Eeek! Your wedding day is almost here! The countdown is almost down to zero days left before your big day! 

Now, you might feel like your head is spinning and that you’re going to go crazy before your wedding day arrives, but that’s okay. Take a deep breath and slow down. You can never get this time back. 

I am involved in a lot of couple’s season of engagement all the way up until the day, and I hear a lot of brides talking about how they feel like they have a million things to do the week of their wedding. Like there is no way they are going to get everything done. 

That’s a very natural feeling. Regardless of how many guests you’ll have, what kind of wedding, or the season, you may feel this way. You’ve probably never handled and planned so many details in your life before, so it’s normal to feel overwhelmed.

That’s okay. I wanted to share some of the things EVERY bride needs to do the week before her wedding. 

One Last Dress Rehearsal 

Hopefully, you’ve been able to pick your dress up from your seamstress and have your final fitting to make sure things are perfect. But even if you’ve done that, make sure that you try your dress on the week of your wedding to make sure everything fits correctly and nothing has changed since your final fitting.

With 7 days left til the wedding, you will still have time to make any last minute alterations if needed.

But don’t stop with the dress. Put all the full outfit, especially shoes! You probably bought your shoes, put them on to make sure you liked them, and then took them off so you didn’t mess them up. 

If you’re anything like me, those shoes have been sitting in a box for several months. Well, nows the time to get them out and break them in a little bit. Walk around for a while and see if they irritate you or pinch your feet. Try to break them in a bit.

Not only can you make any adjustments, but it will also help break in the shoes and make them more comfortable on your wedding day. You don’t want pinched feet while you’re walking down the aisle, standing for all those family portraits, or doing your first dance at the reception.

Give Final Numbers

At this point, all of your guests SHOULD have RSVP’d to your wedding (we know that there will still be some stragglers). Maybe you need to call a friend or family member to get their final answer. Don’t be afraid to do that. 

After you’ve gotten them all rounded up, go ahead and let your venue and caterer know the exact number that you expect to have at your wedding. It shouldn’t be a surprise to either of them, but they will appreciate knowing how many to expect and can make any necessary adjustments. 

Most caterers will want a headcount in advance of one week before the wedding, but some will allow a little leeway if a few extra people respond the week-of, so it doesn’t hurt to get a more accurate count leading up to the big day and check back in to update them.

Double Check Your Vendors

Speaking of vendors, in the week leading up to your wedding, it’s a great time to call/email all of your wedding vendors to double-check the time they are arriving and see if they need any additional information. If you have a wedding planner, this will be her job, so save yourself the stress and hire one. 😉

We always send out a questionnaire 6-8 weeks before your wedding that will answer all of our questions and gives us any information that we need to know, but it’s not uncommon for a vendor to realize they might have forgotten something, or to just want to check in the week of the wedding.

It’s easier for you to send an email and double-check the time and info than have a vendor show up late. Don’t worry, 99% of wedding professionals will appreciate you reaching out to confirm everything. 

Pack Your Bags

Not only do you need to get ready for your wedding, but you also need an overnight bag if you’re staying somewhere the night before the wedding. You’ll also need to pack for the honeymoon (if you’re going on one). Don’t wait until the night before the wedding or the day of to start packing! That would be a nightmare and you’ll likely forget something!

Packing for a trip (even if it’s just one night) can be a stressful event, and you don’t want to add any additional stress to yourself. A couple of days before your wedding, go ahead and start packing all of the bags you need, and make yourself a list so you know you haven’t forgotten anything. 

Prep for An Emergency

One thing some brides forget is to pack an emergency bag. I know that sounds scary, but it’s a practical tip for the wedding day. 

Your emergency bag should include all of the small things people scramble around for – scissors, bobby pins, bandaids, floss, Tide-to-go pen, maybe even command strips (and probably other really helpful things I’m forgetting). Hopefully, no emergency takes place on your wedding day, but if it does, you’re prepared! 

I actually burned my hand by accidentally touching the stylist’s curling iron on the day of my wedding (insert face in palm) and one of my bridesmaids had to go to Walmart to get burn cream because it wasn’t in our emergency wedding day kit! (I’m a klutz, I know)

In most cases, someone can run to a store and grab small things, but you never know what you might need 15 minutes before the ceremony or how far away from a store you might be, so why not be prepared? 

We hope these little tips are helpful for you in preparation for your big day!!