Yoga Poses To Add To Your Bridal Routine

Every little girl dreams of being a bride. For many of us, we have spent countless hours over the years, envisioning our perfect waltz down the aisle. Beautiful gowns, elaborate floral centerpieces, and magical first dances were often heated topics of conversations on the monkeybars or the perfect material for our dolls to rehearse. So it’s only natural, that we want to look and feel our best as our wedding day approaches. One way to make this a reality, is to add yoga to our daily bridal routine to help manage stress, calm our nerves, and tone our bodies.

To help us on this journey to happily ever after, we have created a sequence of whole body poses that target common problem areas so we can wear our dresses with confidence and poise. Besides the obvious health benefits of yoga, we are also de-cluttering our minds from the stress of seating arrangements and invitations so we can focus on what truly matters: our relationships.

7 Yoga Poses To Add To Your Bridal Routine

After starting with a simple warm up, remember, to breathe deeply and enjoy the calm yoga can bring to your bridal routine with the following positions:

The child’s pose. Sit your backside onto your shins with your knees spread apart. Lean forward, stretching your arms over your head onto the floor. Take four or five deep breaths and then slowly lean your arms to one side for a twist. Breath several times and then switch sides. Afterwards, return to the center and count another 4 to 5 breaths. This child’s pose is great for calming the body and reflecting on the upcoming nuptials.

Cat cow. To stretch the spine, get down on all fours. For the cow, take in a deep breath and lower your stomach. Then, slowly exhale while arching your backbone so you can gaze at your belly button which resembles a cat position. Repeat the cow and cat for five sets of breathing. This pose is great for maintaining emotional balance and straightening posture so we can look great in our wedding photos.

Downward facing dog. Get down on your hands and knees with wrists underneath the shoulders and knees under your hips. Breathe in as you tuck your toes under and blow out as you lift up your hips. You should end in an upside-down V. Straighten your legs and lower your heels on the ground and relax our head between the shoulders looking toward your navel. Hold for five breaths. The downward facing dog is ideal for strengthening arms, legs, and energizing the body which can benefit anyone preparing for a wedding or honeymoon.

Three legged dog. This an extension to the downward dog pose. While in the V shape, extend a leg with toes pointing toward the sky. Hold for 5 breaths and slowly set down the leg and repeat. This is great for strength building, relieving stress, headaches, and fatigue for brides-to-be.

Warrior pose. In a lunge stance, bend the front knee slightly while keeping the back leg straight. Relaxing, square the hips and shoulders, allowing the shoulder blades to close around the spine. Inhale and bring the arms over head, making an H, finishing with your hands together. Carefully, focus on keeping the shoulders relaxed, chest lifted, while beginning to arch the back as you look up toward the ceiling. Exhale. Hold this pose for 3 to 6 deep breaths. Striking a warrior pose is great for improving mental focus and strengthening arms, shoulders, and backs which are common problem areas when wearing a tailored or strapless dress.

Mountain pose. Stand upright, with your shoulders relaxed. Evenly distribute your weight and place your feet side-by-side. Deeply breathe in and raise your hands, palms together, above your head. Hold for a minute or 4 to 8 breaths. This is said to improve posture and stability.

Crescent moon. This is similar to the mountain pose, but you stand tall and lean sideways to resemble a “c”. Hold for 4 to 8 breaths and repeat the other side. Besides strengthening our cores, this move is great for energizing your entire body to help keep up with the busy schedule of getting married and starting a new phase in our relationships.

Finally, remember to take deep breaths and remain calm. A positive mindset can defeat common wedding pitfalls or jitters. What tips do you have for overcoming the stress of organizing a wedding?