There’s nothing more frustrating than feeling like you’ve forgotten something – let alone when it comes to your wedding! With so much involved in the lead-up to the big day, it can be all too easy to overlook some of the small (but important) details. The solution? Make a list and plan ahead to ensure nothing slips through the cracks.
From organising payments and playlists to packing your emergency kit, we’ve rounded up 11 essential things brides often forget to do before their wedding day to ensure all of your bases are covered. They may seem like minor details, but we guarantee each one of them will contribute to your overall experience (and stress levels!) on the day.
Create A Photography Shot List
Have you communicated your must-have wedding day snaps to your photographer? Creating a personalised shot list will ensure all of your priority moments are captured – not to mention, helping your photographer round up the right people for family and group photos. You can read our wedding photography checklist here to get started.
Organise Your Flat Lay Details
Speaking of photography, don’t forget to organise an extra stationery suite and bring it with you to your wedding morning prep. This will allow your photographer to capture a beautiful stationery flat lay (without you having to swipe a menu and place card from your wedding tables at the very last minute!).
Pro tip: keep your wedding day accessories handy (like your rings, earrings and perfume) so your photographer can incorporate them into your flat lay shots, too.
Create Your Getting Ready Playlist
Set the mood as you get ready with your bride tribe by compiling the perfect wedding morning playlist! Music has been proven to influence your emotions and energy levels, so choose a selection of your favourite feel-good tunes to calm your nerves and put you in the right headspace before the big event.
Need some tunes for your big day? From your getting ready playlist to music for the reception, here’s a full list of Spotify playlists for each moment of your special day!
Eat a Hearty Breakfast
With a massive day ahead of you, a hearty breakfast is going to be essential. Don’t forget to fuel your body with a nutritious meal (before popping the champagne!) to give you the energy you’ll need for the party to come. Toast, eggs, avocado and oatmeal are all great choices to keep you satiated without the sugar crash.
Write A Note For Your Partner
This last-minute task is definitely something worth putting the time aside for. Waking up to a sweet, heartfelt note will remind you both what the day is really all about, and get you feeling all of the warm fuzzies before your ceremony.
Tell your partner what this day means to you, what you love about them, and how excited you are about embarking on this new chapter together. You’ll want to have the tissues (and your photographer) handy for this one!
Finalise Cash Payments
Trust us, making payments is the last thing you’ll want to be responsible for on your wedding day. If you’ve organised any cash payments for your wedding suppliers, make sure you prepare these in advance.
We recommend setting aside the right amount of cash in clearly labelled envelopes (including the supplier name and contact details) and delegating this task to someone trustworthy.
Break In Your Wedding Shoes
Sore feet are a bride’s worst nightmare! Remember, you’ll be standing on your feet for hours on end (not to mention, tearing up the dance floor), so take care of “future you” by breaking in your wedding shoes before the day.
Pro tip: put on a thick pair of socks, step into your shoes, and blast them with a hairdryer for a minute – after they cool, they should be perfectly stretched out for maximum comfort!
Confirm Your Decor List
Have you run through each area of your day from ceremony to reception and confirmed you’ve booked all of the necessary hire items?
Some commonly forgotten details include cake stands and accessories, signing table and chairs, a chair for your musician, a table for your wishing well, entree cutlery, and LED candles. Oh, and don’t forget to include you and your fiance in the guest count for all of your tableware, too!
Create An Emergency Kit
In our opinion, a wedding day emergency kit is essential. Think: bandaids, safety pins, makeup for retouching, mints, deodorant, perfume and snacks. Keep your emergency kit tucked away somewhere safe at your venue on the day so you can revisit it and freshen up when necessary!
Looking for inspiration? You can find our ultimate packing list for your wedding day here.
Keep Your Cards Safe
Have you organised someone to collect your cards and gifts after the wedding reception? Because trust us – it will probably be the last thing on your mind!
Make sure your wedding planner, venue coordinator or trusted loved one has been delegated to keep your gifts safe and secure after the party has wrapped up.
Make Time To De-Stress
The final weeks before your wedding will be packed with family time, rehearsals and pre-wedding celebrations, but don’t forget to fit in some rest and relaxation, too!
Make sure you have all of your tasks ticked off at least 3 weeks before the day so you can block some time out to focus on your pre-wedding health and wellness. Yoga classes, massages, meditation and beauty treatments are all ideal activities to help you de-stress before the day.
Love these tips? Check out our step-by-step guide to creating your wedding day timeline here!
