6 secrets to enjoying weddings (without your numbers going crazy)

If June is supposed to be wedding month, then why are all of your August weekends booked with stag and stagette dos, and nuptials from morning to night? The trend has shifted, with more Canadian weddings taking place in August than any other month.¹

You've already seen advice on managing diabetes at weddings and parties, so we'll skip the obvious (eat before you go! drink water!). Instead, here are some ideas for having fun without regretting it an hour later (or the next morning).

1. Raise your Champagne glass! You don't have to skip alcohol just because you have diabetes. Just keep it in moderation.² Join in the toasts, then switch to something that doesn't go down quite so easily and ask the bartender to use a light hand. Sweet cocktails are notorious for being easy to toss back, and they're loaded with extra sugar.

2. Fool yourself with soda or tonic. If you tend to feel most comfortable with a glass in your hand (or if others want to see you with one at all times), have a soda water or diet tonic with a squeeze of lime. Try having one of these between each "real" cocktail—it looks and tastes about the same, without all the stuff you don't want. 

3. If you love it, eat it. Of course, the converse is also true. If you don't love it, don't bother. We hate to say it, but wedding cake rarely scores a 10 on the flavor scale. (But if it does—enjoy!) If you're drinking alcohol or dancing, remember that you actually need to eat carb-rich foods to keep from going low² (something the food police are unlikely to understand).

4. Set reminders on your phone. It's easy to forget to check your blood sugar when you're having fun, so set an alarm. Or three. Long, drawn out meals, snacking, dancing and alcohol can all have unexpected effects on your numbers, especially if you have type 1 diabetes. So check a few times. That way, you can make sure all attention stays on the bride and groom, and your blood sugar is in the right place when you finally go to bed.

5. Make sure your plus-one or wingman knows all. Unless you're attending with someone who knows you well, give your date or a friend a run-down of low blood sugar symptoms to watch for, as well as what to do if you seem out of sorts. This is especially important if you're drinking.² Knowing that they can help may help you relax and have a better time, too.

6. Dance, laugh, cry and have a great time. That's what you're there for.