Week of Wedding Checklist
After months of anticipation and planning, you're now just one week away from declaring your love and saying "I do!"
With only a handful of days to cross those final to-do's off of your wedding list and ensure everything is in order it is understandable that certain details might slip your mind. Are there invoices left to be paid? Have all of our RSVP's come in? Did we pick up our wedding bands? Where did we put the marriage license?
As the questions begin to pour in surrounding what is left to complete, it may seem daunting. Remember that you are not in it alone. Not only do you have your future spouse to lean on, but friends, family, your wedding party and the incredible team of vendors that you yourself hand picked!
To make certain nothing is overlooked, compiled below are 12 essential things to address during the week leading up to your wedding.
Beauty Appointments & Relaxation
Brides, enjoy this week by heading to those final spa appointments before your big day. Hair, nails, waxing - complete your beauty regimen and enjoy being pampered. Planning to endulge in a spray tan? Book your appointment a few days before your wedding to let the colour tone down and ensure the mist will not rub off on any articles of clothing (especially your dress!) Need a little extra time to unwind and relax? Invest in a float package or body massage in addition. Simply put, treat yo’ self! Grooms, use this time to go for a final haircut before the big day. It is recommended to book your trim a few days before the wedding so the hair doesn't look overly cut and quaffed!
Quality Time
Enjoy your last few days together as an engaged couple. Put your phones on silent and ignore the to-do list for a few hours. Instead, make it a priority to plan for a quiet night, couples massage or meaningful date to enjoy quality time together before you are wed.
Vendor Communication & Final Payments
Keep the lines of communication open with your vendors during the days (and weeks) leading up to your wedding. Make some calls or send out emails to your team of vendors. Include your wedding timeline and any final questions. Check your invoices to be sure that you have squared up or have a list of the remaining payments left so these can be paid on the wedding day or soon afterwards.
Check In with Wedding Party & Significant People
Run through each aspect of the day with your wedding party and immediate family. Send them a copy of your wedding timeline to make sure everyone is on the same page. Pro Tip: Compile a list of emergency names and numbers (parents, best man, maid of honor... etc) to be distributed to both the wedding party and vendors, just in case.
Final Pick Ups
Determine what items need to be picked up during the week of your wedding. This may include: wedding bands, marriage license, decor rentals... etc. Grooms - if you and your boys are renting suits make sure to determine whether you or your groomsmen will be picking up the rentals. Should it be up to your boys, send a friendly reminder text or give them a call to check that they have made their pick up.
Laundry and Cleaning
Laundry and cleaning? What? I thought I just told you to take the week to relax! While you can certainly feel entitled to ignore your regular laundry and ironing, don't forget to take care of your special wedding garments. Brides and grooms, iron or steam your clothing before your wedding day. Clean your rings, your photographer will be getting up close and personal with your bands for details shots, while wedding guests will be sneaking a peak at them all day. The rings can be sent to your jeweller ahead of time for a deep clean, or left to soak in soap and water for a gentle wash at home.
Pack your Day-of and Wedding Night Bag
Should you be getting ready at a hotel or venue on the day of your wedding, make sure to assemble everything you will need in a dedicated bag. Custom vows or speech? Print a few copies and have an electronic version on your phone just in case! Pack an emergency kit with bits and bobs that you might need on the day of (needle and thread, fashion tape, bandaids, lipgloss etc). Finally, pack your bag for the wedding night and make a plan for who will deliver it to the hotel.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Don't forget to get extra sleep in the days leading up to your wedding. You will want to be well rested and energized on your special day!
Deliver the Final Head Count
Track down those last few RSVP's you've been waiting on and deliver the final headcount to the venue holding your reception. From there you can confirm the seating chart and make any necessary adjustments.
Rehearsal Dinner
Similar to the vendor check in, if you're organizing a wedding rehearsal followed by a dinner, check in with the restaurant (or host) a day before to confirm the head count, review the menu and go over details one last time so there are no surprises.
Gifts
If you plan on giving gifts to members of your wedding party or relatives, now is the time to purchase any final items and package them up. If possible, include hand written notes with special memories or inside jokes for an extra touch! If you plan on spoiling your guests with welcome gifts or favours grab a few of your closest friends and family to make a night of gift wrapping.
Honeymoon Details
Honeymooning right after the wedding? Confirm the logistics, print tickets, compile your travel documents, jot down details and pack your bags so you are ready for your adventure and not scrambling to pack right after your wedding. Pro tip: When packing for any trip I try to assemble my items in a pile a few days before, so anything I may have initially forgotten can be packed before departure as I remember. You would be surprised the amount of times I've forgotten socks, deodorant, make up remover (the list goes on...) while packing last minute.