The Top 10 Things To Do The Week Before Your Wedding

One of the most valuable things we offer clients is a comprehensive checklist of what should be done/booked and by when leading up to the big day! So when it comes to the week before the wedding, anxiety can be at an all time high with possible guest changes, last second updates, worrying about weather, etc. The thing is though, anxiety does not have to be apart of your wedding week, it just depends on how prepared you are! Below is our list of the top 10 things to do the week before your wedding, to help all engaged couples prepare for the big day, feel completely relaxed, and to make sure that the word anxiety is never used to describe your planning process! xo

1. Confirm everything you both are wearing are ready to go, fits, and are all placed in a location where you could not forget them!

By now, you should have all of your attire ready to go, but it’s recommended to do a “dress rehearsal” a few days before the wedding to double-check that everything fits & is exactly how you want it to look like the day of your wedding. If you’re wearing a wedding dress, try it on (carefully!) with your shoes and accessories as a final run-through before the wedding. Tip: wipe off all of your makeup prior to putting on your dress! 🙂

Once it all looks perfect and exactly how you want it, make sure to place everything in a location where you cannot forget it when leaving for your wedding stay location! Nothing would be worse than to forget something at home (especially for you destination brides)!

2. Pack your Emergency Kit

If you do not have a planner that brings his/her own Emergency Kit, it is important to pack a bag that is filled with all the things you may need if there is some sort of issue the day-of your wedding such as a stain, rip, cut, or headache. Some of our favorite things to make sure you have in your emergency kit are: a small sewing kit, tide to go pens, bandaids, Advil/ibuprofen, small scissors, and extra water/snacks.

3. Finalize + Confirm all Details with your Venue + Vendors

Give yourself peace of mind at the beginning of the week-of by confirming all details with your vendors & your venue(s)! This can be as simple as a quick email to each vendor confirming that he/she has everything they need from you in order to execute exactly what you have planned the day-of. If you have a wedding planner, that person is probably handling the follow-ups with your vendors, so check in with them to make sure that everything is going smoothly.

Bonus Tip: Share all of your VIP’s contact information to your venue + vendors so that if there is a question or if someone needs anything at all, they are going to your Maid-of-Honor, your Best Man, or your Parents vs. you needing to deal with anything on your big day! Your focus should be on you, your new spouse, and enjoying every moment; let others take lead on the little things you do not need to be disturbed about!

4. Share your Final Itinerary with your Wedding Party

Want your immediate family/bridal party members to be at the right location and on time? To ensure this, we highly recommend sending an itinerary to them that breaks down who needs to be where and by when. Make sure to send this out at the beginning of the week, so those individuals have plenty of time to confirm details, ask questions, and schedule themselves accordingly!

5. Get Your Nails Done!

We mean this is pretty obvious, but you will be surprised what you could forget if you do not have a checklist listing out everything you need done the week of the wedding! No matter how much you prepare, you will be thrown some curveballs, so make sure to schedule a time to get your nails + toes done! Your hands and feet will definitely be photographed, so this is important! Your bridesmaids will most likely need their nails done too, so why not make this a fun girl’s day!

Here’s a list of top ten nail polishes that are perfect for your wedding day!

6. Practice your Wedding Vows (or write them if you waited until last second)!

We don’t recommend waiting until the last minute (and definitely not the night before) to write your wedding vows, so if you haven’t already finalized what you’ll say at the ceremony, now is the time to do so! Once you’ve perfected your vows, practice them and read them out loud to yourself at least once before the wedding, or several times if you want to memorize them. Even if you’re planning to read your vows from a piece of paper, the butterflies in your stomach might catch you off guard on the big day, and chances are you’ll feel more at ease if you’ve rehearsed your vows in advance.

7. Prepare all of your Final Payments/Vendor Tips

Something you do not want to forget to do is to pay your vendors. In some contracts, if you are to make your final payments the day of your wedding, if you do not have that payment for them that day, they may not be able to provide their services. So make sure to place each individual final payment in separate/sealed/labeled envelopes, and if you do not have a planner, assign someone to make sure to distribute these to those vendors accordingly the day-of. If you are worried about paying anything the day-of, ask your vendors if you are able to pay them ahead of time, or pay electronically somehow such as via Venmo or Zelle/Quickpay for examples!

This is the same for tipping your vendors! If you want to distribute tips the day-of, you can either ask about an electronic payment option, or can ask someone/your planner to distribute those labeled + sealed envelopes!

8. Pack Your Wedding Day Essentials & for your Honeymoon!

If you’re getting ready at a hotel or the venue itself, be sure to pack your must-have wedding day items beforehand (along with all of your attire, of course). Your phone charger, wallet, stationery items, bridal party gifts, your vows, and most importantly, the rings are just some of the things you’ll need. You’ll also need to pack a bag for the wedding night if you won’t be returning home after the reception.

Truth be told, you should start packing for your honeymoon even sooner if you can and if you are leaving right after the wedding, but take the last few days before your wedding to round up any miscellaneous stuff you plan to bring. Review your honeymoon itinerary and double-check that you have all the necessary documents (passports, IDs, confirmation numbers) ready to go.

9. Organize + Drop-off All of your Inventory Items/Welcome Bags

When we say Inventory Items, we mean those items that have been piling up at your place, that are all of the items you want to have set-up the day-of. Popular inventory items are: escort cards, marriage license, card box, toasting flutes, table numbers, cake knife + server, and a guest book . Either coordinate with your planner or your venue to see when these items can be dropped off, and confirm who will be setting these items up and how you want them set up.

Also, be sure to designate who and where all of the inventory items are going at the end of the night. This includes the cards and gifts you receive, your marriage license, and anything else that is very meaningful to you, so make sure your designated inventory point person is someone you trust, who may be driving to the venue (need a way to get those items home), and someone who stays on the more sober side! 🙂

If you are doing welcome bags at the hotel(s) your guests are staying at, you will want to drop these off prior to the first guest checking in as well.

10. Relax + Enjoy Every Single Moment Leading Up To Your Wedding Day!

Now this is the most important thing: Relax + enjoy every single moment leading up to & on your wedding day! As we’re sure you know, the time since you got engaged has flown by SO fast, so imagine how quickly your wedding week will be. Lean on those you love most, your venue, and your vendors to make sure everything is all set, and trust that everything you have done leading up to now will create your dream day. Have fun, don’t dwell on the small stuff, and take in every single second with those you love most! xo

When you envision the week/weeks/months leading up to your wedding day, does it overwhelm you to think of all the things that are needed to be done to ensure your day is as perfect as you envision it? Don’t be stressed out! Hire a planner! We at The Simply Elegant Group want to ensure you have all of the tools you need to make the planning process as seamless, positive, and easy as possible! Click Here to schedule your free consultation today to see if we are the perfect fit for you! xo