Take the Stress Out of Your Wedding Week With This Checklist
As amazing as the marriage ceremony can be, there are lots of moving parts beforehand. Let us help you sort them all out!
Smile and let your cares melt away because you’ve done the necessary work ahead of time!
You’ve waited months (Years? Your whole life?) for your wedding. You’ve planned everything from tablecloths to the after-party—but like any big event involving lots of people, it’s easy to forget about the not-so-glamorous tasks. This is especially true for the wedding week, when you’d rather think about finally marrying your significant other instead of mundane logistics. To help prevent little details from becoming huge problems, we’ve rounded up the tasks that are most often overlooked before the big day.
Finalize the financials
3-4 weeks before the wedding
Take care of money matters well in advance of your nuptials.
Don’t let money stress loom over your wedding week. Instead, sit down and go through your contracts to make sure deposits have been paid in full and all insurance minimums have been met for your venues (if required). Then, start calculating what you’ll need for gratuities. Set aside this money in labeled envelopes and keep it in a safe place. Designate a trusted family member or friend to distribute the tips after the reception and let vendors know who to go to for these payments.
Connect with your DJ (or MC)
2-3 weeks before the wedding
What’s the best way to prevent speeches from cutting into your dance groove? Set a time limit before the wedding week. “If your DJ is also your master of ceremonies, be sure to run all proposed announcements by them in advance to ensure enough time is allotted,” says Kevin Dennis, certified wedding planner and owner of Fantasy Sound Event Services. “He or she can advise on how long speeches can run, as well as the ideal time for family dances and the cake-cutting.”
Make a priority list with your photographer
2-3 weeks before the wedding (and before the DJ so you can inform them of reception arrival time after any post-ceremony photo sessions)
Consider the moments you want captured—then share that info with your photographer.
Your photographer was hired for their experience and artistic eye, but they’re not mind readers. Take time before the wedding week to loop in your photographer about specific shots you’d like them to take at the ceremony and reception. In addition, discuss any photo sessions you might want to take post-ceremony or prereception and get a sense of how long they might take. “Oftentimes, without professional guidance, the couple won’t set aside enough time, which pushes the rest of the day back,” says Keith Phillips of Classic Photographers. “This especially impacts the timeline for the venue, catering and entertainment.”
Check your group hotel reservation
2 weeks before the wedding
Thinking of leaving gifts for your guests? Don’t forget to reach out to the hotel for details on when to drop them off.
Whether you’ve arranged a block of five rooms or 25, Choice Hotels makes it easy to manage your reservations thanks to easy-to-use tools designed specifically for group travel. After you’ve checked in on your group block, reach out to your hotel to let them know of any special gifts you’d like to leave in the room for your guests (and the best time to drop those off and where).
Do a venue walk-through (and pay attention!)
1-2 weeks before the wedding, depending on the venue’s policy
By the time you get to wedding week, you may be tempted to tune out during the final venue walk-through, but there are a few specific features to look out for that’ll make the day go by more smoothly. “Double-check that your event space is logistically prepared to house all of the moving parts for your wedding,” says Dennis. “Power outlets should be within reach for entertainment and lighting, especially for an outdoor wedding. It also never hurts to make sure that you have all of your proper permits in order!”
Send a schedule to VIPs and vendors
1-2 weeks before the wedding, after the venue walk-through
Never assume that your sister-in-law will remember to show up early to the venue for a family portrait, or that the best man knows that his speech is limited to five minutes. Make everything crystal-clear by emailing a schedule with important details, plus addresses for the day’s locations along with a strict “arrive by” time in bold for each. Designate a friend to be the point-of-contact in case of emergency and last-second questions, because you’ll definitely have something better to do—you know, like, get married.
Your friends and family aren’t the only ones who will need a final check-in. Eliminate any day-of questions from caterers, florists and other vendors by taking time earlier in the wedding week and sending them a brief schedule, confirming addresses and letting them know your point of contact for any issues that may arise.
Pack your bags for the honeymoon
1 week before the wedding
It’s never too early to start prepping for the honeymoon!
“During the final week leading up to the big day, it’s common for the bride and groom to be so fixated on the ceremony that they completely forget about what happens next: the honeymoon,” says Jessica Chen, editor and wedding expert for WeddingDresses.com. Carve out time before the wedding week so you can pack without rushing and know your important documents (passport, IDs, etc.) are in order and in a place you’ll remember.
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