T-Minus One Week: Your Last-minute Checklist
Photo by Yves Lorson
There is an easy way to make sure that you have everything done on time so that your wedding day will be spent with you enjoying your guests and your new groom. You just have to have a plan and be organized. Keeping a checklist of all the items to be taken care of during the last week can help a lot. Here is the basic list of what you will need.
o Confirm the final head count with the ceremony and reception venues, caterer, and bartending service, if using one.
o Ensure that the groomsmen and father of the bride and groom will be picking up their tuxes, if renting and to make sure that they are a good fit.
o Write the toasts that you will be saying at the reception to thank your friends and family.
o Create an itinerary of how events will be played out the day of the ceremony and give one to every member of the wedding party.
o Confirm honeymoon reservations and pack for the wonderful vacation you’re about to have with your new groom!
o Wrap the thank you gifts for the parents and mail them so they will arrive promptly after the wedding.
o The groom will probably want to get his hair cut.
o Book a day at the spa for just yourself or for you and your bridesmaids, depending on which you would prefer. Spend a day the week before the wedding de-stressing, relaxing, and not thinking about your wedding plans (but do think about how much fun you’ll have at your wedding!)
When it comes down to the last day or two, you will want to make sure that you are extra organized. Not only will you not have enough time to be worrying about the small details, but your nerves will probably already start to become frazzled around this time as the big day approaches. The day or two days before your wedding, you will want to make sure that you have these tasks accomplished.
o Go to the rehearsal with your officiant and the wedding party.
o Spend some quality time with your family and friends at the rehearsal dinner.
o Plan a date with your soon-to-be spouse where there is no talk of wedding plans, except to exchange any gifts that you bought for each other!
o The night before, take a long hot bath to try to calm your nerves down and try to go to bed early. You have a big day the next day!
The day of your wedding, there’s no question that you will be a bundle of nervousness, anxiety, and a lot of excitement! This is the most important day to take your checklist with you everywhere because you won’t have a chance to do it again!
o Start the day off with a very good breakfast. If you have a ceremony that’s later in the day, it’s often nice for the bride and her bridesmaids to have breakfast together, either at someone’s house or at a restaurant, before they all go together to the hair appointments. Make sure you get nutritious food that will last with you for several hours. Your next meal may not be until dinner and you have a lot happening in between!
o Put money or checks in envelopes and give to a trusted friend of family member to distribute to the appropriate people (officiant, caterer, etc.)
o Make sure you have everything you need to go to your hair appointment, such as your headpiece or veil.
o Give yourself lots of time to get your makeup done.
o Make sure that you are ready in your dress forty-five minutes to an hour before pictures are taken.
o Pack a small makeup bag and bring it to the wedding. Also be sure to include anything you will need for your hair, such as bobby pins.
o Give the marriage license to the best man and ask him to bring it to the ceremony.
o Ask the photographer and videographer to capture the two witnesses signing the marriage license.
o Relax and enjoy your day! All of the planning is over and it’s time to sit back and enjoy all of the hard work that you’ve been doing for the past several months!
