How to Tell if You’re Feeling Wedding Jitters or Something Else

Cold feet isn’t always a red flag

Photo by Alvin Mahmudov on Unsplash

In 48 hours I’d be walking down the aisle and I felt sick with nerves. We’d spent the day stringing fairy-lights all over his parents’ barn, tying white bows on chairs, and placing little jars filled with flowers and lights around the walls. It looked magical and perfect. But now I was sitting on my bed, holding my stomach, and staring at the wall. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t concentrate. The same stream of thoughts ran through my mind, over and over, drowning everything else out: “Do I really want to do this?”

I expected to feel nervous in the lead up to my wedding. Cold feet and wedding jitters are so common most of us know they’ll probably happen, and this isn’t my first wedding day. As a divorcee I’ve walked down the aisle once already. But for some reason, whether it’s the first time or the second, the nerves still feel like a surprise. You still find yourself asking, “If I’m getting cold feet shouldn’t I cancel the wedding?”

Marriage is tough and not all of them end well. I know this all too well. How do you know if you’re feeling simple wedding jitters, or whether you’ve finally realized you’re doing the wrong thing?

Marriage is a big deal. I really wanted to make sure I was choosing carefully this…