Wedding planning is exciting, but it can also pull your attention into a hundred different directions. Yoga offers a chance to pause, breathe and reconnect with yourself amid the chaos. Western Australia Wedding & Bride’s Jessica Muller chats with Sophie Parker, owner of Connect Conmigo, about how yoga can support your body and mind on the way to the altar, so you can show up fully – for yourself and for the celebration ahead.
Connect Conmigo, translating to “connect with me” in Spanish, was formed from Parker’s passion for yoga, wellness, mindfulness, people and connection. “The idea originally started with me planning my own wedding, knowing I wanted to do a yoga experience the day before with my bridal party. I was so passionate about connection to the intention of the day, and I wanted to offer this to other people,” Parker describes.
Now, she specialises in mindful yoga experiences carefully designed to bring calm, connection and presence to your wedding celebration. “From pre-wedding flows to grounding sessions on the big day, my aim is to help couples and their loved ones feel centred, relaxed and fully in the moment as they step into this next chapter,” she says. “I honestly just love guiding people to become more present so they can really feel every part of their wedding.”
Creating Calm in the Storm
In the lead up to the wedding, the whirlwind of planning and endless to-do lists can leave couples stressed and fatigued. “It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed and forget the intention behind it all,” Parker empathises. Yoga and mindful movements can be powerful tools to reduce stress and clear the mind, offering a welcome sense of grounding. “Movement is one of the most powerful ways to shift us out of our stress response and back into the present moment,” Parker emphasises. “Yoga teaches us to notice what’s happening right now, and how the body feels, how the breath moves and where we’re holding on. This awareness naturally pulls us out of the busy mindset that stress creates,” she adds. “It’s a beautiful way to find stillness and reconnect with your heart before such a meaningful day.”
There are various ways to incorporate yoga in the lead up to the wedding – a group session for your hen’s party, a handful of sessions in the lead up with your partner, or the day before with your bridal party or partner. Parker recommends choosing whichever way resonates most with you. “My advice would be to choose movement that feels supportive and nurturing. I always recommend movement that helps bring you back into your body and out of the mental to-do list,” she says. “Even 10-15 minutes of daily yoga or breath practice can make a huge difference.”
Serenity in Motion
Parker’s classes combine breathwork with gentle, flowing postures that open the body and calm the mind. “Each movement is designed to release any trapped energy or tension that holds,” she describes. “We often carry emotions like stress and anxiety physically, especially around the heart, shoulders and hips. When that energy begins to flow freely again, it helps to dissolve stress and worries, leaving you feeling lighter and clearer.”
Breathwork plays a central role in grounding practices, because it connects the body and the mind to the present moment. “By focusing on our breath, attention is drawn away from distractions and pulled into the here and now,” Parker explains. This grounds participants, which Parker describes as like coming home to yourself. “When the mind stops being pulled in all different directions, your body softens and everything feels lighter,” she says.
Some of Parker’s favourite movement rituals are ones that don’t take much time but bring a sense of calm and clarity. “Start by observing your natural breathing rhythm, placing one hand on the chest and one on the belly so you can really feel the breath moving through your body. See if you can extend your exhale a little longer each time. This will settle your energy and send a signal to your brain to relax,” she advises. “Then move through gentle shoulder rolls, neck stretches and a few rounds of cat cow to release any tension that’s built up in the body.” She suggests closing your practice with a minute of two of stillness: “It’s a beautiful way to reset your nervous system. Plus who doesn’t love shavasana?”
Wedding Morning Rituals
It’s a common experience for newlyweds to find the day of the wedding to fly by quickly, over before they know it. This phenomenon is one of the reasons Parker was inspired to start Connect Conmigo. “Your wedding day is such a beautiful day full of emotions but learning how to come back to yourself and be completely immersed in the day is really what will add to making it the best day of your life,” she says.
For the morning of the big day, Parker’s favourite exercise and movement is fairly simple. “I like to begin by grounding through the breath, then flow through a few rounds of sun salutations, a beautiful moving meditation that brings calm and focus to the mind,” she describes. “When I work with couples and bridal parties, the biggest transformation I see is often in their sense of calm and connection, both with themselves and with each other. At first, everyone usually arrives a bit wound up, thinking about the endless list of things to do. But then there’s a noticeable shift. The breath slows, the shoulders drop, and the body softens. It’s a chance to step away from the rush and just be.”
Making Space for Stillness
“If you’re reading this thinking, ‘wow that sounds lovely, but I simply don’t have the time’ – I hear you, we’ve all been there, but when did taking time out to prioritise yourself and your relationship ever end badly?” Parker asks. She understands that booking something for your wedding is a big decision, but emphasises that it is a beautiful way to slow down and remember what the day is really about. “If this feels right to you, I’d love for you to reach out and see if our energies align. Hopefully I can help you really soak up one of the most special moments in your life,” she says.
Image courtesy of Connect Conmigo