Planning the perfect wedding takes time, an abundance of patience, and a fair bit of hard work. Even if you’ve hired a professional wedding planner to handle the heavy lifting, there still remains an avalanche of decisions to be made, with plans to finalize and approve at every bend. Finally, as the big day draws near and all of your wedding plans have been set in stone, it’s easy to think that all that’s left for the two of you to do is to show up at the church on time. But the wedding planning doesn’t stop until the bride begins to walk down the aisle, and overlooking the last minute details can add stress and anxiety to an otherwise blissful day. Fortunately, by taking a few proactive steps, couples can ensure that they are prepared for nearly any contingency.
The Day Before the Wedding
The day before the ceremony emotions will run high, and you both will be nervous, anxious and excited. But there are a few last minute arrangements to make that will help the big day run smoothly. Attending to these last minute details will make the day much more trouble free, and will ensure that the bride and groom are free to enjoy the day without any sudden surprises.
- Lay out your morning clothes – Remember, you are both the center of attention on your wedding day, and family, friends and professional photographers will have you in their sites from the moment you get up. Choose something comfortable and presentable for your morning clothes, and lay them out the night before so that everything is ready when you wake up on your wedding day. Casual is fine, but a tatty old dressing gown is a no-no.
- Pack an emergency kit – The night before your wedding you should both pack an emergency kit filled with any last minute essentials you may need. These should be the types of things you may need “just in case” something crops up at the last minute. A wedding day emergency kit typically contains items like deodorant, breath mints, tissues, an extra pair of stockings, hemming tape for the bridal gown, a change of shoes for the reception, spot remover, and the like. These are basically “what if “ items, in case something needs to be mended or adjusted at the last minute.
- Organizing the pay envelopes and vendor tips – Many vendors will be expecting payment on the day of the wedding. If you have any outstanding debts to settle, make out your pay envelopes the day before the ceremony. You don’t want to worry about money on the wedding day, so it’s best to sort everything out beforehand. Also, make up any tip envelopes you may need for the bar staff, catering crew or entertainment. Give these to the father of the bride, or the best man, and let them be responsible for delivering them on the day.
- Spend a relaxing evening – Once you have laid out your clothes and prepared your emergency kit, spend a relaxing evening at home or among friends. Be sure to eat a good dinner, as you will need plenty of energy for the big day. While friends and family may want to go out on the town, avoid the temptation to drink too much. You definitely don’t want to be struggling with a hangover on your wedding day.
The Morning of the Wedding
On the morning of your wedding day, get up early and eat a light breakfast, dress and prepare to leave for the wedding venue. If either of you have any last minute phone calls to make, do so early and then give your cell phones to the maid of honor and the best man. They can field any last minute calls from vendors or out of town friends and family.
These last minute wedding tips may seem obvious, but it’s the little things that can make for an unnecessarily hectic wedding day. Attending to these last minute details will bring the wedding planning to an end, and all that will be left is the magical moment when you both say “I do”.