No matter how much time, effort and energy you put into the months, weeks and days leading up to your BIG DAY, if once your wedding day arrives, everything falls apart, it’s going to feel like all that planning was for nothing.
We’re not saying that to make you freak out. We’re actually saying this so that you’ll want to read this all the way through.
Don’t worry. It’s not (super) lengthy and it won’t stress you out. Matter of fact, we’re willing to bet the cost of your honeymoon that if you keep this list in tow and apply it, the day of your wedding will run super-smooth; that way, you can be even less anxious about it doing so.
Hire a Wedding Planner
You’ve heard us say it before and it really can’t be stressed enough. If you’re currently on the fence about hiring a wedding planner, please get one! They are professionally-skilled in implementing the planning process, handling vendors and preparing for just about any kind of crisis that could happen on your wedding day. A good wedding planner is worth their weight in gold, no doubt about that.
Bring “Extrasâ€
What do we mean by this? Pack a bag of things that will help to keep your day mishap-free. Have a robe for when you’re getting your hair and make-up done. Bring along some flats for when you’re walking around in between the ceremony and pictures and also for the reception. Have a sewing and First-Aid Kit on hand. It can’t hurt to have your cosmetics bag along with a brush, bobby pins and a flat-iron too—just in case.
Assign a Few People for Your Guests to Call
You are only going to drive yourself crazy if you keep your smartphone by your side. So, once you’ve called your spouse-to-be, turn your phone OFF (convince them do the same) and assign some individuals (who aren’t in the wedding party) to field calls. One can help those who may be lost. Someone else can provide directions to your reception. You can post their numbers on your wedding website. You can even get them a “throwaway cell phone†so they don’t have to worry about people having their private cell number.
Tell Your Wedding Party an Earlier Arrival Time
In a perfect world, your wedding party would arrive on time. But there’s a huge chance that someone in your party is perpetually late. Not only that but you have to consider things like traffic. One way to increase the chances of everyone getting their when they’re supposed to is by giving them an arrival time that is 30-45 minutes earlier than you actually need them to be there. Hey, better that they are sitting around with nothing to do than them getting there an hour late, right?
Have Snacks on Site
Your wedding day is going to be one of the best moments of your entire life. You know what else it’s going to be? L-O-N-G. And guess who oftentimes doesn’t get to eat much? The bride and the groom. That’s why it’s also a good idea to have some snacks on tow. Just make sure it’s nothing that will stain your attire. Fruit and nuts are cool. Or you can take things up a notch and serve a pre-wedding snack meal for you and your wedding party with foods like avocado toast, smoothies or maybe even some takeout like Chick-fil-A. Not only will it keep the hunger pains away, it can also keep your energy levels up throughout the day (and night).
Make Sure Your Photographer Has a Checklist
There can be a lot of assumptions that brides and grooms have when it comes to the people they hire to make their wedding day awesome. Take your photographer, for example. Just because they might have a great eye, that doesn’t automatically or necessarily mean that they are the most organized. Just so your guests won’t have to wait forever until you arrive at your reception, have a checklist for your photographer. It should include the shots you want for your before, during and after your wedding day. (Make sure they have a copy—and they confirmed that they received it—no less than a week prior to your day.)
Plan a Smooth and Entertaining Cocktail Hour
If you’ve ever watched TLC’s Four Weddings before, you’ve probably noticed that one thing that gets critiqued A LOT is cocktail hour. It’s the time between the wedding and reception while the wedding party takes pictures. So that your guests don’t get antsy waiting for you, provide a variety of foods, drinks, plenty of seats and maybe even a little entertainment. So long as they are preoccupied, that buys you more time to get other things done.
Don’t Do What Isn’t Your Job
You spent quite a bit of money to make sure that things go off without a hitch. Don’t make that a wasted expense by trying to do everyone’s job for them. The wedding planner, vendors, caterers—even your maid of honor and best man—all have assignments that they should be entrusted to handle. The less you try and do their jobs for them, the less stressed out you’ll be. And the more smooth-sailing your wedding day will be too!
©Shellie R. Warren/2018