The Final Week Before the Wedding Countdown

It’s all getting very real now with just a week to go until your big day - exciting and just maybe a wee bit hectic and stressful?

Here are a somethings that may or may not be useful or relevant to you situation and wedding, but that many couples need a reminder about or might even not have thought of yet.

The Final Week Before…

• Put your engagement ring in to be checked and cleaned so it sparkles like new when it joins your new wedding ring.

• Finalise you guest list and send it to the venue along with a paper copy of your table seating chart.

• Have all your wedding party practise getting fully dressed to make sure everyone has everything and then have them pack everything together ready to go. If anything is missing get it sorted now - suits, shirts, waits coats, ties, cufflinks, pocket squares, socks, any jewellery or accessories, dresses, shoes, hair pieces, make-up bags, handbags, garment bags etc. Make sure you check that they all have actually done this!

• Complete the breaking-in your wedding shoes. If they are tight, rubbing or pinching anywhere use a damp cloth and stuff with paper to stretch the area. If the soles are too slick and slippery, scuff them up a bit or have the bookmaker put on a new sole that grips. If you will be wearing heels and any part of your wedding will be outdoors don’t forget the heel stoppers! Protect any delicate fabrics such as suede or silk with a spray or waterproofer to prevent staining.

• If hiring suits, delegate for one person to collect them and then return them.

• Confirm any remaining grooming appointments for you both - tanning, nails, brows, waxing, haircolour, haircut, beard trim, facials, massage, dental clean and polish etc

• Confirm times and schedule for the wedding day with your Make-up Artist and Hairdresser.

• Confirm times and schedule with any transport you have arranged - coach, bus, car, horse and carriage etc.

• Call to confirm all the details with your suppliers and vendors to finalise timings and locations for the schedule of the day. If you haven’t told them already then make sure you let them know who the relevant contact person will be on the day - eg at the pick up locations for cars, ceremony drop off and collection, venue drop off and collection etc.

• Have a comprehensive Schedule/Running sheet/Timeline document for the whole day with the contacts of the Bride, Groom, Best Man and Maid of Honour and ALL your suppliers/vendor contacts involved on the actual day - just in case! Email this document to ALL of the wedding party, your parents and ALL of your vendors and suppliers that will be there on your wedding day in some way - delivering their services. It’s really important that the document shows the venue, the name of the various suppliers and when they will be arriving to set up or drop off and when they will be coming to collect and take down.

• If you haven’t already given your photographer and videographer a “Must Have” shot list make sure you do that now.

• Give your song/music selections to your Ceremony Musicians, Reception DJ or Band and make sure they are aware of any special music - eg processional, signing the register, recessional, reception entrance, first dance, father daughter dance etc.

• Do any last minute travel shopping for your honeymoon and pack your bag with your travel documents, passports, foreign currency etc.

• Complete any final edits to your Vows (if writing your own) and give a copy to your officiant/celebrant. If putting them in a vow book or card do that now.

• Complete any final edits for any speeches or “love letters” you are doing and put them in a safe place where they can’t be forgotten to take with you on the day eg suit pocket, wedding dress bag etc.

• If people will be staying with you at your home get the house ready eg change bed linen, set up spare room, put towel on end of bed, get extra food in etc

• Pack an Emergency Kit (or delegate to a responsible person) - make-up wipes, tampons, hairbrush, clear nail polish, crochet hook (for button loops on dresses), eyelash glue, superglue invisible hemming tape, Hollywood tape, mini sewing kit, pins, bandaids, cotton tips, deodorant, antihistamine, Panadol, lip balm, deodorant, perfume, hand sanitiser, hairspray, bobbie pins, mints etc

• Attend your wedding rehearsal and wedding rehearsal dinner.

• Give out any accessories or items (unless they will be gifts on the wedding morning) to the people concerned ahead of time so they are no longer your responsibility - eg basket to the flower girl, shawls to the bridesmaids etc.

• Pack any ceremony or reception decor items you are supplying into separate boxes and label what goes where on the side to making transporting and setting up easier. Give them to whoever will be responsible for setting it up on the day and removing it either that same day or the next day. You can even do a mock up and set it out the way you want it to look and take a photo to include in the boxes eg centrepieces, table settings etc. If you are doing any styling yourself get it done as early as the venues will permit so you are not rushed later.

• Drop off place cards, table numbers, menus, favours, table plan etc to the reception venue coordinator.

• Put together any “Welcome Bags” and arrange for them to be delivered to where any guests who are travelling to attend will be staying.

• Organise, wrap and write personal notes for any gifts for your fiance, wedding party, parents or other VIPs that will be given at the wedding rehearsal or on the day.

• Pack your wedding overnight bag and organised for it to be delivered to where you will be staying if different from your venue or where you will be getting ready.

• Confirm that the wedding cake is on track for delivery to the reception venue.

• The night before get the Iron or steamer out and do anything that needs it from being in the garment bags - eg shirts, trousers, dresses, veil etc - you don’t want to be doing this as you are getting ready tomorrow - it will be too hectic. Make sure your wedding party do the same. Make it clear it CAN’T happen tomorrow morning.

• Make up your favourite wedding or happy love song playlist on iTunes, Spotify or similar - so you can all chill out and have fun as you get ready on the morning. You want to try to keep the chaos and stress to a minimum and relax and enjoy.

• Have a relaxing bubble bath or go for a massage.

• Put a few bottles of bubbles into the fridge to take with you or organise for some to be delivered to where you are getting ready and make sure it’s kept cold.

• Make sure you organise food for the wedding morning getting ready - grazing boards are great!

• If you’re spending the night before in a hotel or with your bridesmaids all in one place make sure the Bride has a separate room to sleep. Whilst the girly PJ party can be fun in anticipation of tomorrow, you all need to get a good night sleep before the big day.

• Pack any overnight bags or cases ready for the big day!

Hope this blog helps you in planning the most amazing wedding ever!