IBS and My Wedding Day

I will be getting married, and I can’t wait to marry the love of my life. So far wedding planning has been going well. Nothing dramatic has occurred which is great. Just the normal stressors like guest lists and seating assignments can drive you a bit mad.

But I am lucky, I have the best groom-to-be.  We laugh a lot together and make the experience fun rather than getting caught up in the details that, in the end, won’t matter. We have had plenty of moments where we burst out laughing at the absurdity of it all sometimes. The details of a wedding can be consuming, so our unsaid rule is not to take it so seriously.

Staying symptom-free while dressed in white

However, in my little head, I do have to think about a couple of things that my groom doesn’t—my irritable bowel syndrome. On that special day, I will be dressed in white from head to toe. I have to think about what I will eat. How I will stay hydrated. And the best ways to remain symptom-free during the ceremony.

We will be having a Catholic mass that will be an hour long. And this is the detail that has me slightly anxious. Lately, my symptoms have been under control and only here and there have I had moments of intense urgency. But I would be lying if I said, I haven’t thought about the “what if I get urgency while standing up at the altar” thought.

How I plan to prepare

For one hour, I will be either kneeling or standing up in front of the church. I have to make sure that I am prepared for that hour and in order to prepare, I need to think about what I will eat the day before and the day of.

Here are some ways I will ensure I have a seamless ceremony day:

• Eat safe foods the day before
• Stay hydrated with coconut water
• Make sure I have safe foods for breakfast the day of the wedding
• Have lunch planned out before hand and with appropriate time before ceremony so I can digest it properly
• Have thermos of water with me to stay hydrated throughout the day
• Bring emergency bag that has: baby wipes, underwear, sanitizer. Better safe than sorry.
• Use the restroom before the ceremony begins

I think overall, I need to be smart with how I eat the day before and day of the wedding.  Planning the times I eat as well. A crucial detail is to also use the restroom right before the ceremony. There is a restroom in the church that would be available and I would absolutely use it before the mass. This will give me peace of mind.

Stay calm and relaxed

Remaining calm and relaxed is also key. Thankfully I don’t have nerves about getting married to my groom. But the excitement of the day, and happy adrenaline will definitely be in play, so making sure my bowels remain calm is important.

Overall, I can’t get over-worked with the what if’s. I have to remain positive and envision the day going smoothly, and I think in doing so, things will go great.

How did you deal with IBS on your wedding day?  Any tips you would like to share? Share below, we love to hear from you.