Congratulations on your engagement! This is a really exciting time in your life. It’s also probably going to be a bit stressful.
During this next year, I want to walk through this process with you. I’ll give you a 12 Month Guide to planning your wedding and explain things along the way. You can start from the beginning here (click). Come back to this blog each week for the next installment.
Week 52 – Wedding Week
It’s almost time! It’s the last week before your wedding! You’re almost done with all the wedding planning. There are just a few things to do this week.
The groom should get his hair cut about five-seven days before the wedding. That will keep it looking nice, while also giving time to grow it out just a bit in case something went wrong with the cut.
Brides, get your nails done. Your hands and feet will show and be in a lot of photos so it’s important for them to look nice. If you don’t want to wear nail polish on your fingers, then you can buff the nails to a smooth sheen. They’ll look healthy and natural. Don’t forget to apply lotion so your skin looks nice, too.
Remind the people who are giving toasts to work on what they’re going to say and practice at least once. It might also be a good idea to give them a cut-off time. Short and sweet can be applauded, but a five paged speech will not be easily remembered (true story).
Pack your honeymoon bag. Pack a bag early in the week so you’re not scrambling to do laundry the day before the wedding. Make sure to include all the needed honeymoon documents (reservation confirmation pages, passports, etc.).
Pack an emergency kit. It doesn’t hurt to be prepared for the unexpected. Be a boy scout on your wedding day with a small bag of helpful items. Here’s a list of possible items to include:
- Safety pins
- Needle and thread (in color to match wedding dress, bridesmaid dress and tuxedos)
- Small pair of scissors
- Dance Team tape (for keeping clothes in place)
- Stick-on instant hemming tape
- Clear nail polish (for runs)
- White chalk (for masking stains)
- Breath Mints
- Bandages
- Blister protection
- Antacids
- Pain reliever
- Tampons and pads
- Blotting papers
- Cotton Swabs
- Tweezers
- Emery board
- Lip balm
- Tissues
- Hand lotion
- Bobby pins
- Comb with pointed end (for bumps in hair)
- Lipstick
- Powder
- Small mirror
- Nail polish in the shade(s) bridal party is wearing
- Stain remover pen/swab
- Club soda
Be ready for the rehearsal, and make sure others are as well. It’s important to know who is leading the rehearsal. No, it should not be you. I tried to lead part of my own rehearsal and it was so stressful. I was glad the pastor led a good portion of it. Your officiant will probably lead people through the ceremony, but you’ll want to double check. There are other parts to consider as well. How the family and wedding party walk in, who is cuing the music, where everyone will stand. If you don’t have a coordinator or a church coordinator, ask a responsible family friend to help guide the ceremony. That way you can move through it efficiently without having to stop and lead it as well. It is helpful to email the ceremony plan to those who are taking part in it. They should all be present at the rehearsal (plan for about an hour and stress the importance of being on time). Provide printed copies for everyone who comes so they can follow along during the rehearsal.
The last things to do before your wedding – get plenty of sleep and enjoy the day. It’s meant to be treasured. At the end of the day, the only things that really has to be done is to say “I do” to your fiance in front of a minister.
Congratulations on your next big adventure! Next week we’ll look at what to do to wrap up things after your wedding.
Katelyn is a certified wedding planner. She is available for consultations.
She will even meet with you on Skype to help you work through part of your wedding planning.
Click here for more information.