The 2018 bride wellness guide

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With wedding season just around the corner, and the most indulgent months now behind us, we’re all craving some serious detoxification. Whether you’re finishing up the final touches for an early Spring wedding, or still in the dreaming phases of planning your big day next year, these intriguing new lifestyle trends will have you feeling inspired, motivated and even excited to kick-start your pre-wedding wellness regimen.

Trend One – Unplugged Weddings

The art of being ‘in the now’ is increasingly becoming the new way to enjoy a fulfilling and wholesome way of life. Wi-Fi free weddings are now becoming increasing in popularity. Technology that was created to bring us all closer together has in recent days had the opposite effect. Switching off is now a way to help us reconnect, inspire IRL (in real life) conversation and discourage the anti-social behaviour that social media and tech can generate.

New brides are opting for an “unplugged” wedding ceremony and reception. Unplugged weddings ask that guests be completely present with the couple on their special day by eliminating the use of smartphones for anything other than emergencies.

Leaving your wedding photographs in the hands of a professional will ensure you have full control of the memories captured on your big day and create an element of exclusivity for your ceremony.

Adding photo booths and handing out disposable cameras for the reception, that can be returned at the end of the day, will allow guests to capture their intimate memories of the wedding without the distraction of social media.

Trend Two – Track Your Cycle

Gone are the days of the unexpected period, you can now track your cycle through various handy apps such as MyFLO, Monthly Gift, and NextgenJane. There are many benefits to getting up close and personal with your cycle. With the help of a tracker, staying in sync with your period can improve your overall wellness and help you avoid setting your wedding date during menstruation.

You no longer have to play the guessing game when trying for a baby. A tracker can aid as a hormone-free birth control or help you hit the sweet spot to getting pregnant. It can also help improve productivity; It’s important to pay attention to your bodies needs to avoid painful, emotionally draining periods. If you’re feeling bloated and under the weather during your monthly cycle then it’s likely that your hormones are on the fritz and you need to focus on what nutrients you’re putting in your body.

Trend Three – Hygge Style Home

Newlyweds will take on a whole new perspective when decorating their new home. Rather than just aesthetics, we will see a rise in spa and yoga studio inspired décor. Succulents, Himalayan salt lamps and walls adorned with crystals are boasting stress-relieving benefits. The Danish concept of Hygge or Scandinavian Cosiness is entering homes across the globe. Taking the time to appreciate the little pleasures in life like enjoying a cup of tea, reading a book or spending an evening in front of the fire is creating an emphasis on making our homes a sacred space.

Trend Four – Toxic-Free Make-Up

Wellness and clean living are at the forefront of our lifestyle choices now more than ever before. The desire to be an au naturel bride is on the rise, and it’s going beyond aesthetics. As the demand for clean make-up grows, brands are jumping on the bandwagon to cater to the new health-conscious consumer. Skincare and beauty products are being singled out and criticised for using toxic substances such as silicones, parabens, and sulphates, which is making way for a new revolutionary trend in beauty product ingredients.

Trend Five – Lunar Love

Most of us know our zodiac sign, otherwise known as our sun sign, which we often read in the daily paper, but this year we will be paying close attention to our Moon sign which reflects our emotions and mood.

On January 1st, we saw the years first supermoon – nicknamed the wolf moon – which is when the moon appears bigger and brighter in the sky. Ironically 2018 will be a big year for the Lunar cycle with a focus on planning activities around moon phases. Meditative rituals will be used to harness astrological energy to promote positivity. Wedding planning can bring many challenges both personally and in your relationship, paying attention to your emotional state can be beneficial in avoiding periods of depression or conflicts with your partner.

Trend Six – The Importance of Me-Time

Drop your phone, close your laptop and take an evening to shut off from the 24/7 rush that is the modern-day lifestyle. Getting engaged and planning a wedding can be an overwhelming and life-consuming project that can add even more to your already hectic daily routine. A time that is meant to signify a celebration of love can quickly instill feelings of panic and disappointment.

It’s easy to push your needs to the very end of your to-do list in place of finding a caterer or putting your guest list together, however taking time out of the day for yourself will give your mind and body the energy it needs to get through the stresses of the day.

Trend Seven – Finesse your physique at home

With the accessibility of high tech gadgets on the rise, we will see a spike in the at-home workout trend. This year, we will see more apps and big fitness brands bring out products to enhance the calibre of working out in the comfort of your own home with advanced technology. Save time and money signing up for classes and making the journey to a brick and mortar gym. Apps that live stream effective and engaging workout classes directly to your phone, such as Apativ and Keelo, are the new way to burn off those extra stubborn pounds before your wedding day.

Trend Eight – New Age Skincare

In our growing technological world, our skin is exposed to a myriad of pollutants. We often relate skin damage to UV and UVB rays, however, what we don’t realise is that the light emitted from our smartphones can be just as damaging.

It’s important to be mindful of the hours we spend in front of our computer screens, scrolling through Pinterest in search of our ideal wedding theme. This photo light, known as High Energy Visible light (HEV) and infrared light (IR), can lead to redness, dehydrated skin and premature aging from the blue-violet and invisible rays emitted.

Fortunately, in 2018 we will start to see the skincare and beauty industry address this new and growing wellness concern. Instead of skincare that strips away layers of skin, brands will be creating products that help build up our natural defences to combat the stresses and imbalances caused by our ever-changing environment.

Trend Nine – Perfect Your Beauty sleep

We all know the importance of getting a good night’s rest, but the quality of your sleep can be the difference between a good day and a bad day. Through high-tech apps to monitor REM, as well as optimise temperature and track sleeping patterns, we can now make improvements to ensure we are getting the best night’s sleep. Just as you optimise the time in your day towards planning your wedding, you need to be just as efficient in making sure your 8 hours of sleep count. Smart home technology created specifically for the bedroom may be the answer to waking up refreshed and full of energy on your big day.

Trend Ten – Moringa, The New Superfood

In the last two years, the unlikely rise of turmeric root had cafés from London to New York spicing up their menus with Turmeric latte’s, otherwise known as ‘Golden milk.’ This nutritious drink was all the rage and boasting a range of health benefits, namely as an anti-inflammatory.

This year, there’s a new superfood in town, coined as the as the ‘world’s most useful tree.’ The Moringa tree from south of the equator has been used in many cultures for thousands of years. The buzz around this new superfood comes from its many health benefits that trump the anti-inflammatory aid of Turmeric toot. According to studies, Moringa “contains more Vitamin A than carrots, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach, more Vitamin C than oranges, and more potassium than bananas.”

This year, you can expect to see Moringa in everything from juices to nutrition bars and even in beauty products. Serving as a beneficial conditioner, it can moisturise the scalp, strengthen your roots and stimulate hair growth. As for adding it to your skin care regimen, moringa extracts detoxify and hydrate skin, helping to prevent wrinkles and slow down aging. Moringa seed oil can be a beneficial addition to your regimen and just might help you get those luscious looking locks and glowing skin ready in time for your wedding day.

So, whether it’s losing those stubborn extra pounds before your big day, learning to be more mindful or just improving your overall health and wellness, 2018 has some exciting new lifestyle trends on the horizon that will help you transform into a glowing bride on the both inside and out.