WEDDING WELLNESS: Building Bridal Confidence

Welcome to the second post of my Wedding Wellness series!! Ahh!

In this edition, I had the honour of sitting down with the incredible Klaudia of Style My Confidence who founded her own personal stylist business not just from her love for fashion but from something a little more complex… self-worth!

This topic is VERY close to my heart and something I feel incredibly passionate about. What with the constant pressures that we internally put on ourselves, to that that comes from the evergrowing world of social media, let alone when you are about to be the centre of attention and front and centre stage of one of the most special and important times of your lives… I am sure we can all agree it’s A LOT!

From chatting about the surface-level pressures of weddings to boosting self-worth building beautiful bridal wardrobes and feeling your best possible self, we talk about it all!

& I really do hope even if this post can help just one beautiful bride build their confidence a tiny bit during the journey of preparing for your big day I will feel very, very happy! That’s truly the main aim of my Wedding Wellness series – to help you all feel your BEST possible self on and during this very special chapter of your life!!

Take a read and if you have any further questions, or even perhaps book a call with the sweet soul that is Klaudia, please contact her here.

Q&A:

1. What do you believe can help the most with bridal confidence? Particularly when it comes to the pressure of ‘looking’ the best on your special day…

“A great question – and the answer is all about trusting yourself. Sounds easier than it actually is, right?!

Psychologically speaking, our confidence is built on the basis of security in our own capabilities. So, take the time to learn more about who you are and your genuine preferences, long before you seek a distant aunt’s opinion on her menu choice or read about the latest trends. 

Build self-awareness. Perhaps sounds a little cliche – garments are supposed to work for us, not the other way around. Find your best colour palette, body type and what styles flatter your silhouette, I promise you’ll feel uplifted when you try on looks you love as a result. Learning what suits your body shape has more longevity and well-being value than counting calories. Invest in professional styling advice or a colour analysis- you won’t regret it. 

Finally, define what ‘looking best’ means to you and why. Make a list. Make your wedding-related goals realistic and achievable (your brain will thank you for this during a stressful time, achieving goals naturally boosts our confidence). Analyse and distinguish whether something is a good intention for yourself, or simply what you’ve seen on social media/someone else. Remember how unique we all are! This is the less glamorous part – coming face to face with yourself can be tricky – yet it’s the most basic foundation to building self-trust and confidence. 

Your confidence isn’t floating around somewhere waiting to be found – it’s down to you to create yourself as the person you wish to be.”

2. What tips do you have for brides who want to enhance their personal style while staying true to themselves on their wedding day?

“Start with a moodboard. Regardless of where you are on a self-confidence or style journey, there will always be colours, styles and pieces you naturally gravitate to. Continue adding to it as and when you feel inspired.

Look to varied mediums for inspiration. Film, literature, music. Tap into all the things you love, then explore something new. Engage all your senses too – indulge in a variety of scents, touch an array of fabrics and textures. See what your body and mind respond to naturally – inspiration comes from a feast of the senses beyond just our eyes! 

Avoid mainstream trends. Unless they’re something you can make work with your own style personality, popular trends are a hindrance in staying true to yourself. Trends actually tend to be created by those who are unapologetically themselves – it catches on!

Throughout any creative process, check in with yourself – do you LOVE this? Or are you choosing it because you think others love it?

Dare to be different – it’s your special day, this is your chance to be as eccentric as you please!”

3. Obviously THE dress is always such a big purchase! Do you have by advice when it comes to dress shopping?

“Ouu, probably too much advice ha! But I’ll try keep it brief..

My key piece of advice is around who you bring along to your appointments rather than the dress itself.

Invite those who understand you and your style, who would give you advice based on what suits YOU and what they love for YOU. If possible, try keep your entourage at bridal appointments small.

This point also taps into all other questions – and that’s to stop asking around for opinions. Whilst constructive advice from someone trusted can help, asking for too many opinions is a hindrance to your own judgement and sense of self-autonomy.  

A wedding dress is a significant investment – make sure you adore yours. It’s perfectly okay to think about it, to try on a few more styles elsewhere. Many ateliers offer bespoke services – I designed my own dress myself knowing that my perfect gown only existed inside my head!”

4. Do you have any advice for brides who may feel overwhelmed by societal beauty standards during the wedding planning process?

“I really understand this. For a start, I’m from a cultural background with many expectations of a woman’s self-image.. Societal standards are tough.

Remember no one can ever be you and vice versa, you can never be someone else. Wouldn’t it be awful if we were all identical.. well for a start, weddings would be much more dramatic than they can be already!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and so everyone views it differently regardless. 

How you carry yourself and treat yourself and others are values to draw extra focus to, I love the French concept of je nais se quois- your appealing qualities aren’t always ones you can so easily define.

Would you speak to your daughter, sister, friend, the way you do to yourself? Would you put the same beauty related pressures on them, as you do on yourself? If you’re not happy with the answer.. engage with more positive talk with who’s looking back at your in the mirror.”

5. What are some small daily practices brides can adopt to boost their self-esteem and project confidence leading up to their wedding?

“Physical and mental wellness go hand in hand, it’s impossible to have one without the other- consider what that means to you.

Make time for ACTUAL self-care – something that makes you feel positive and more sophisticated every day, yet something achievable that gives your nervous system a break from adrenaline. Even as simple as a facial massage, or a manicure. 

Keep your wardrobe / dressing room tidy – take an extra couple of minutes to put things away instantly instead of allowing a build-up of clothes (enter, ’the chair’), thus preventing unnecessary stress.

Find a space in your home for all things wedding-related – your shoes, accessories and scrapbooks, if you’re that way out! The sentiment of keeping all those pieces of happiness together will help you feel joyful and organised. It’ll also make it easier to identify if there’s anything you’re missing.

Check-in with yourself and if something doesn’t make you feel good, whether that’s an outfit or a part of your planning process – listen to your gut. We often fear changing our minds more than we should! 

Always make note of your ideas, however small. You may be out and about and spot a fabric you love.. take a picture and save it for later! All those small details collide to form the bigger picture.”

6. How can brides build out their bridal wardrobe and do you have a list of the events they need to consider in the whole wedding era?

“As a stylist, I LOVE helping my clients with their bridal looks. 

There’s no better time for a professionally put-together lookbook than when you’re busy planning your wedding – a virtual bridal wardrobe in one place and fully personalised to you! 

From multi-day celebrations and welcome events to conducting symbolic and legal ceremonies across different locations, many modern weddings are no longer single-day affairs. These events pave the way to so much bridal creative freedom and fun with looks – for example a well-tailored suit looks elegant at a courthouse, followed by a mesmerising silk gown centre stage at a symbolic Italian celebration.

Other events to consider are your engagement party, bachelorette and/or a bridal shower. My top tip would be to have fun with colours other than white throughout these events. I chose a teal feather gown for my engagement party that people still mention to this day!”

To celebrate my wedding wellness blog, I am now offering planning and pilates where we would meet and do a pilates class together (or via Zoom!) and also do some power planning together! To book a pilates and power planning session, please fill in a form or email alicia@aliciamarieweddings.co.uk together! To book a pilates and power planning session, please fill in a form or email alicia@aliciamarieweddings.co.uk