Preparing for the wedding of your dreams is no joke, and large amounts of stress from wedding planning (especially in the middle of the train wreck that is 2020) can seriously take a toll on your mental health. Taking the time to treat yourself, no matter what that looks like for you, means that you will look and feel your best – and self care is so crucial to support mental health. We put together some wedding self care tips to help you remember to keep your own needs at the top of the priority list! Check out these luxurious and relaxation-focused Oklahoma beauty vendors and salons where you can be sure to treat yourself before your big day makes you feel like a big ball of stress. Read on to plan a spa day perfect for any bride-to-be!

Tousled Locks

Photo // Stag & Doe

Having someone else tame your mane is one of the most relaxing ways to treat yourself. Cute curls, beautiful braids, whimsical waves and so many more options await you, so have fun with it! You can even allow yourself to drift off into a little power nap while your hairstylist makes the magic happen (we promise we won’t tell).

Tease to Please Hair & Makeup – Becky called and she wants her good hair back! Whether you opt for a dreamy down-style or unique updo, the team at Tease to Please can do it all! Add a boho braid in for some extra fun and you will be feeling like a beautiful bride in no time. Plus, use your appointment to get inspiration and ideas for your wedding hair! Talk with any artist to determine what hairstyle will best suit your wedding gown’s neckline as well as your unique wedding style.

Muse Beauty Bar – The team at Muse Beauty Bar will take care of all your hair needs! Pop in for a pick-me-up blowout for gorgeous hair without ever lifting a finger or opt for a blowout and style for a little something extra! Let Muse take care of your lashes while you’re there – one less thing to worry about! You’ll be able to have gorgeous, full lashes without the daily maintenance. Self care savvy!

Stag & Doe – The team at Stag & Doe says their goal is for you to be empowered when you walk out of the salon with the knowledge and products for you to maintain the best version of yourself every day. They create the stuff of hair goal dreams through the use of high-quality, eco-friendly, cruelty-free options to enhance your own brand of beautiful.

Glowy Skin

Photo // Carolyn F. Beauty

Facials, chemical peels and microdermabrasion can rejuvenate and freshen up your look before the big day! If your skin concerns require addressing sun damage, hyperpigmentation, rosacea, redness, or broken capillaries, then one of these services may be meant for you – they’re all focused on the preservation of healthy skin cells and protection and minimizing the visible signs of photodamaged skin.

Carolyn F. Beauty – Let Carolyn give you the facial of a lifetime so you’re as relaxed and glowing as possible! Focused on pure beauty in a tranquil environment, Carolyn offers an array of signature services to pamper and prep, and more targeted treatments like microdermabrasion and chemical peels.

Profile Beauty Nook – Check out the cutest beauty nook around and try out their variety of facials to relax and treat yourself! Their services have reviews as glowing as your skin will be, so book now and get wedding-ready in the process! Plus, Profile offers waxing and spray tanning services so from your head to your toes, you’ll be feeling your absolute best!

Salon Service

Photo // M Salon

Makeup takes so many forms in this day and age but one thing that will never change about it is how good it feels to put it on and look absolutely bomb! A makeover can change your life, and your whole attitude – just ask Mia Thermopolis, Princess of Genovia.

Royal Oak Salon & Spa – Royal Oak proudly provides timeless, custom makeup for the glam look of your dreams! Allow a member of their detail-oriented team of professional artists to bring your personal makeup vision to life while performing at the highest level of sanitation!

M Salon – Head to M Salon for a gorgeous, glowing makeover – whether you have an event to head to afterward or not, a little sprucing up can make any bride-to-be feel brand new! 

Do-It-Yourself TLC

In the middle of a seemingly never-ending pandemic, it may be harder than usual to make some of these things happen. Everybody needs a little TLC so just know, we got you anyway! DIY self care at home has the potential to be even more rewarding and fun than treating yourself out and about because whether you’re painting your own toes or practicing mindful meditation, you are still getting to de-stress and spend relaxing and fulfilling time with your self, as well as your significant other. And that’s what your wedding is all about anyway! Shop our favorite beauty finds here!

Looking for even more Oklahoma health and beauty experts? Find some of the best in the business here! Cheers!

Name one thing more stressful than planning a wedding during a global pandemic… we’ll wait. But in all seriousness, wedding planning can be tough no matter the month or year, and the mental stress can make what’s supposed to be the happiest time in your life a bit overwhelming. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Week (October 4-10, 2020), we’ve created a guide to support all our couples who are tackling the endeavor. We’re kicking off a week of helpful topics with our list of how to ease the stress of wedding planning. Read on for our tips!

Photo // Allison Mims Photography

1. Hire a Wedding Planner

While this is likely the least surprising suggestion on our list, we can’t deny the benefits of hiring a wedding planner! Beyond managing set-up and design of the wedding day, wedding planners go far beyond to offer couples additional support with tasks including managing your budget, keeping you on track with the planning timeline and managing proposals and legal contracts. They are also problem solving PROS, and are ultimately the men and women behind the scenes taking care of any little wedding day hiccups that come along so you are blissfully ignorant.

2. Delegate Tasks

Regardless of if you hire a wedding planner or not, do not be afraid to delegate tasks both leading up to and on the big day. Your friends and family are excited to celebrate you, and believe it or not, want to help you on your wedding day. Ask your bridesmaids to attend meetings when your spouse-to-be is unavailable, or have an envelope-stuffing party with your favorite people to get those invites out the door faster. Some wedding day tasks you may not have thought to delegate are:

• Have someone in charge of getting food to any wedding party member or family member on location over meals before the wedding begins
• Assign one person the task of getting your bags/stuff into your getaway car
• Give a friend your phone to answer any calls from guests (i.e. getting lost, etc.) so you’re not distracted while getting ready
• If you’re planting signage or balloons to direct your guests, ask a guest with a car to set it out at the beginning of the day

3. Invest in a Physical Planner

We’re talking about the other kind of planner – an agenda! This might seem old-school, but having one single place to keep track of your planning notes, meeting times and deadlines will prove so crucial! We suggest investing in a planner with lined space outside of the calendar to take notes and pockets to collect receipts and paperwork from vendors. If you’re more of a digital planner, make sure you’re taking advantage or an app or site that can collect ALL the details and dates – we love the Google apps and Microsoft OneNote – bonus points if you can connect your spouse-to-be!

4. Take Time for You (and your Partner)

While it may sound cheesy, your wedding day truly is all about you and your partner. Nothing can be more stress relieving that making space for yourselves. Carve out time for date night (yes, add it to the calendar in advance!) and schedule non-planning or non-wedding talk times just like you would social-free times. And we’d be remiss if we didn’t suggest a little “me time” for yourself. Book monthly facials or massages or plan regular brunch dates with your girlfriends – whatever gets you relaxed and gives you a mental break from wedding planning.

5. Keep Your Inspo Organized

We can’t imagine needing to encourage and bride or groom planning to save their wedding inspo… if you’re anything like us, you were saving ideas long before a proposal (wink wink). But it is important to keep your inspiration organized. Whether you prefer using Pinterest boards or Instagram collections, having one location to house all your wedding inspo with be a live saver as you begin to meet with wedding vendors. Go one step further and create boards inside boards (a file system, if you will) for the different wedding elements – flowers, cake, altar, etc. Have any vendors who need access to your inspiration? Create a shared Pinterest board for your planner or florist to access as they design your day.

6. Get Your Fiancé Involved in the Planning

Definitely DO get your fiancé involved in the wedding planning. They’ve got your back from here on out, and likely don’t want to see you stress out over the planning as much as you don’t want to! Get an idea of what they want from the wedding day (whether it be having a certain treat on the dessert bar or what the reception vibe will be) early on and let them assist in those to-dos OR give them one role to focus on, whichever is best for their personality. And remember, inviting your guy/gal to the most important meetings and including him/her in decisions is key to reminding them this day is BOTH of yours, not just the bride’s.

If you’ve got a partner who’s not into the wedding planning, read our guide for how to get your significant other involved in the process for ideas they will actually be on board with! Planning with an apathetic fiancé can be tough, but it’s also the perfect opportunity to get your mom or best girl friends in on all the fun.

Stay tuned for more mental health positive posts this week!

With your wedding day right around the corner, you may be wanting to up your fitness game. And we don’t blame you! Getting into a beauty and fitness routine is more than looking your best for your wedding day, but FEELING your best, too, which is why we’ve rounded up our very favorite pre-wedding workout essentials for you to nab. Pack your water bottle and athleisure tank and head to a class at one of our favorite local fitness studios or purchase your own gear for your “workOUT from home” space. How ever you choose to get up and moving, we’ve got some tips, tricks and products to get you to your goals – Read on!

1. Yoga Mat | 2. Dumbbell Rack | 3. Bride Workout Tank | 4. Bluetooth Earbuds | 5. Digital Scale | 6. Hydro Flask Water Bottle | 7. Apple Watch Series 5 | 8. Resistance Bands

Brides of Oklahoma powered by Wed Society is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associations Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Yoga Mat

Pilates and yoga are great ways to refresh your mind and work your body. This yoga mat is perfect for getting that bridal body. This mat is designed with high cushioning and resilience as well as an amazing non-slip texture to keep your mat in place as your moving and grooving. Also, the built-in carrying strap is great for on-the-go brides who like to take their workout to a gym, a park, or even the beach. Get stretching ladies!

Dumbell Rack

To all our brides opting to work out at home rather than at the gym, hand weights are the first ticket item to include in your “home gym.” This dumbbell rack from IMFUN is perfect for organizing your weights and is compact enough to be tucked away in small spaces. The innovative tree design is sturdy enough to hold up to 30-pounds, and thanks to the vibrant color-ed design, it is also chic to decorate your space.

Bride Workout Tank

Who says you can’t look cute while working out? We say 100% you can! We found this adorable “Sweating for the Wedding” tank  that will keep you motivated and looking cute as you get ready for your big day! This cotton tank comes in nine colors ranging from hot pink to more neutral shades like black and grey. It’s lightweight, flowy and breathable allowing brides to conquer any workout routine in mind. Also, grab one for your fiancé because they offer this great find for men, too!

Bluetooth Earbuds

Music is essential for motivating your pre-wedding workouts and we have you covered. These bluetooth earbuds are just the thing a bride needs to listen to her bridal boot camp playlist. These earbuds offer high fidelity sound, a long battery life, ergonomic design to ensure a snug and comfortable fit, and water-resistant protection. Their compact design is great for throwing in your bag and keeping in your pocket during your workouts!

Digital Scale

Part of any fitness program involves monitoring your progress to gauge how you are meeting your goals. This digital scale guarantees accurate digital weight readings that are clear and not confusing. The long tempered glass design is great more keeping your space elevated and chic. Also, the scale’s lifetime lithium batteries are amazing because you won’t have to worry about changing batteries in the future.

Stylish Water Bottle

You can’t workout without having a water bottle to keep you hydrated along the way! Our go-to for style AND function is this sleek white Hydro Flask water bottle. This water bottle is the best because it keeps your water cold up to 24 hours and is BPA and phthalate-free. Its pure pour opening makes it easy to refill and refuel without the worry of spills. Additionally, it comes in a variety of colors that are perfect for any bridal style. Stay hydrated!

Apple Watch Series 5

Brides, if you are looking for a pre-wedding workout investment, this is the product for you! The Apple Watch Series 5 in gold with a pink sand sport band is swoon-worthy for any bride. This watch is great for tracking your workouts, monitoring your heart rate, and the GPS capability is great for you adventurous brides who like to take their training outdoors. If you like swimming, no problem since this watch is waterproof and swim-proof, too!

Resistance Bands

There are so many options when it comes to your pre-wedding workout plan, and resistance training is a great alternative to cardio. These resistance training bands are great for our “workOUT from home” brides. The built-in grippy fabric is engineered to stay in place while working your legs and booty. This set also comes with different bands for different resistance levels to meet you where you are at in your fitness journey. The light, medium and heavy bands provide all levels of intensity to help your build strength for the big day!

Now that you’ve got your fitness tools, book a class at any of our favorite local fitness studios: Pure Barre Edmond, Pure Barre Tulsa Midtown, FITT Fitness Studio, Club Pilates Edmond or Club Pilates Nichols Hills.