Plan to be upbeat about emotional letdown

Experts offer a variety of tips on how to weather the postnuptial doldrums.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A sampling of advice on how to handle the emotional letdown some newlyweds feel after the big day:
Focus on the marriage, not just the wedding, says Dr. Susan L. Padrino, psychiatry instructor at University Hospitals of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
"The best way to prevent post-wedding blues is to take care of yourself and your relationship during the wedding planning. This means commonsense things like getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods and making time for exercise. It also means communicating with your future spouse, not just about the best napkin colors or the best party favor, but also about your hopes and dreams for your future together."
Seek support from other new brides, says Carley Roney, editor-in-chief of TheKnot.com. Brides with similar wedding dates sometimes stay in touch online, she says.
"It's very '50s coffee club, and what has been missing in the '80s and '90s. The Internet is bringing groups together: New wives are becoming friends. They're transitioning together. They talk about it, and then they can feel like, 'OK, I'm not crazy."'
Delay the getaway, says Marg Stark, author of the self-help guide "What No One Tells the Bride."
"One of the easiest ways of combating postnuptial blues is to put off the honeymoon until later in the first year. Lots of couples do belated honeymoons these days. It makes sense financially as well as emotionally to have a trip you can look forward to, after the fervor of the wedding has passed."
Enjoy the ceremony and honeymoon without stressing over small stuff, says Christina Behrend, a newlywed who battled the post-wedding blues.
"Once you return home, open your gifts. Start on thank you notes. Look at pictures. Listen to music you selected from your wedding. This will at least help you relive and remember the good memories of your big deal."
Don't let money woes cause wedding stress, says Jennifer Ahearn-Koch, spokeswoman for Mattison's Catering Co. in Sarasota, Fla.
"Right from the start brides and grooms need to set a budget and stick to it. Any good wedding planner will keep this in mind and try to make sure the couple sticks to the plan especially in times when it becomes tempting to overspend."
Keep the party going, advises Loree Tillman, Escondido, Calif., wedding planner.
"The truth is, after a couple plans their wedding they do feel a sense of loss, almost. But then they plan a couple of more parties. They do eventually move on with their lives. Life should be about parties."
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