Here they are!
- Finalize your wedding itinerary. Your wedding timeline needs to be realistic and has room for error. If you don’t have a planner, ask your photographer and on-site coordinator for guidance; they’ve done this many times and can help you avoid any red flags.
- Make sure your wedding gown fits properly. Sometimes brides can put their wedding dress on only to find that their alterations weren’t complete, and there were still pins in it. When you take your dress home, be sure to take the garment bag off so that it has time to “breathe” and settle.
- Break in your wedding shoes. Don’t let aching feet put a damper on your big day. Stretch out your heels in advance by wearing a thick pair of socks and walking around the house in them. You could also try placing a bag of water in each heel and freezing them overnight. Better yet, bring a change of shoes that you can slip on after the first dance.
- Drop off necessary ceremony and reception items to your wedding venue. For example, your sign-in book, unity candles, bathroom amenity baskets, menus, table numbers, etc. Organize everything into boxes and include any special instructions about what goes where. Give your venue coordinator a list of items that need to be returned to you post-celebration like framed photos or your cake topper.
- Delegate Delegate Delegate. You won’t be able to do everything by yourself, no matter how much you are willing to try. A huge time-saver is designating someone to meet and greet out-of-town guests at the train/bus station. You may want to pick up everyone yourself because you are so excited to see them but don’t stress yourself out!
- Designate a go-to person who knows just as much about the wedding as you do. In most cases, the maid of honour or the sister. You need the person who knows you best and who has been very involved with the wedding planning process. She can help the photographer identify missing family members to help move along the portraits portion of the day. You may also want to turn your cell phone over to her for the day.
- Soliciting the help of a wedding coordinator can be a huge relief. They can confirm your vendors, coordinate your dinner, make weather-related decisions, assist with seating assignments and finish crossing off any other last-minute tasks. Even if nothing were to go wrong, just knowing that they are there as an insurance policy will help you keep any nervousness to a minimum.
- Make your final payments before they’re due. You don’t want to be burdened with trying to locate your checkbook on the wedding day!
- Take good care of yourself. Eat healthy, balanced meals and don’t skimp – you’ll need every ounce of energy you’ve got. It’s not fun to a “hangry” (hungry and angry) bride or be around one. Get away from the hustle and bustle of preparations to go for a run, take a yoga class, read a book or another decompressing activity.
- Indulge in well-deserved pampering with your wedding VIPs. After you’ve finalized everything, you’re officially in relaxation mode and can enjoy getting your nails done! Many spas do bridal packages or have a look on Groupon for a spa deal and enjoy a day of relaxation and quality time with your mother, sisters or girlfriends.
- Get a good night’s sleep. Although it may be tempting to stay up until 2 am, getting enough Zzzzs will ensure that you’re glowing in your wedding photos and have the stamina to dance your wedding night away.
- Remember why you’re celebrating in the first place. Do your best to cherish this once-in-a-lifetime event. Weddings are a joyous occasion. But with all the meticulous planning, high expectations and countless hours that go into them, there are bound to be some stressful moments in the final weeks. Don’t obsess about perfection to the point where you make yourself miserable in the process. Take a moment to look around at the people that mean the world to you and your partner; the flowers, cake, food and drinks have little importance to the success of your marriage.
