A Moment to Breathe

Few life moments call for serious R&R quite like planning a wedding. It’s one of the most exciting chapters you’ll ever experience – but it’s also widely cited by couples as one of the most stressful. From the build-up to the day itself and the aftermath, it’s a period that can feel all-consuming. 

What you need is time out: a moment to pause, take stock and savour the anticipation of becoming nearlyweds.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to wellbeing – defined as “the state of being comfortable, healthy or happy”. For some, it’s found in simple daily rituals: a dog walk or sea dip, coffee with a friend, a gym session or an aromatherapy bath. For others, it’s the promise of a night out or a weekend away – blissfully free from wedmin.

However you choose to recalibrate, carving out regular downtime during your wedding journey will help you navigate the challenges while enjoying the present moment — and the married life to come.

From floating your cares away to sweating them out or escaping off-grid for a digital detox, here are three of our favourite pre- and post-wedding wellness experiences…

Soul Float
Having never tried flotation therapy before, I wasn’t sure what to expect from my visit to Falmouth’s serene new wellness space, Soul Float. From the moment I arrived – greeted warmly by Rachel and soothed by the calm, clotted-cream interiors – I felt instantly at ease.

I began in the Clearlight Sanctuary infrared sauna, where a deep, enveloping heat worked quickly to release tension. Designed to promote healing and enhanced by chromotherapy (colour light therapy) via ceiling lights, infrared delivers the benefits of a traditional sauna in a gentler, more tolerable – and deeply nourishing – way.

Designed for a personalised experience, the space allows you to adjust the temperature, choose your soundtrack (or silence), and even remove the benches for a private hot yoga session. Warm and relaxed, I moved on to the Ocean Float Room for an hour of flotation therapy. 

Suspended in highly saline water (500kg of Epsom salt, to be precise), I experienced an extraordinary sense of weightlessness. A star-lit ceiling and ambient water lights set a tranquil scene, but switching everything off – surrendering to complete darkness – allowed the full effects of R.E.S.T (reduced environmental stimulation therapy) to take hold. 

Devoid of sight, sound and physical pressure, and suspended in water the same temperature as my body, the sensation is one of total stillness – save for the slow rhythm of your own heartbeat. Cocooning yet never claustrophobic, it delivers an almost euphoric sense of calm that lingers long after you leave.

A rainfall shower, aromatherapy toiletries and herbal tea complete the experience – and the sleep that followed was some of the deepest I’ve had in years. 

Recommended for everything from stress and chronic pain to anxiety, depression and enhanced mental clarity, Soul Float offers a truly transformative escape. With additional treatments including aromatherapy, sports massage and halotherapy (salt therapy), it’s the perfect place to spend an hour – or an entire day unwinding – whether as a one-off treat or part of a regular, blissed-out routine.


Siriwan Champorn
soulfloat.co.uk 

The Wildwood Spa
Nestled beneath a canopy of trees near Mawgan Porth on Cornwall’s north coast, The Wildwood Spa is perfectly positioned for those seeking to unwind in nature’s embrace. Immersive in every sense, it offers a calm, away-from-it-all sanctuary for individuals, couples and groups to disconnect and relax in style.

My morning began in the wood-fired Roundhouse Sauna, where I stretched out and soaked in the heat before plunging into a cold-water bath. This contrast therapy – alternating between hot and cold – stimulates circulation while easing muscles, delivering invigorating, restorative bursts. Celebrated for its holistic benefits, sauna culture continues to surge in popularity, with benefits ranging from stress and anxiety relief to skin health, immunity and cardiovascular function.

Next came a soak in the wood-fired hot tub, allowing me to retreat more fully into relaxation as reflections of branches danced across the water’s surface and birds darted among the treetops. With nothing to distract beyond the surrounding landscape, your attention drifts gently between hot and cold – water and wood. A chance, quite simply, to be present. 

Another round of sauna followed, along with an ice bucket and jacuzzi, and by the end I felt transported – both physically and mentally. 

My visit concluded with a dip in the outdoor cold-water pool and a fresh smoothie from the on-site café: the perfect finish. Uplifting yet grounding, the experience left me both energised and deeply relaxed – a testament to the powerful effects of contrast therapy in the Cornish outdoors. 

thewildwoodspa.com

Elsa
If switching off entirely is your idea of bliss, Elsa offers the ultimate escape. Tucked away in the heart of the Cornish countryside, this picturesque and deeply peaceful retreat invites you to leave behind the distractions of modern life and fully unwind. 

Situated on an estate overlooking Bodmin’s sprawling moorland, the off-grid cabin is immersed in greenery and natural light whatever the season – meaning all you have to do is switch off, slow down and take in the peaceful surrounds, where sheep, ponies and Highland cows roam freely across the landscape. 

Outside, a wood-fired hot tub and firepit set the scene for evenings spent stargazing beneath Cornwall’s famed dark skies. Inside, every detail has been thoughtfully considered: a well-equipped kitchen, a luxurious king-size bed dressed in irresistibly soft Piglet in Bed linens, cosy robes and a hot shower stocked with indulgent toiletries. 

Designed with digital detox in mind, the cabin includes a phone lockbox, instant camera, radio and a plethora of books and board games – encouraging you to stay present and unplugged. 

Master the art of slow living as you while away time together and set aside the planning checklist – or settle into married life with a Cornish mini-moon in the rugged, romantic heart of the Duchy. Wander the moors, explore nearby Cardinham Woods or the Eden Project, or simply stay in and soak up the stillness. 


Rebecca Hope
unplugged.rest/elsa