My sister in law planned her destination wedding to the tee. She spent hours going over everything in the final months just to ensure that everything was planned properly. She had all kinds of checklists for everything and she had actually filled them out. So when it came to get married, she assumed that everything was under control.
And she paid dearly for it.
When she arrived at the hotel to check into her bridal suite, she was told that they had no reservation for her. In addition, she was told that the hotel was sold out.Shocked and dismayed, my sister in law got up like a trooper and said we would move somewhere else.
When we tried calling other hotels to inquire about a bridal suite, no one had one left. In fact, most hotels we called were completely sold out as well.
Out of frustration, my sister in law decided to bunk with her bridesmaids till the night of the wedding.
So what went wrong?
Though my sister in law had planned everything to a tee, she failed to do one thing the week before her wedding. She forgot to finalize everything with vendors and suppliers. While it all turned out okay, having to look for hotel rooms at the last minute, bunking with others, and getting ready for your wedding in a cramped room could have been avoided.
In this article, we are going to go over all the things that you need to do during the week before the wedding so you don’t get stuck in a similar predicament.
The list below is long and can seem overwhelming. Rather than skim through it, go ahead and print it and check off each item as it gets done. You’ll thank us for it later.
Things to do during your final week before the wedding
Meet wedding coordinator
If you’re getting married at a resort, then you most likely have a resort coordinator that will take care of last minute details. Make sure to meet this person as soon as you arrive to go over any questions you have and to answer any that they may have.
Wedding Venue
Visit the wedding venue and confirm the room set up, centerpieces, seating chart and the timing of the event. Also go over what time they’ll let vendors start setting up.
Rehearsal Dinner
Confirm the time of arrival, and the number of people attending. Make sure they know who pays as well.
Ceremony Location
Confirm the date and the time of your ceremony; go over the setup, and the sequence of the event. Confirm the choice of music as well.
Transportation
Confirm airport transportation for guests, transportation to/from wedding etc. Confirm dates, arrival times of guests and transportation schedules of all trips to and from the wedding. In addition, if you have arranged additional transportation to/from activities, make sure to confirm those as well.
Hotel Room Block
Confirm guest reservations, special requests, airport shuttle pickup, and any other requirements that you may have had. If you did block hotel rooms, did you ask for these three amenities. Read “How To Block Hotel Rooms For A Destination Wedding”.
Florist
Visit the florist to see a sample arrangement for yourself. This way, you know exactly what you will be getting on the day of your wedding. If you decide that the arrangement is not to your liking, the florist will have enough time to get the kind of arrangement you do want.
Baker
You have to visit the Baker to drop off the cake topper anyways, so take the opportunity to confirm all the details of the cake. Confirm the delivery time of the cake, the flavor, icing, and the number of people it is being prepared for.
Prepare Payment Envelopes
Organize all your payments to vendors into separate envelopes. Many couples will let one of the parents handle the payments. Having them done ahead of time makes it a lot simpler and takes one more thing off your plate.
Prepare Gifts
Wrap favors and pack into boxes. Get your bridesmaids, and family members to help with this task.
Nail Salon
Call and set up appointment to have your manicure and pedicure done.
Photographer
Go over the list of family and friends so they know who to concentrate on at the wedding. Also go over the package details, the location of the shoot, and what time you expect the photographer to arrive.
Dress and Tuxes
Send your dress off to the dry cleaner to remove any creases. Make sure to send it as soon as you arrive at your destination so it is ready for pickup a day or two ahead of your wedding.
Drop Off Materials To Reception Venue
Drop off your centerpieces, guest book, and favors at the reception site for the staff to arrange.
Marriage License
Ensure that you have the marriage license requirements taken care of. Go over everything you need with the officiant ahead of time to reduce any last minute hiccups.
Hair, makeup, nails
Make sure to call this vendor a week ahead to confirm the date and time that you will be seeing them. Call the day before the wedding again to confirm.
Confirm group outings
If you planned any group excursions, then confirm the timings, rates, and availability. If you need some ideas on the kinds of group activities to plan, read this.
Music
Confirm with DJ what time he/she will arrive. Also go over what the playlist will be, and ensure that they have a list of the songs you want played and a list of songs you don’t want played.
Umm. That is mighty list. How can I get all this accomplished in a week?
We’re glad you asked. This is why you have bridal attendants that you can count on to get things done, and we would rely on them to complete the tasks above in a timely manner. Read “Attendant Duties At A Destination Wedding”
While the list above may seem long and annoying, doing all the above will make life a lot simpler on your wedding day. Having things done ahead of time will provide you time to mingle/relax with your wedding guests.
It will also provide you the opportunity to get ready for the wedding in your own bridal suite.
What should you read next?
Since you’re planning a wedding, why not read through our destination wedding planning guide.