The Food Fight

Make no mistake, I love to eat! In fact, the hardest part of my fitness routine throughout the past year has been taking a pass on my favorite cookies, chips, and all of the other salty or sugary confections that seem to beckon from the cupboard on a nightly basis.

So, as you can guess, I went into my wedding day ready to chow down! From the Mexican food to the sangria to the Oreo-cream cake, I was more than ready to stuff myself full.

The only problem? I couldn’t! Yes, even me, the bottomless pit of junk food delight, joined the ranks of brides who could hardly eat more than a couple bites on the wedding day.

Don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t all bad. Before things got too crazy during our “getting ready” phase, I was my usual self, first eating couple waffles for breakfast, followed by a small Starbucks green tea blended drink. Then, for lunch, I also drank a mini Jamba Juice smoothie, and munched on a small dish of pasta that was leftover from the rehearsal dinner.

But things definitely went downhill from that point, at least food-wise. By the time we had arrived at the church, the combination of adrenaline and nerves left me without an appetite and even feeling a little queasy. Then, later, once I did feel slightly hungry, I just couldn’t bring myself to stomach much food.

What did I actually manage to eat and drink? Here’s the breakdown.

Cocktail hour? I drank a glass of Sprite while Stephen and I relaxed in the bride’s room. No alcohol or appetizers for me.

Dinner? Between guests coming to our table and my finicky appetite, I ate half an enchilada and a few bites of Mexican Caesar salad, along with several spoonfuls of rice and beans. I also managed to enjoy a couple sips of our signature sangria and our wine. But the fajitas and black-bean shrimp salad? I never touched them.

Dessert? I manage to squeeze down a couple bites of cake, from which I’d been given one slice of each flavor, but definitely couldn’t eat more than that. Luckily, our coordinator boxed them all up, and my mom froze the slices for me to enjoy after we got back from our honeymoon. I drank a sip or two of champagne during the toasts and cake cutting, but that was about all I could handle.

LESSON LEARNED: Even if you expect to eat at your reception, don’t go hungry in the morning or afternoon. Try to eat small, healthy meals leading up to your ceremony, and be sure to drink plenty of water, especially if you’re going to be spending a lot of time outdoors. If you find that you’re too nervous to eat or don’t feel well, don’t force it. Just ask your coordinator or the venue staff to wrap some food to go for you. In the end, it’s better to miss out than end up sick for the rest of the evening. In my case, nerves and emotions affected me much more than I expected, so be prepared in case this happens to you.

Do you lose your appetite when you get nervous or excited? How do you think you’ll fare on the wedding day?

(Photo Credits: Personal Library)