What To Eat the Morning of Your Wedding, According to Nutritionists
Getting married? Here's what you should eat for breakfast the day of your wedding.
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As any bride-to-be, I’ve made what seems like a million wedding-related decisions since accepting my fiancé’s sweet proposal. I might be overwhelmed by all the choices when it comes to my wedding dress, color schemes and cake options, but the one thing that I’m not in the least bit concerned about? That I’m going to eat a balanced, fueling and nutritious breakfast the morning of the big day. I may not have my exact meal planned — I have a little less than a year until I tie the knot, after all! — but, as a registered dietitian nutrition, that’s where the help of my colleagues comes in. I asked dietitian pals what they ate the morning of their wedding, plus their breakfast tips for other brides.
Don't Try New Foods
When Paterson, NJ bride and registered dietitian Lisa Bruno, MS, RD got married last month, she strategically planned her morning meal. Her breakfast menu consisted of two cups of coffee, 1 1/2 cups of mixed fruit, Icelandic-style yogurt and a mini croissant with almond butter. The complex carbs from the fruit, the protein from the yogurt and the healthy fat from the nut butter stuck with her for sustained energy throughout the morning of her wedding.
“I wanted something special on my wedding day,” she says, referring to her croissant choice. “All these foods are my happy foods. They fill me up, satisfy me, and do not upset my stomach.” She designated her matron of honor as her breakfast buddy and asked her to pick up the meal. As for trying something new and exciting on your wedding day, don’t. Bruno advises against introducing any new foods on this special day—or in the days leading up to it. “Simply stay the course to what you normally do and what works for you,” she says. “You do not need any added stress in trying to make another decision!”
Bruno also drank lots of water. “That morning I drank a one-liter bottle and more,” she says. “What about having to pee in your dress? Staying hydrated was more important to me than having my girlfriends or mom help hold my dress up!”
Eat, Even If You're Not Hungry
“I love breakfast, and on my wedding day this was no different,” says Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN, author of Total Body Diet for Dummies, who ate a wedding-day breakfast of oatmeal with blueberries and almonds the day she married in 2003 in Sayville, Long Island. “You may not feel hungry if your nerves are taking over in anticipation of your big day ahead. But you will do your body good if you take time out for yourself to sit down and eat breakfast.” And Laura Hershey, RDN, who said her vows last month in Laguna Beach, CA, enjoyed a variation of this: oatmeal with dried fruit, plus whole-wheat toast and peanut butter.
Go For Something Easy to Digest
When nerves go into overdrive and your stomach feels like it’s tied in knots, a smoothie is easy to digest. “My husband and I got food poisoning two days before our wedding,” says Stephanie Montevecchi, RD, who married in 2017 in Santa Margarita, CA. “Dealing with recovery and because of the butterflies in my stomach for the wedding, I had a berry smoothie. We had small pinwheels and fresh fruit in the bridal suite, but I was way too anxious to eat any of it.”
Opt for Something Light Like Sandwiches, Salad and Fruit
“My bridesmaids and I got our hair and makeup done at a cabin we rented, so we got some brunch style foods,” says Stephanie Van’t Zelfden, RDN, who wed in 2016 in Newburyport, NH. “I wanted something light so I didn’t feel bloated or fatigued during the day.”
Do Something Special
When Melissa Groves Azzaro, RD, got married this month in Keene, NH, she embraced lox, local eggs, avocado, and a peach. “This was a pretty typical breakfast for me, plus salmon to make it special,” she says. And of course, she caffeinated with coffee!
Fill Up Beforehand
Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE, author of Belly Fat Diet For Dummies, who wed in Florham Park, NJ in 2011 had eggs, berries, whole-grain toast, and peanut butter made by her father. “I wanted to make sure I filled up on plenty of protein, healthy fat, and fiber, so I wouldn’t get too hungry walking down the aisle. After breakfast, things got crazy with hair, make-up, and pictures, so I was very glad I filled up beforehand.”
So there you have it: lots of delicious, healthy, and special breakfasts worthy of your wedding day. As Bruno says, “Your breakfast can be the only guaranteed meal of the day.” So make sure it counts. And stash snacks, as did Palinski-Wade. "My breakfast helped carry me through until after the ceremony, when I could snack in the limo,” she says. “I planned and packed snacks for the whole bridal party, too!”
Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, is a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in the New York City area. She’s a regular contributor to many publications, including EverydayHealth.com, ReadersDigest.com, NBCNews.com, and more. She also pens a recipe-focused blog, Amy’s Eat List, where she shares easy, healthy recipes. Connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
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