Diary of a Working Married Mother: Take care of these yourself

Weddings! Don’t we all love them! We also know what stress and fatigue they can cause. It is wise, as many people say, to have other people do the hard work, while you and the husband-to-be focus on looking handsome and beautiful on that day. That said, there are a few things that you should not leave to anyone else to do and must be yours and your man’s duties.

Choosing the committee: Unless you have seen them do a good job more than once, do not rely on hearsay about how Mr X will make a great chairman or how Ms Y is good at keeping time. Friends, relatives and future in-laws might insist on deciding who does what on the team. You can gladly give away the secondary roles, but not the primary ones. Sit with your man and discuss who will be in charge of what. Ensure that either both or one of you knows these people well and can do a good job. Let them preferably be from both sides as it might get odd having to trust people you have never met or hardly know doing everything on the big day.

Makeup: We have seen the dullest looking people looking as pretty as flowers the day they say, “I do.” Make up does wonders – only in the right hands. Always do a session a few days before the day. Ask the salon or whoever is dealing with your make up to do some trial sessions before. This way, you are able to play about with colours and shades and pick the one that best suits you way ahead of time.

Honeymoon: Unless your well-intentioned and gracious families insist on taking care of this, do it yourself with your man. If he wants to surprise you, hopefully pleasantly, let him. Otherwise, the two of you should sit and discuss and work on everything. There is nothing as anti-climaxing as having a fabulous wedding, only to find out the next day that cousin gundi did not actually pay for your transport to a nice little haven in Jinja or that uncle so and so booked you on the wrong flight.

Yourselves: You know what you like, what makes you happy and what doesn’t. If you cannot stand massages, do not be forced to go for one. If you want your hair braided and not treated, do it. If he prefers to have his usual barber cut his hair, let him have it that way. Eat, sleep and drink well. You know your bodies better than anyone so treat them well. And have yourselves a lovely wedding.

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