The Bride's Guide to Eating on the Big Day

If you are about to get married, don't make the mistake I did by just waking up the day of the wedding to drink a pot of coffee and assume you'll make it through the day just fine. Trust me. Nausea will ensue. Often.

Even if the thought of eating anything makes you sick to your stomach, or you're freaked out by the notion that 100s of people will be staring at you while you walk down an aisle while you hope you don't fall flat on your face or rip your dress, you need to eat something or you'll just end up in with your head in the toilet.

If you treat your stomach like you're recovering from the flu, intestinal issues, or morning sickness, you'll be in good shape. I know that's not the prettiest picture to paint when you're all dolled up, but it's true.

And don't down shots on your wedding day to ease your nerves if you've already got an upset stomach. It's best to eat small amounts at a time and drink plenty of water.

Here are some ideas for food and beverages for the bride to consume on her wedding day.

Soda Crackers

You can't go wrong with the standard soda cracker. It eases your stomach when you have the flu, and it will do the same on your wedding day. If soda crackers are not substantial enough, add some cubed cheese to fill up.

Toast

A great thing about toast is that it's portable. You can toast some bread, wrap it up in some napkins, and take it out whenever you need a snack to settle your stomach throughout your wedding day. Eat it plain, add some butter or cream cheese, whatever you need.

Soup

A lot of times, I find that my nausea is worse when I think about textures and the chewing of food than it is when I can just sip something or eat something like soup that involves little chewing. The magical healing powers of chicken soup are not just a tale your mother told you when you were a kid. Most experts believe it's the sodium content that helps you feel better, so it can't hurt on your wedding day!

Fruit

A nice, sweet piece of fruit is easy on the stomach. If you feel like you're having intestinal issues, eat something like a banana. Bananas are bland and easy to digest, which is why they are recommended for people to eat when they are suffering from diarrhea.

Water/Ice Chips

It's always important to stay hydrated, but if you're so nauseous you can't even stand the sight of water, chew on some ice chips. You'll still get hydrated, but it's not as overpowering as gulping down the liquids all at once.

Coke or Sprite

Another thing most of us were given as kids with the stomach flu is Sprite or 7up. Even better may be a Coca-Cola based on the carbonation and additional sugar. It's important to drink the sugared sodas for an upset stomach rather than diet. The artificial sweeteners found in diet sodas can actually cause an upset stomach rather than reliving it. And who wants added pressure on her wedding day?

All of these remedies can provide some brief stomach relief, but the best thing to do on your wedding day is to relax. Trust me, things will go wrong, so just accept it and realize the outcome, your marriage, will happen no matter what.