised her that, though we knew all the details, the guests didn't. So if something wasn’t exactly right, we were better off letting it go and just enjoying ourselves.

For some, the party continues with a postwedding brunch or luncheon. However, eventually the celebration does end. With that ending comes the possibility of "postwedding blues" setting in. After all, with so much time and energy and focus being put on this one event, when it's over, there's a letdown. The same would be true after any stressful situation.

This not only involves the bride, but those closely involved (parents, in-laws, etc.) in planning the wedding. I, myself, for a short time, experienced it by feeling less motivated to do anything and somewhat lacking in interest in other activities. So are there things you can do to avoid "postwedding blues?" Yes! Here are some ideas:

1. Remember that your marriage is bigger than the day. Don't necessarily make your wedding day the be-all and end-all. Though you want the day to be a wonderful one, keep in mind that it's a celebration of the marriage of the two of you. So keep the proper perspective on what the day means.

2. Keep proper focus. As a relationship expert, it's my sincere wish that more couples would put the same amount of focus on understanding what is needed to make their relationships work as they do on making their wedding celebration a festive one. When your relationship is the main focus, this will help you not feel so blue afterward.

For three more tips, head to YourTango: Five Tips to Managing Your Bridal Blues

Check out more great stories from YourTango:

• How Wedding Fever Can Ruin Your Relationship
• Six Legit Reasons to Call Off Your Wedding
• I Love You: 15 Ways Guys Say It Without Saying It