Thursday, April 24, 2008

Your Wedding And Your Period.

If you take just a quick scan of the Wedding boards, you will undoubtedly find a post from a bride worried that she will be getting her period during her wedding. This is a big concern for brides! I know that as a teenager, I had this nightmare that I would get my period during my wedding ceremony and my white gown would turn crimson in front of all my guests!

If you have such fears, you are not alone. Here are some quotes taken directly from the board by other brides to be:

“I think I'm going to get period around my wedding day. I'm going to cry.

My wedding dress is the ball gown style. I can't imagine how I'm going to be able to handle the dress myself”

“I did some "rough" calculations and am pretty sure that I will get my period on Sunday--the day after my wedding--and the first day of my honeymoon - yuck!”

“I plan on getting married on a Sat. and leaving for my honeymoon sun or moon... but I just did some counting, and it seems that my "time of the month" will be the Thursday that I will be on my honeymoon... Should I change the date of my wedding?”

Although changing dates or planning your wedding at a specific time in your cycle could work, chances are it will not. When your body is under a lot of stress it reacts in ways it normally does not. In my case, I was not supposed to get my period until two weeks after my wedding. Perfect! Right? Wrong! I was so stressed I got my period early – on my wedding day!

There are some things you can do, though, to avoid having your period during your wedding. First, contact your doctor! If you are on oral contraceptives your doctor can work with you to tweak your pills so you do not get your period the month of the wedding. Usually this is done by skipping your placebo/sugar pills in the month or months before the wedding and starting a new pack of pills right away. If you are not on the pill, your doctor may be able to give you a combination of birth control and estrogen pills to stop your period.

However, you must consult with your doctor before doing anything like this—if you don’t do it properly, you could end up having complications. It is considered safe to stop your period every so often, so do not worry that this is unhealthy. However, it’s unsafe to mess around with hormone pills without professional assistance. And, don’t be embarrassed to ask him or her about this! My mother in law is a gynecologist and says this is a normal request. You will not be the first to ask your doctor “Can you help me not get my period for my wedding?!”

Now, if you will have your period during the wedding, don’t freak out! Following are some tips from brides who have been in this situation:


“Oh well, there are worse things I'm sure. Good luck to you, just make sure to pack a really good pain medication just in case.”

“I got my period 3 days before the wedding…I would recommend wearing a super heavy pad with a tampon. That way you have back up just in case.”

“I actually started my period 2 days before my wedding and it just made me more emotional! It wasn't really a problem or anything, just make sure to change your tampon before the ceremony and that should take care of you thru your ceremony and reception!”

“I got my period the morning of my wedding and it wasn't the end of the world.”


I second everything my fellow brides have said. Above all—be prepared! When you mix stress and hormones anything can happen. Even if you’re not expecting your period, have supplies with you or have a bridesmaid keep them in her purse. Also, ask one of your bridesmaids ahead of time to be your “bathroom girl” – someone to help you hold up your dress in the bathroom if it is really puffy or to “stand guard” outside the door if your dress is manageable alone.

Now, stop worrying! Whether you get this unwanted guest or not, you are still going to have the best day of your life and when it is over and done, you will be married. That’s what matters most! Period :)

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