Your wedding day is meant to be filled with family, friends, and love but many brides and grooms face anxiety and pressure when planning their big day. One major concern for brides and grooms-to-be is how they look as all eyes are on them, which can be especially hard for those with body image issues.
While some may thrive on dressing up and taking hundreds of pictures, those with the mental health condition Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) have a very different experience.
Beauty influencer Mikayla Nogueira opened up to her 13.6 million followers on TikTok about the fact she had been putting off purchasing her wedding dress due to her BDD and anxiety.
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Replying to a concerned commenter, Mikayla filmed an emotional TikTok explaining her apprehension about her dress. The 24-year-old said: "I'm gonna be really candid with you in this video, today I'm going to be picking out my wedding dress, and these are not happy tears."
She continued: "There is absolutely a reason why I have put this off. I'm not looking forward to this day. I haven't been, and that's a weird thing to say.
"I feel like, growing up, little girls, they look forward to a day like this, right? But I feel like it's different when you have body dysmorphia and an eating disorder, and you're really insecure."
In a four video thread, Mikayla cried as she put on make-up, explaining that she has been dreading the day since they began planning the wedding.
Chartered psychologist, Catherine Hallissey spoke to The Mirror about the effect BDD can have on big events like getting married. She said: "Body dysmorphia is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about what they feel are flaws in their appearance.
"These supposed flaws are often not noticeable to others. Usually the person is preoccupied by their appearance and spends a lot of time trying to conceal these perceived flaws, for example through working on make-up, hair and clothes."
BDD is not just detrimental to the sufferer, who can have depression and harmful thoughts, but also to those around them as the time spent focusing on these flaws "can significantly affect daily life and social relationships". The disorder is not gender specific but is most commonly seen in teenagers and young adults.
"Planning a wedding can be both wonderful and stressful at the same time," explained Catherine. "Most people feel a certain level of anxiety as they want every detail to be perfect.
"Add to that the fact that weddings overly focus on what the bride looks like in her dress, you have the perfect storm for someone who has body dysmorphia."
She added: "Clothes shopping tends to be a challenge for people who suffer from body dysmorphia as it involves looking at yourself in a mirror to evaluate your appearance. However, wedding dress shopping is more intense as you know that your dress and general appearance will be scrutinized by guests on the big day."
This is magnified by social media where many brides might spend weeks, even months, pouring over images of other women in their wedding gowns - leading to comparisons.
On top of this, there is the scrutiny that comes when you post your wedding pictures online, especially if you have a large platform like Mikayla. This can result in drastic coping mechanisms, like Mikayla putting off the dress appointment for as long as possible.
"Wedding dress anxiety is very common as the bride's dress is often a key focus at weddings and it's natural for a bride to want to look their best," noted Catherine. "However, Mikayla's reaction is much more extreme due to body dysmorphia."
In the end, the Massachusetts-based beauty guru surrounded herself with loved ones and found her perfect dress - even posting a TikTok showing off some rejected gowns.
Catherine said: "Pushing through [mental barriers] is beneficial as long as you don't push too far. The guiding principle is don't stay in the comfort zone and don’t push too far into the stress zone: instead, focus on finding the stretch zone where it is challenging but not overwhelming."
She recommends reaching out to a qualified therapist if you are struggling and for those who wish to support a loved one, accepting the feelings of the person with BDD can go a long way to helping them.
"While you may not understand their concerns or fixation on their flaws, it's crucial that you recognise that they are very real to the person with BDD," Catherine explained. "Try to figure out what triggers BDD, e.g. mirrors when clothes shopping, and offer additional emotional support at those times.
"Try not to comment on your loved ones appearance, even if they're seeking reassurance. Instead, focus on encouraging them to do things they enjoy and make them feel good, independent of appearance.
"Encourage them to get help if symptoms increase or if there are signs of self harm or thoughts of suicide."
