Although weddings can be the most memorable occasions that will never be forgotten, they can also cause many couples – especially brides – much unwanted stress. You could say that it’s pretty impossible to eliminate stress from wedding planning, even in smaller weddings with local venues and few guests.
The reason for this is that there are several different moving parts that all have to come together for the special day, and it can be challenging to get each part coordinated with the next. On top of this, there’s an inevitable amount of added pressure on the couple because all their loved ones, family and friends will be celebrating with them – making it even more crucial to make the day enjoyable for everyone. If you’re a bride or groom that’s in the process of planning their wedding, you’re probably drowning in flower discussions and catering options already! In this article, we wanted to share a wedding checklist that goes beyond the typical wedding preparations, like the dress, transport or venue and help couples tick off the tasks that most miss – then stress about last minute. Here’s our wedding checklist covering the small details that you might forget.
Pack an Overnight Bag for the Morning Preparations
Whether you’re spending the night before your wedding with your partner or with family and friends, it’s necessary to prepare a small bag full of clothing and beauty essentials for your busy morning of wedding preparations.
Many brides will have hair and makeup appointments to attend in the early morning of their wedding day, and these moments can often be tense and time-consuming- amongst all the nerves and excitement, of course. While the two most important things to take to your appointments are yourself and your dress, you may appreciate a bag full of goodies and emergency items to help the morning play out smoothly and exactly how you’d planned.
You may already have plans to start the morning off with a bottle of fizz which you can share with your bridesmaids and family in the room, which is why snacks and water are crucial items to have on hand. Some other essentials include spare jewellery, a compact deodorant or perfume, and a small emergency kit including plasters and bobby pins.
To make the morning easier for you, it’s necessary to choose comfy clothing to change into once you arrive at your appointment. For the glamorous brides, why not pack a silk robe or pyjama set that is easy to change in and out of. Though if you want to prioritise comfort while you prepare for your special day, it’s necessary to pack something soft and comfortable, like a women’s lounge set.
Organise Your Wedding Photography
Your wedding photos are a crucial part of your special day, and after you’ve spent lots of time considering which photographer to choose and the photography style you like, it’s important that you get the photos you’re looking for. If you’ve chosen a photographer with experience in wedding photography, it’s likely that they will already have a good idea of the moments they’d like to capture and the positions they’d like to see you in, though as the bride and groom, you can absolutely have an influence over these decisions. Before the wedding day, it can be beneficial to arrange a meeting or call with the photographer or videographer and discuss the ideas they have in mind. On the day, you and your partner will likely be bombarded by guests all looking to join in on a photo with the two of you, so giving your photographer a list of the guests that are a priority will help make sure these photos are captured first.
Be Clear on the Day’s Wrap-Up Time
In all the details that couples have to communicate to their guests before the big day, it can be easy to miss off essential information such as the wedding’s finishing time. Many brides and grooms believe that adding an end time to their wedding invites feels strict, but this can be completely avoided by using specific language when communicating to guests. A clever way to outline the day’s wrap-up time is to make it more lighthearted and fun, perhaps discussing it as a time for ‘last orders’ or a time for the ‘carriages to arrive’.
The wedding’s closing time must be clearly communicated to guests so that the bride and groom aren’t required to wait with guests whose taxis were ordered last minute. This way, you and your partner can also look forward to a restful evening together once the celebrations draw to a close.