Saying I Do with Diabetes: Tips for Planning a Wedding in June

You’ve said yes and set a date. Now what? Hold onto your engagement ring, planning a wedding in June will be an absolute whirlwind of trying on dresses, picking out colors, going to tastings and negotiating with vendors. On top of all that, what about fitting in time to manage your diabetes? As wedding season kicks off in June, here are important tips and resources so you can manage your disease.

Dealing with Stress

While planning your big day, you are bound to be under stress, which can cause your blood sugar levels to fluctuate. Make sure to:

• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Exercise and add in something relaxing like yoga.
• Test your blood sugar often.

For more stress reducing tips, check out KeyVive’s article Diabetes and Stress on National Stress Awareness Day.

The Big Day

Take some precautions to ensure that your diabetes remains under control on the big day. At dLife, columnist Kerri Sparling shares some useful tips she used at her own wedding in her article My Big, Healthy Diabetes Wedding. Tips included:

• Have a small pouch added to wedding dress for insulin pump.
• Have maid of honor carry a snack in her bouquet.
• Designate a specific area at reception where you can store emergency diabetes supplies.

Food and Drinks

Although planning your wedding in June, your wedding day and your honeymoon may be sprinkled with temptations, you must still work to maintain blood sugar control. Choose healthy food to serve at your wedding, make sure to eat at the reception and be sure to check out the food where you will be staying for your honeymoon. If you are going on an all inclusive honeymoon, tell them ahead of time that you have diabetes.

You must also consider how much alcohol you will drink on your big day. While it isn’t recommended that you over imbibe go ahead and add a champagne toast – you should be fine as long as your blood sugar is under control. Please follow these tips for sipping:

• Consult with your doctor before you drink.
• Drink in moderation.
• Never drink on an empty stomach.
• Monitor your sugar level, during and after (a constant balance between glucose and insulin is always the goal).

The Honeymoon

Please consider these very important tips when planning your honeymoon.

• A letter from your doctor explaining your condition, your medications and any allergies that you may have.
• Carry an extra prescription from your doctor for insulin or oral diabetes medicine.
• Double the insulin/oral medication, testing supplies, including your glucose meter, extra batteries for it and test strips. Take extra of everything that you would normally need.
• Glucose tablets
• Always pack your supplies in your carry on or keep it in the car with you (not in the trunk).
• Wear a medical alert stating that you have diabetes.
• If your more active than you normally are, test more often.

If the tropics is your destination consider packing beach shoes for on the beach and around the pool to protect your feet from blistering, redness and cracks. Also, learn the effects of your medication with sun exposure and follow your doctor’s instructions. Extreme heat can make insulin less effective and always keep your testing equipment out of direct sunlight.

If your destination is in a cold climate the colder temperatures may cause your blood sugars to rise, so be prepared in case you need extra medication. The cold weather may also affect your glucose meter or test strip’s dependability. In extreme cold, meters and test strips can fail to work properly or the meter’s battery can die. You can prevent this by carrying the meter close to your skin to keep it warm. Carrying insulin can also be a problem in extremely cold temperatures. Insulin should never be allowed to freeze, so precautions should be taken to prevent that.

If you visit a destination at a higher altitude than you are accustomed to this can also affect your blood sugar as well as your equipment. Check the packaging to see what altitude your measuring tools can withstand.

Make sure you have gotten all available vaccinations to prevent illness as illness can alter blood sugar levels. Enjoy your honeymoon, you deserve it!

Most importantly, remember that as you begin planning your wedding in June it’s a special time. Relax and enjoy it! Cheers!

Helpful KeyVive resources:

* Diabetes and Stress
* Diabetes and Alcohol
* Fun in the Sun with Diabetes
* Visiting a Winter Wonderland
* Traveling with Diabetes
* Join KeyVive on Aardvark

By: Raechel Conover

Photo credit: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Weddings_g148-Wedding_Day_Thoughts_p15396.html