The big day is approaching: what to do a week before the wedding? When the countdown of the last two weeks to the wedding begins, emotions often get the upper hand and staying focused on the organization can be difficult. No anxiety! The tension rises, but we need to be sure to be ready for our day.
In this article, we will see the exact list of everything you should check before the wedding to ensure all is going fine. Are you ready?
Organization: let’s make sure everything is perfect
As I have often repeated to you, having a wedding professional at your side means being constantly supported by a guide ready to satisfy every need and solve any organizational issue. This is the actual value of the figure of a wedding planner!
I am sure that if you have chosen to rely on a professional, you will not even have to think about many of these to-dos! But if you have decided to organize your big day yourself, they could be handy tips to make sure that everything will be flawless.
The organization is the chain that holds all the elements of your wedding together and makes them magic. I know you are eager and would just like to relax but watch out for these final preparations!
Communication of the exact number of guests to the catering and to the location
This element is always crucial but even more this year! Communicating at least one – but preferably two – weeks in advance the exact number of participants you will put the catering in a position to better manage the preparation and service of the courses.
Communicating it to the location – if the two suppliers are different – will instead ensure that the spaces will be organized correctly.
Why do I say that it is better two weeks before? Because if the participants are more than those awaited, it will probably be necessary to rent additional furniture or to prepare new spaces. We can’t risk getting too close to the big day!
Moreover, this year, with Covid regulations in force, the space factor is even more critical. So, as they say, “the sooner, the better”.
Have you thought about Plan B?
Among the things to do a week before the wedding, there is undoubtedly the question of plan B. If the wedding, or part of it – ceremony or reception – will be held outdoors, it is crucial to prepare a backup plan for bad weather or unfavourable climate conditions.
In the article on Beach Wedding in Sicily, I told you about the wind and heavy seas. The Sicilian sea is one of the world most fascinating, but it is also wild and deep. If there was bad weather in the days before the wedding, the sea would likely be rough. Even if the day is beautiful!
In this case, it may no longer be possible to hold the ceremony on the beach. A plan B would be essential!
Therefore, it is essential to contact the suppliers and make sure they are ready and organized for a possible last-minute change.
Check suppliers and their alignment
As for Plan B, it is also necessary to understand if the suppliers are ready for the overall event and if they are aligned. The furnishings should arrive before the florist and the tablecloths possibly before the decorations.
Incorrect timing could cause a waste of time and overlaps, which would damage the quality of the event.
Especially for locations that are not easily accessible! In this case, I am thinking of islands or places with limited access.
So let’s contact all suppliers and make sure that they:
- have prepared everything we required for our wedding;
- are aware of where to place what and how;
- have coordinated with other suppliers for arrival and working times;
- have checked that their means of transport are compatible with the position of the location.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for suppliers, if not informed, to show up with vans or articulated lorries not suitable for the access routes (narrow streets, streets in the historic centre, dirt roads, climbs).
Let’s make sure to inform the suppliers of the traffic situation to avoid delays or unpleasant inconveniences!
What to do a week before the wedding: event and party
Now that we are sure that everything in the organization runs smoothly, we must check that the party goes as we have always wanted.
Here is the list of fundamental actions to do in the two weeks before the wedding.
Try on the dress with lingerie and shoes
This is quite obvious, but I assure you that I happened to find spouses who on the wedding day realized that they had underwear that was not suitable for their clothes. Or that they needed – for example – insoles for their shoes.
Trying out in advance every detail of the outfit for the big day is crucial.
The items to pay particular attention to are the following.
- Underwear for the bride. Visible bra straps and inadequate breast support are the two problems that we most often have to solve at the last minute.
- The socks of the groom. Have you thought about it, right? Is the colour harmonious with the dress?
- Insoles, laces, straps. When it comes to shoes, the most common problems are the need for insoles, the colour of the groom’s shoelaces – not noticed before – which reveals themselves as not compatible with the dress or the shoe strap of the bride missing the holes needed for a perfect fit.
I recommend: pay attention to these details that will make a big difference for your outfit – and for your comfort!
And the wedding rings?
Well, we chose the wedding rings months ago, and we can’t wait to wear them. But have we given someone the task of picking them up and taking them to the event? I’m sure you chose the page boy, but did you remember to ask someone to go to the jewellery store? Or to keep them during the ceremony until the big moment?
It may seem absurd but sometimes the wedding rings are forgotten at home. In this case, someone, during the ceremony, has to run to get them. In the “I thought you took them” at the end … nobody takes them!
So let’s make sure that we entrust this precious task to a particular person.
Souvenir photo: does the photographer know what to shoot?
This question seems trivial, but I guarantee you that it is not. The photographer knows that he has to shoot the whole event – and I am sure he will do a wonderful job, but you have the honour and the burden to direct his art on the details and the people you care about more.
Sometimes you realize, at the end of the wedding, that you don’t have a picture of the mother’s expression when she accompanies the groom to the altar. Or of the hug of your grandfather and grandmother.
Details that are not details but pure emotions. Better ask the photographer to pay attention to these special moments.
Other requests that we may regret not having made are the shoot of the decorations we have spent so much time choosing, mise en place, wedding ring, bride’s shoes, or wedding favours.
We should also inform the photographer if we wish to dedicate half an hour to the posed photos with the guests. He will thus be able to organize a proper space!
The ideal would be to include within the things to do a week before the wedding a “list for photographer”. Making a list of everything we would like to see in our wedding album and providing it to the photographer will facilitate his work and allow us to enjoy our big day, sure that the most precious moments and elements will remain etched on film.
Bridal bag: never without!
Among the things to do a week before the wedding, we should never miss the organization of a bridal bag. What am I talking about? A clutch bag that will contain everything the bride and groom might need during the wedding day!
Think, for example, of handkerchiefs, deodorant, hairspray, lipstick, needle and thread, spare cleats for the bride’s shoes, spare buttons, contact lenses, painkillers – you won’t leave a headache ruining your day – hairpins…
In short, everything the spouses might need! In this way, we will avoid having to ask a loved one to leave the reception to go and get what we need or, worse, having to leave ourselves for a while. Better to have everything on hand just in case!
What to do a week before the wedding: relax!
In short, these are the things to do a week before the wedding. But there is at least one, which is really crucial: relax!
The number one piece of advice I can give you is not to stress yourself out. Your long-awaited day is coming. Preparing your peace is just as important as making sure all the elements are in place.
Relax, dedicate time to yourself as individuals and as a couple and do not make any stressful commitments, even at the work level.
Yes, to the spa, massages, beauty treatments and final touches, but try to enjoy every moment without stress! And if you have decided to rely on a wedding planner, I assure you that managing the final wedding preparations will be much easier.
Tania Costantino – Full Service Wedding Planner in Sicily
Photo Credits: Alberto Cosenza; Giuseppe Santanastasio Photographer; Gianmarco Vetrano
