Its the week before your wedding. Congrats! Only seven days until you take your vows, but it seems as if you have endless details to check off your list to ensure that nothing is overlooked. Time to doublecheck all those final countdown details, and here is a handy checklist, to make that task a little easier.
1 – Check-in With Your Vendors
Check-in with your vendors by mail or email, to make sure that they have everything they need from you, and to review any last-minute changes. This can include menu selections, final guest count, limo pick up times, or even any weather problems you may anticipate. If you are using a wedding planner or a wedding day coordinator, they may be handling all of this, but do check in with them to make sure that everything is running smoothly.
2 – Pick Up Your Marriage License
Check if your state is one of the ones that have a minimum “waiting period” between when you pick up the license, and the actual wedding date, anything from 24 hours to more than 72 hours. Wedding licenses also have expiration dates, so be sure to not apply too far in advance just to “get a jump” on things. If you like to do things early rather than later, one thing you can do in advance is to begin the paperwork for your post-wedding name change.
3 – Try on Attire
It’s a smart bride who schedules a full dress rehearsal a week before the wedding, just to make sure that everything is perfect and that no accessories are missing. Try on shoes as well, and practice walking to make sure that the fit is comfortable and that the soles are not too slippery. When trying on your wedding gown, be sure to do it without jewelry and makeup, and do this with the person who will help you on your wedding day, so that they can become familiar with tricky items such as a corset back, or how to bustle the skirt for the reception.
4 – Finalize Outstanding Details
Now is the time to confirm all beauty and hair appointments, including the groom’s pre-wedding haircut. Check-in with your officiant, to verify that you are all on the same page about details of the ceremony. At this time it is also a good idea to check if there are any last-minute changes to the guest list which may affect seating charts, and/or place cards, as well as final count on the number of meals needed.
5 – Review all the Honeymoon Tickets and Reservations
Double-check all your airline, hotel, and excursion reservations, to make sure all the dates and details are in order. Its a lot easier to make corrections beforehand, rather than finding out that something is amiss when you are in another country. According to UpdateMyName.com, it is also important that the names on your airfare and passport match. For this reason, most brides hold off on changing their name on their passport until after the honeymoon, to avoid issues with any travel bookings that were made prior to the wedding.
6 – Prep Gifts for the Wedding Party
It is customary to give wedding attendants and groomsmen a gift on your wedding day, as well as a gift to your intended. Take the time to make sure that these gifts are wrapped and ready, with cards attached. If you have wedding gift bags or favors that will be given to your guests, double-check with the person or vendor in charge of assembling them.
7 – Pack for the Honeymoon
If you are like most brides, you have been planning and assembling your honeymoon attire well before the last week. Now is the time to verify that you have all your shoes, jewelry, and needed accessories to pull it all together. While you are doing this, also take the time to pack a wedding day emergency kit, with beauty supplies, small sewing kit, over-the-counter meds, safety pins, etc.
8 – Practice Your Vows
If you are writing your own vows, check that you both have edited your final copies, and have transferred them to small note cards, if you need them. Practice! Any speech flows better after a few practice run-throughs, and after you go through it a few times, you are less apt to be stalled by wedding day jitters, ensuring that you can really express your feelings to your spouse-to-be.
9 – Give “Must-Have” Lists to Photographer, Videographer, and DJ
Review your “must-have’ photo shots and give to your photographer, including typical moments such as cake cutting, as well as any desired family portraits. Be sure to include plenty of reception party moments, taking care to list any special guests that you absolutely want to be included in your wedding album and video. Review your song list with your DJ, including a timeline for special dances such as first dance, the bride and groom’s dance with parents, etc.
10 – Rest!
A bride needs her beauty sleep, as does the groom! If you are both well-rested, you will look and feel your best on your special day. Allow yourselves to anticipate your fantastic, romantic honeymoon trip. You both have been looking forward to your wedding day for so long, so make sure that you enjoy the process, and keep in mind that this will be the best wedding ever!
Photo credit: Jeffrey Wang from Perfect Moment Photography studio.
BIO: Wedding photography expert Jeffrey Wang has his own wedding photography studio in Sydney Perfect Moment Photography. He helped hundreds of couples to capture their love stories and the raw emotions and spirit behinds the weddings. In his free time, he writes about love stories, venues and photography tips for known wedding blogs around the globe.
