It’s nearly the week before your wedding and you, rightly so, want to make sure you have everything ready. You’ve spent months and months planning and want the week leading up to your celebration to run smoothly. So, here it is, my 1 week prior checklist to keep you on track, stress free and ready to go.
You may find not every point on this list is relevant to you and your unique day, however I do hope it helps you to double check no detail gets missed or overlooked.
1 Week Prior
Attire & Accessories
- Pick up your wedding attire & accessories – wedding dress/wedding outfit/suits
- Pick up your wedding parties outfits.
- If you are hiring suits and they are being delivered, make sure you have confirmed arrival time & location with the hire company
- Collect your wedding rings
Top Tip
Make sure each outfit is packed separately in it’s own garment bag. That way you can keep everything needed for that outfit in one place, helping to keep everyone organised and calm when it comes to getting ready.
Pampering
- Relax & enjoy having some pamper time getting your pedicure, manicure, tan, brows, hair cut/colour, beard trim
Top Tip
If you are planning on pampering yourself before your wedding e.g. hair cut/colour, brows, tan then my advice would be to book this for the beginning of the week.
You want to give your tan & new hair colour time to settle before the day. We all know we look our best a couple of days post pampering.
Get Packing
- If your staying away from home the night prior pack your bag for this & the night of your wedding
- Pack for your honeymoon. Make sure to pack this in a separate suitcase/bag to your wedding night so you don’t have to re-pack and faff later on
- Pack any styling & décor details you are providing for your ceremony & reception set- up
- Get yourself as organised as possible for setting your wedding breakfast tables. Make sure all the décor, linen, stationery etc. for each table is packed in a separate box and labelled with the table name/number. This way when you get to your venue it is easy to identify where everything is going and saves so much time
Top Tip
If you are setting up your wedding yourself without the help of a wedding planner or stylist then get organised.
Create a plan for how set up is going to run and what details will be on each table. Make sure you pack each table separately. This way when you get to the venue you know exactly what is going where.
Set-up can take hours so don’t add to your work by not coming pre-prepared.
- Pack an emergency kit – needle & thread, pain relief, hair pins & bobbles, tissues, hand wipes, deodorant, perfume, lipstick & snacks
- Packed any wedding gifts which are to be handed out by your wedding planner/venue coordinator during the day. Make sure each one is clearly labelled with who it is intended for
- Make sure your vows/wedding script & speeches are finalised and printed ready
- Have your wedding playlist ready to go including music for your ceremony, drinks reception, wedding breakfast & evening reception (if you’re providing this yourselves)
Check-in with Your Venue, Suppliers & Wedding Party
- Re-confirm timings & logistics with your venue & team of suppliers – if you have a wedding planner they will do this on your behalf
- Make sure your venue & caterer has an updated version of your guest numbers, seating plan & menu pre-orders
- Make sure you have made all payments necessary & have a plan for any on the day payments (either your wedding planner will take care of this or allocate a member of your bridal party to do this)
- Re-confirm morning prep timings with your wedding party. Make sure everyone knows what time they have to be up ready for. Remember you will need to be in your wedding outfit 1 hour prior to leaving for your ceremony. This will give you plenty of time for photos and additional hair/makeup touch ups.
- Create a plan for the morning of your wedding. If guests are staying over the night prior make sure they are aware of breakfast times, where they can grab a coffee etc.
Day Prior
- Set-up all your styling & decorative details ready for your arrival (if your venue allows)
- Final details meeting & walk through with your venue coordinator
- Ceremony rehearsal (if you are having one)
- Rehearsal dinner (if you are having one)
- Try to relax. Maybe you have plans to spend time with family & friends or just chill, whatever your plans enjoy them!
Top Tip
Try to make sure that you don’t leave any jobs to the last minute. The last thing you will want to be doing is rushing around, packing for your honeymoon or creating your playlist the night prior to your wedding.
I hope you’ve found my week prior checklist helpful in getting you thinking about the lead up to your wedding. To keep updated with all my latest top tips and wedding planning videos follow me over on Instagram @hannahrachaelweddings.
On My Instagram
Want to double check that no detail has been missed or unaccounted for ahead of your wedding day? Want to double check you have everything confirmed and ready to go with your venue and team of suppliers? My Wedding Planning Hours are the perfect opportunity to run through your wedding plans and make sure no detail has been missed.
Want to know more? Then just pop me a message and I’ll send you over some more details!
Image Credits – Hannah Brooke Photography / Hannah Rachael Weddings / White Orchid Print and Design / Whitehouse Event Crockery / Yorkshire Yurts / The Little Flower Hut
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