The Do's and Don'ts regarding your Wedding Day...
There are many articles out there that give solid advice when it comes to wedding day preparation. Aside from the typical advice such as, break in your wedding shoes, stay hydrated and don't drink too much, I've compiled a list of essential tips to prepare for your big day.
DO review all of your vendor contracts. Your wedding planner will also be in charge of this but it's important to know an itemized list of services or items you have secured with your wedding vendors. One of my brides swore she secured a stage with her decor vendor. Since I was secured to coordinate her wedding last minute, while she was upstairs getting her hair and make-up done, I was sending her pictures of the decor set up. She asked me, "When will they be installing the risers?" I immediately went to ask the decor team and they stated she never ordered one. Thankfully I had a handful of great vendor contacts, so I reached out to as many of them as I could. We were able to get a stage ordered and installed just in time before the function started. Phewww, that was a close call!
DO have assigned seating. Whether you opt for a seating chart or escort cards, I strongly suggest having assigned seats for your guests. Not only does it add personal detail, it helps keep things organized and is highly functional. You will also avoid the issue of guests not having a seat. Sometimes with open seating, families may sit at a table and there is only one seat left. Your guests don't want to split up so it's best to avoid this scenario if possible.
DO plan for enough time to get ready. You will want to make sure to get an exact schedule from the hair and make up team on when services begin and when they are planned to finish. Usually there is a buffer of time allotted to make sure last minute changes can be handled without stress. You will have pre-ceremony photos to take such as the first look with bridesmaids, possibly dad, and other wedding party photos. It's best to stay on track with your timeline and not feel rushed.
DO book a second shooter when it comes to photography. If your wedding venue has a bridal suite and groom's suite, you will want to have one shooter at each of these locations to capture your "getting ready photos". Photographers have a lot of ground to cover and you don't want to miss any of these details on your big day.
DO make sure your veil is properly stored prior to the days leading up to your wedding. Veils cling to everything and can be easily wrinkled if not properly cared for. Make sure you hang your veil on a velvet hanger and the higher up it hangs, the better! If you happen to have wrinkles in your veil, take it to the bridal shop if possible to allow them to steam it for you. If that's not an option, you can steam your own veil by hanging it from the ceiling in a closed restroom and put the hot shower on. I've had to do this for one of my brides on her wedding day and she was forever grateful we had a last minute solution.
DO designate a point of contact for your family photos. Typically right after the ceremony and guests enter into cocktail hour (or leave to head to the reception site) you will have family photos. I typically allote for 20 minutes to fit all these important shots into our timeline. Since your planner and photographers have never met your family before, we don't know how to locate these family members. It comes in very handy to have POCs to help identify and gather these people so we don't waste any time. :)
DO schedule a Room Reveal or First Look into your reception space. It's always a cherished moment being able to bring the bride and groom into the reception area at the tail end of cocktail hour for a private first look. This is a chance for your photo and video team to capture your reaction on how beautiful everything looks (prior to guests coming in). All the designs and decor your paid for and planned for should be given a special moment of appreciation.
DONT surprise your guests with a cash bar. If you are serving alcohol at your wedding, I usually always suggest an open or on-consumption bar for your guests. If at any point in the night, you are planning to switch to a cash bar, I highly recommend you have a bar sign placed out on your bars that poisefully states something along the lines of, "The first few drinks are on us, a cash bar is to follow". This way your guests will not be taken off guard when the bartenders start asking for payment.
DON'T skimp out on your DJ or entertainment services. It's highly important that during all the transitions of your big day, there is music, formalities or entertainment going on. I've experienced a few weddings in which the DJ finished up with the ceremony and had to transition to the cocktail hour. It was at that time that the guests entered into cocktail but no music was being played. That's a big no no in my book!
DON'T try to coordinate your own wedding or ask a family member to do so. If your budget doesn't allow for you to hire a wedding planner, a day or coordinator or event manager is the recommended minimum. I witnessed a bride, who had assigned her cousin to coordinate the wedding, step away from post-ceremony photos to call one of her vendors who had not yet showed up. I'll be generating a future blog post on reasons to hire a wedding coordinator but for now, what I can tell you is that you do not need this added stress.
DON'T be unprepared when it comes to your wedding dress bustle. It's important that your wedding planner attends your final dress fitting to learn which kind of bustle your dress has. If for some reason they are unable to attend, make sure you take a video of the proper way your dress should be bustled. Bustling a wedding dress can be intimidating to some, but when you come prepared, you shouldn't have any hiccups!
In closing, DO try to take time to breathe and enjoy your day to the fullest. DON'T sweat the small things. Every wedding has a great story to tell. Try to remember the day is about you and your partner and your love for one another. It's a day to relax and CELEBRATE your love story, making memories you will cherish for a lifetime.
With Love,
Karissa Joy
