Starting a new life together, with wellness top of mind

Kara Ladd-Blum said she was "pushed into the wellness world" after being diagnosed in 2016 with synovial sarcoma, a rare form of cancer affecting the body's soft tissues.

- SARAH LYON

"I became hyper-aware of what I was putting on and in my body, and that evolved into this spiritual awakening," said US woman Ladd-Blum, 32, of Brooklyn, NYC, who has been cancer-free for eight years. Now, she works with wellness brands as a conscious marketing consultant and hosts a podcast focused on mindful living.

While planning their Sept 15, 2024, wedding, she and her husband, Brandon Blum, 32, who runs a content marketing agency and apparel brand, were eager to incorporate some of their favourite wellness practices. On the morning of their wedding, they meditated and journalled together, as they often do at home, and incorporated healing crystals and tarot cards into the celebration.

"I feel like weddings are just an extension of people's energies," Ladd-Blum said. "We both love, live and breathe that world."

For many couples, health and mindfulness are an integral part of their everyday lives, and they want their weddings to reflect these values. And with more event planners and venues catering to the needs of those who prioritise wellness, it's easier to accomplish that.

"It definitely has weaved its way into weddings and events," said Ali Phillips, the owner of Engaging Events by Ali in Chicago. She said around three-quarters of the weddings she planned each year contained a wellness element.

At Ocean Edge Resort and Golf Club in Brewster, Massachusetts, wedding groups can enjoy candlelit floating sound baths, acupuncture happy hours and beach yoga sessions. At Canyon Ranch Woodside in Woodside, California, couples and their guests can sign up for spiritual growth sessions, botanical tea making and strength-training workshops.