Are you a person with a period getting married? Our event planning partner, Events By Merida, has some industry insider advice on what to do if it shows its face on your wedding day…
It’s the day before your wedding. You’re with your best friends, drinking champagne/beer/champagne of beers, and you’re excited, nervous, and running over the entire day in your head.
There’s a sudden sinking feeling in your stomach, and it’s not just nerves.
The Red Eagle has landed. Your Flapdragon is breathing fire. Suddenly, everything physically hurts, you might possibly murder your intended, and you want to invade the nearest chocolate shop.
Here's what I've learned about how to deal with your period at the wedding
Pack a Red Kit
I always keep one of these handy on me. They’re dead useful in your everyday purse. Don't try and keep it in your wedding day purse. They're typically not big enough, and often they end up in inaccessible places. Give a trusted friend or your coordinator this kit so they can bring it for the day of. Makeup companies have cute options for storage of said items (I got mine at Michael's).
The kit should include:
- An anti-inflammatory
If you have serious pain problems and haven’t seen your doctor about this, your primary care physician can help you out here. There are a lot of non-opioid painkillers that work on severe cramps, and can help with the nasty bloated feeling. Your uterus is nearly twice its normal size. You are not imagining things. Also, a UTI medication never goes awry. 99% it's not needed. That 1% though… - Rubber Gloves
I would definitely talk to your closest friend/wedding party member, wedding coordinator, or other trusted individual prior to the wedding. If your dress is so large that you cannot pee alone, you’re not going to be able to change your tampon on your own. WEAR GLOVES. They’ll come in useful to keep hair dye out of your manicure, too. Trans folks should still consider bringing these. You may not need them for bodily functions (if you still have them), but they're dead useful when you're around people drinking heavily. - Tampons, pads, period panties, or cup
You may want to double up on your preferred method if you’re wearing white. It’s also likely that if you spend a lot of time around your bridesmaids (or other people who get their periods), they’ll have their period, too. Just bring loads of products. Keep them in a plastic grocery bag. The bag can double as a holder for a pair of underpants that get bled through.
Trans folks: if you're concerned about being outed in front of transphobic jerks, consider having a chat with the planner. If you're not comfortable talking to the planner, ask a friend you've already come out to. I know that it's a nerve-wracking conversation to have with anyone, but most planners are open-minded people. We'll be more than happy to keep hygiene products hidden for you so you don't have to deal with it in your pockets. - Spare underpants
I know, this part is hard, especially if you have some special lingerie that you want to wear under the dress. If you’re still planning on wearing said lingerie (no judgement here!), I would suggest wearing more functional underpants with your dress, and excusing yourself to change into the lingerie once you get to your end destination for the night. Have your Best Person, someone you trust, or coordinator carry an extra pair of the right color and style of underwear too, just in case. - Green correction concealer
Or your best covering concealer. Your makeup artist will likely have concealer, but if your face is anything like mine, acne could pop up on the car ride to the ceremony site. - Bleach and a small cup for mixing
If your dress is white and you leak through it, a bleach pen is not going to be enough in this situation, and it can make weird marks on your dress. Be extraordinarily careful with how you pack this. Cute mason jars will not cut it here. Use something that absolutely will not leak. It will save your dress if you accidentally bleed through. Make sure that you dilute the bleach with water.
Meet with your gyno beforehand
I recommend that, six months before your wedding, have an appointment with your gynecologist. Added bonus: if you’re on the pill, they may help adjust the timing on your period to avoid it altogether.
Don't want your period at the wedding? Try a period calculator to predict your dates
Those of us with periods, and specifically with fairly predictable ones, have one tiny advantage to picking a wedding date. There's a way to kinda-sorta... Read more
You can also check out a period calculator to see if it'll be due around the time of your wedding.
Be careful with alcohol
Limit alcohol the night before and the day of. A lot of pain medicines will make your stomach upset when mixed with any kind of liquor. It’s also extremely tempting to have that extra shot to dull the pain. The pain will make you feel lucid longer, but you’ll still be drunk. That being said, if you’re going to have a drink, avoid drinks with carbonation. They’ll only add to the bloated feeling.
Be open with someone about it
Talk to your coordinator and/or your bestie honestly about your period. There's no shame in it, and it will make the day much easier on all involved. This way, your coordinator will know that you'll need frequent breaks, or even a place to lie down for a little while if it’s bad. Your friend can keep an eye on the back of your dress and set timers on her phone to make sure you take the anti-inflammatories at the right intervals.
Your period doesn't have to mess with your day if you come prepared. Plan ahead and it'll be easier.
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This happened to me on my wedding day! I was bummed out at first, but no big deal! A couple of aleve plus the adrenaline and joy of the day and I was pain-free. Dress was a li’l tight around the belly but other than that, all was well.
Shouldn’t be one of the tips be: Tell your spouse?
There are two people on a wedding day and two people on a wedding night.
What if he (or she) has planned something special for the wedding night? Maybe you do need to tell him that all you want after all the events are over, is a blanket, a hot water bottle and lots of chocolate or ice cream.