Here you are, YAY! you’ve almost made it – your big day is just a few weeks (days) away!
You are probably feeling a bit overwhelmed by all you have to do between now and then. Never fear – we are here to help. We have put together a quick list of must-do things for you to do to get you across the finish line.
Get Your Fancy On. Do a trial run getting dressed in your full gear including undergarments, shoes and headpiece. Put the full look together so you will feel comfortable on your wedding day
(Hint – Make sure you rehearse going to the bathroom while you are on your trial run, better to know how to manage all that dress ahead of time.) Then pack everything into the bag you will be taking to wherever you will be getting ready and don’t touch it again until you leave that day. I can’t tell you how many times a bride thought she had packed something only to remember having been rifling through her bag at some point and took something out only to never put it back in the bag. Calmness is knowing you have everything you need, so check that off your list and don’t give it another thought!
A Little Self-Care. Ideally you want to get your facial and nails done 2-3 days before your wedding so it isn’t a last minute to-do. Just think how nice a few hours at the salon will feel on Tuesday or Wednesday evening, the perfect little treat before you get your game face on.
Hello…Are You Coming? You will have received most of your RSVP’s by now, but there are always people who just don’t get how important it is to respond. Hey, nobody’s judging, we all get busy, we just need to know - because we would love to feed you if you do show up.
Make calls to those people who have not responded. Tip: write yourself a voicemail script so it’s less awkward if you have to leave a message, keep it light and friendly. “Hi, this is Joy, we are finalizing the catering order for our wedding on ~day~ and would love to include you in the count, but I think it may have slipped your mind to respond. Please let me know by Friday if you can make it, I do hope you can join us.”
Confirm, Confirm, Confirm. Your Day-of Coordinator or planner, will contact all of your vendors in the week before the wedding to discuss the final timeline and details. If you don’t have a coordinator managing the day-of for you, confirm your venues and vendors 7-10 days before your big day (make sure you don’t get caught in voicemail traps, you want to talk to a live person so there are no questions or miscommunications). You can confirm arrival times and any last minute details so you are all on the same page. If you have prepared lists such as song or photo requests, now is the time to get those out to the folks who need them. Don’t forget to confirm your honeymoon plans and details as well.
Wrangle the Stuff. Chances are you have a lot of stuff to get from one place to another, this goes to the ceremony, this to the reception. Get yourself some big plastic bins (bonus if you can find them in your colors) and designate one to ceremony and one to reception. Throughout the next few weeks drop in the stuff that goes to each location as you finalize it. Programs printed? Into the ceremony bin they go. Table assignment cards done? Cake knife? Off to the reception bin.
It helps if you tape a sheet of paper to the lid and write down what you are putting in the bin as you do, then you know what you have collected and can determine what’s missing.
Assign Tasks. If you have a Day-of Coordinator or planner, we will of course take care of all those the things that need to happen that day for you. If you don’t have one, you will need to assign someone to attend to all of those little details. Who will pin the boutonnieres, who will decorate the ceremony and reception venues, who will collect all of your leftover items from each venue when you are done, who will decorate the cars during the ceremony, who will place the favors out at the dinner place settings? And the hundreds of other little details that you’ve planned so thoroughly, don’t you want to make sure they are executed just as thoroughly?
Relax. The more you do ahead of time, the less stressed you will feel. Drink plenty of water in the days before the wedding, cut down on rich food and alcohol so you look you best in the photos, and get some sleep. It’s easy to get caught up and over imbibe in all of the celebration surrounding your wedding day, but just think about how much more you will enjoy everything if you are feeling a the top of your game.
Get Yourself a Fairy Godmother. If you are feeling overwhelmed or think you could just use a little help, please consider a Day-of Coordinator to take the burden off your (and your friends and family’s) shoulders. Unlike a full planner, you can hire us as close as 60 days before your big day!
We can help you all day, or just for a few hours, whatever you need. This is what we do every day, and we are uniquely skilled to take care of all of those little details, so you don’t have to.
After all, shouldn’t your only job on the day of your wedding be to marry your best friend and celebrate with your family and friends?
