S1E1 How Nervous System Regulation Plays A Part In The Biggest Day of Your Life: Navigating The Whirlwind of Getting Married

Amber Gordon, a trained marriage and family therapist turned leadership and lifestyle coach, shares her whirlwind wedding experience and the challenges she faced in staying present and relaxed on her big day. Despite having support from staff and a bridal party, Amber felt overwhelmed and in hostess mode throughout the wedding. She reflects on the pressure to make everything perfect and the performative nature of weddings. Amber and Daniela question whether wedding vendors prey on couples' vulnerability by promising to capture every moment, knowing that couples may struggle to remember the day. She also discusses the importance of setting boundaries and creating a more intentional and relaxed wedding experience. In this conversation, Amber and Daniela discuss the importance of prioritizing self-care and emotional well-being during the wedding planning process. They emphasize the need for couples to have permission to make choices that align with their own desires and values, rather than feeling pressured to meet others' expectations. They also highlight the significance of slowing down and being present with each other on the wedding day, as well as creating buffer time in the timeline to allow for relaxation and connection. Overall, the conversation emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the couple's experience and emotional regulation throughout the wedding journey.

 

Takeaways

• Weddings can be overwhelming and lead to a lack of presence and relaxation for the couple.
• The pressure to make everything perfect and ensure guests have a good time can take away from the couple's experience.
• Wedding vendors may capitalize on couples' vulnerability by promising to capture every moment, knowing that couples may struggle to remember the day.
• Setting boundaries and creating a more intentional and relaxed wedding experience can help couples be more present and enjoy their special day. Couples should have permission to make choices that align with their own desires and values, rather than feeling pressured to meet others' expectations.
• Slowing down and being present with each other on the wedding day is crucial for a meaningful and enjoyable experience.
• Creating buffer time in the timeline allows for relaxation, connection, and emotional regulation throughout the wedding journey.

 

00:00 Introduction and Background

09:14 The Performance of Traditional Weddings

23:25 The Role of Gender Expectations

28:43 Are wedding vendors preying on couples' vulnerability?

38:31 Nervous system regulation for wedding vendors and couples

45:55 Step one: Timeline regulation

54:12 Slowing down and being present with your partner

 

You can find Amber's podcast, The Sacred Leadership Podcast, here.

You can follow Amber on Instagram here. 

 

For questions or if you'd like to be on the podcast, please reach out to empoweredelopementpodcast@gmail.com 

 

Thanks for listening :)