What to Do the Week of Your Wedding

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The week before your wedding can be an exciting time, but it can also be a cause for anxiety. There are a few more things on your wedding checklist that you need to deal with, so it’s understandable to feel a bit overwhelmed. To make sure you’ve got everything you need for your wedding day, we’ve put together this checklist of seven things you need to do seven days before your nuptials.

1. Write Your Vows
Don’t wait until your wedding day to write your wedding vows! Remember, your vows should be meaningful. If you write them on the morning of your big day, you’ll end up with something that’s not as sentimental as your partner would’ve wanted. By writing your vows a week before your wedding, you’ll have sufficient time to pour out all of your emotions onto paper.

Once you’ve written your vows, take the time to practice them. Even if you’re going to be reading your vows, it’s best to be familiar with what you’re going to say. Consider reading it in front of a close friend — they may be able to provide suggestions to improve it.

2. Simplify Your Beauty Routine
Now is not the time to try a new beauty routine. Even if you find a mask that promises to make you look ten years younger, don’t put it on. Unfamiliar products put your skin at risk of breakouts, bad reactions, etc., so it’s best to stick to the basics.

If your four-step skincare routine has worked for you for years, a week before your wedding is not a good time to tweak it. It typically takes several weeks (sometimes even months) for your skin to adapt to new skincare products, particularly ones that contain chemicals such as retinol and tretinoin. During that time, there’s a good chance that you’ll experience skin purging — this is when your skin flares up due to the introduction of new products to your skincare routine.

3. Pamper Yourself (and Your Bridal Party)
Whether it’s a facial to get rid of clogged pores or a manicure to get your nails “wedding ring-ready”, it’s important to pamper yourself before your big day. Splurge on spa sessions, facials, and more to get rid of the stress you’ve gotten from all of the wedding planning. You deserve to treat yourself to self-care — you can even invite your bridesmaids and make a day out of it!

Out of all the things you can do, the most important is to get a manicure. Your ring is going to get photographed, so make sure your cuticles are clean. But whatever you do, don’t try on a new hairstyle because it may not suit you. To be safe, stick to what you know will work.

4. Share the Schedule With Your Guests
It can be a struggle to get your guests to show up on time. There’s always going to be that one guest who arrives at the venue when the wedding is already over. What’s worse is when the guest is part of the wedding party.

To avoid this, consider giving your guests an up-to-date itinerary of events that covers everything, from the time and place for photos, to the time and place for the reception. Send this out a week before your big day to give your guests time to confirm and raise their concerns.

Be prepared to book a vehicle for guests who don’t have the proper transportation to get to your venue. If you have guests who are flying in, ask someone to pick them up from the airport.

5. Check In With Your Vendors
Don’t wait until the day of your wedding to check in with your vendors (and your venue!). If you haven’t double-checked everything, now’s the time to go over some last-minute details:

Provide your caterer with an accurate headcount so they can prepare the exact number of plates.
Settle on a shot list with your wedding photographer. They will know what to do, but they’d still appreciate it if you’d take the time to discuss it with them.
Confirm flower arrangements with your florist.
Make sure the venue manager has everything they’d need, including the contact numbers of vendors such as photo booth vendors, mobile bar vendors, etc.
Call the car rental company to confirm pick-up times.

If you have a wedding planner, they’ll be able to follow up on these for you.

6. Try on Your Attire
It would be every bride’s worst nightmare to not fit into her wedding gown on her wedding day. That’s why you need to try it on a week before your nuptials. In case it doesn’t fit, you can still replace it with affordable wedding dresses.

A week before the wedding is also a great time to break in your wedding footwear. If you wait until the day of your wedding to wear your shoes for the first time, your feet will feel uncomfortable all day.  It’s best to wear your wedding shoes at least a week before your big day to make sure they’re broken in by the time you walk down the aisle. You don’t want to suffer from blisters, do you?

7. Pack Your “Day-Of” Bag
You won’t have time to pack your bag on the morning of your big day. If you’re getting ready for your wedding at the venue itself, be sure to pack your must-haves such as your underwear, over-the-counter medicines, etc. one week in advance. Even if your venue is a five-minutes away from your home, you do not want to have to drive back and forth to get the stuff you forgot.

Do you have your deodorant? Have you packed your day-of present for your partner? Have you packed your Spanx? By packing your bag a week before your wedding, you can rest assured, knowing that everything is ready to go.

Wrapping Up
While there’s no way to avoid wedding day stress entirely, you can reduce it by following the tips above. All you’ve got to do is get things in order and get yourself ready for this once-in-a-lifetime moment. By spending the seven days before your wedding wisely, you can guarantee your wedding goes off without a hitch.