Last-Minute Things to Remember for a Wedding
No matter how tightly you’ve planned your wedding, a few details can always slip through the cracks. Making lists well in advance of the wedding allows you to be sure you aren’t forgetting anything. Write out lists of things you need to do in the week before the wedding, as well as on the day before and on the wedding day itself.
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Beauty Items and Accessories
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You’re not likely to forget to bring your shoes or dress, but you may not remember all the proper undergarments when you’re leaving home on your wedding day. Lay out every element of your wedding ensemble the night before and fill a small bag with emergency beauty supplies to keep the entire bridal party looking picture perfect. Include hair elastics and clips, hairspray, extra makeup, a small mirror and safety pins. Perfume, breath mints, tampons and tissues may also come in handy. Add aspirin, bandages and smelling salts in case someone gets injured or faints from excitement.
Money
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Etiquette dictates that you pass out tips to the caterers, band and any other helpful staff at the end of your reception. The best man is generally the one to hand out tips, but you should prepare and label an envelope for each person in the days before the wedding. Tip each band musician, waiter and bartender $20 or $25, tip the DJ between $50 and $150 and tip the photographer and videographer between $50 and $200, depending on the length of the job. If you’re being married by a religious official, write a donation check of $500 to the church, or tip a nondenominational officiant $50 to $100.
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Logistics
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Although your bridal attendants, parents and third cousins are responsible for getting themselves to the church on time, it’s your responsibility to make sure everyone has the correct information. Send out mass text messages or emails the night before the wedding to remind various groups of what they need to do the next day. For example, send one text to the bridesmaids reminding them what time to arrive at the hair salon, another to the ushers reminding them when to arrive at the church and another to any out-of-town guests with a reminder of the church address. If you have pets at home, double check that your pet sitter knows when to come over.
Odds and Ends
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There are a variety of essential wedding items your officiant and reception staff likely won’t provide that you’ll need to ensure you have before leaving for the ceremony. Double check that you have the ring bearer pillow and a unity candle if you’re using one. Verify that whoever is in charge of the rings has them. For the reception, check that you have the guest book, a variety of markers for guests to use, place cards and the guest favors. If you want to save your toasting glasses and cake cutter as keepsakes, make sure you buy these items and get them to the catering staff at the beginning of the reception.
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References
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