Imagine this: it is the week leading up to your wedding and you have this feeling like you’re forgetting something.
Yikes, no one wants to forget something on their wedding day!
It could be a small something or a big to-do, but it’s there: that feeling like there’s one thing (or many things) left to do.
We want you to feel stress-free and ready for the big day, so we are sharing the most important last-minute wedding checklist: a list of the things NOT to forget to do before the wedding.
This list will ensure you take care of the big essentials, along with some fun suggestions of things you may not have considered yet, but there’s still time to fit in.
Do yourself a quick favor by reading through our last-minute checklist for wedding things you may be forgetting to do and cross them off as you go.
These gentle reminders will inspire you to get these last minute wedding tasks completed just in time for the exciting walk down the aisle. :) And there’s even a little time to relax and pamper yourself: you deserve it!
Let’s get started!
Last-Minute Wedding Checklist
1. Pick up your marriage license.
Don’t forget your marriage license. This is the most important of the last-minute wedding checklist because it feels like it is an afterthought since there is usually a three-day window of time to get married once you receive it. Then, you need to file it by a certain period of time. Find out what the rules are (they vary by county) and register for yours in ample time.
2. Pack your wedding day bag.
Do you know what you need to pack in your wedding bag? (Psst. Here are exactly 7 things you MUST pack in your wedding bag, just in case!)
Every bride should be equipped with a handful of wedding day essentials, too: an emergency wedding day kit like this is a great thing to have at the ready. You never know what may come up (but you’ll be prepared!)
Don’t forget to make or purchase a few mini-emergency kits for your bridesmaids, too. This tin from SweetTalkDesigns is a popular choice.
3. Set up photo sharing
Now is the best time to get your wedding photo-sharing set up for your wedding. You can set it up anytime while you’re planning, even at the last minute. Getting married next week? This weekend? In a few days?! No problem: this photo-sharing platform can be set up in a flash, even last-minute before your wedding.
A wedding hashtag is great, but it leaves many guests out. Not everyone knows how to use social media or even uses the same accounts. Plus, you’ll have a few photos here and there, but not ALL THE PHOTOS in one central place.
Instead, get LiveShare (it’s free) and you’ll be set up with a link and easy step-by-step instructions. Guests can start sharing photos immediately, even if you want to start earlier in your wedding planning, and get engagement photos, bridal shower snapshots, and more.
It’s easy (there’s no app or anything to download) and this brilliant idea allows you (and everyone you give the link to) the ability to see ALL the photos in one central place. You — and your guests! — will have a fun collection of candid wedding photos from the ceremony and reception you can start viewing in real-time as it happens.
If some guests can’t attend your wedding, they can still see the pictures! In one click, they can view your photostream from anywhere as they are added to the slideshow. Click here to get started for free.
Once you have the link, I highly recommend adding it to your wedding website. Guests can access that from anywhere and will likely look to it the next day to revisit all the fun photos!
You can also make your own wedding sign and include your photo-sharing link or QR code for your guests to use.
If you’d like, see if your venue can set up a screen or monitor to display the photos as they are uploaded in real-time. It can make for a fun slideshow at your reception and can be set up in mere minutes, making it an easy last-minute wedding checklist addition you’ll be glad you did.
Get started here.
4. Must-Have Photos List
Speaking of photos, now that you’ll have the candid shots from guests, it’s a great time to speak with your photographer about any last-minute changes or additions to your must-have photo list.
Consider the day from start to finish, browse Real Weddings, check out these popular wedding photos, and make a short list of specific photographs you’d like to add to YOUR list.
Some popular last-minute wedding photos include your dad seeing you in your wedding dress for the first time, your mom helping you put on your veil, the first look with your soon-to-be spouse, a group photo of you and the bridesmaids getting ready before the wedding, or a fun ‘before’ photo like this.
The week before the wedding is a great time to finalize those must-have snapshots.
6. Gather up payments for vendors.
Make a mini last-minute wedding checklist for which vendors still need to be paid, how much, and when payment is due. If you are providing tips to vendors (as you should!), make envelopes with their names clearly labeled on the outside; get cash or write checks for the proper amount and have them ready to give to them on the wedding day.
Keep your payment envelopes in a safe, secure place until the wedding day, and don’t forget to bring them with you. The Best Man or Maid of Honor can be in charge of ensuring your pre-made envelopes are given to your vendors on the day of if you wish. That’s one last thing you don’t have to think about!
7. Purchase and wrap your wedding thank-you gifts.
Make sure you buy gifts for groomsmen (here are last minute gifts, too!), bridesmaids, ushers, the flower girl, the ring bearer, the officiant, and your parents.
Then, make sure they’re wrapped and all cards are written out.
You’ll also want to give a gift to the groom or a gift for the bride on the morning of the wedding.
8. Assemble your wedding welcome bags.
An important to-do that couples forget the week before the wedding is to create their wedding welcome bags for guests. These are for out-of-town guests and can be set up to be ready at the hotel lobby. Read all about what you need for your wedding welcome bags here.
9. Pick up your wedding dress.
The final fitting should be done and your wedding dress should be ready to be picked up! Do one final “bridal look” preview: try on your wedding dress with the proper shapewear you’ll be wearing on the wedding day.
Put on your shoes, jewelry, and veil, and make sure everything is perfect. This small window of time gives you the ability to make any last-minute changes to your wedding look if needed.
10. Buy a handheld garment steamer.
If you don’t have one already, this is one of the most important last-minute wedding checklist items! Get a fabric steamer like this (it ships fast and works great). It’s the one I have and I love it.
I can’t tell you how many couples forget this! And you don’t want wrinkled clothes in your wedding photos. Use the steamer for wrinkles in on your wedding gown, the bustle, and your veil; it will also be helpful to have for the bridesmaid dresses and groomsmen suits if any wrinkling occurs.
Plus, you’ll use a steamer forever after, so it’s a great investment.
In one of our favorite weddings our team planned to date, the bride gave her bridesmaids these mini garment steamers as part of their wedding day gifts. Great idea, isn’t it?
11. Get a manicure and pedicure
This one’s easy and probably on your mind already: pamper yourself! Now is a great time to schedule your manicure and pedicure, three or two days before the wedding.
A proper pedicure is especially important if you are wearing open-toed shoes such as peep toe heels, sandals like these, or barefoot sandals. You’ll be glad you added a pedicure and some TLC to your list.
12. Break in your wedding shoes.
Yes, wear them in to make sure they are the most comfortable wedding shoes ever! Follow the helpful advice we compiled on the topic with 7 Wedding Shoe Mistakes to Avoid. You’ll be glad you did.
13. Do a hair and makeup trial run.
Don’t skip this last-minute wedding checklist item: a hair and makeup trial! Your stylist can practice the hairstyle you’re planning for your wedding day, along with wedding makeup. It’s better to know what it will look like BEFORE the wedding day arrives so you can make any changes if needed.
14. Do any final walk-throughs; submit final head counts.
Now is the time to do a final walk-through at your venue, if needed. This is also the time when any final headcount numbers are to be submitted to your venue/caterer so they prepare for the exact number of guests that plan to attend.
15. Assemble last-minute wedding favors, programs, etc.
Did you finish assembling your wedding favors? Are your ceremony programs, signage, and wedding day-of stationery all ready for use?
Cross off everything you need from our BIG wedding planning list here and take care of these things now.
16. Pack for your honeymoon.
Now is a great time to figure out what to pack on your honeymoon and take care of any last-minute travel arrangements (including when to leave on your honeymoon, which many couples don’t discuss soon enough).
17. Pick out your Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and a Sixpence.
Many brides wait until the last minute to pick out these items, which are said to bring good luck if you have all of them on your wedding day. You’ll need:
– Something Old
This can be an heirloom: something old passed down to you or something you’ve had for a long time. I carried my mother’s clutch purse from HER wedding as my Something Old.
-Something New
Most brides choose their dress as something new. Easy!
-Something Borrowed
A borrowed bridal clutch or pair of earrings are some examples of something you borrow and have on your wedding day. Just ask someone for something to borrow, which is returned after the wedding day. Something borrowed was my mother’s veil, which I wore on my wedding day.
-Something Blue
Something blue is fun and easy: it can be as simple as a small piece of blue thread tucked into your bridal clutch to an item you purchase such as this blue necklace, an incredible pair of blue wedding shoes, a garter like this, or any of these unique something blue ideas will inspire you.
and
-A Sixpence In Your Shoe
You can get an authentic one here. It goes in your shoe and is said to bring good luck. Don’t forget this last-minute wedding checklist item… many brides do!
18. Make sure you have the rings.
Many couples forget this last-minute wedding checklist item: make sure you have the rings, they fit, and you know exactly WHO is going to hold onto them before the ceremony.
19. Relax.
Breathe. Relax! The important things are now done!
Give yourself time to de-stress, soak in a nice bath, enjoy watch some fun tv shows, and get ready for the big day. Your checklist is now complete!
P.S. Still need a day-of coordinator? Relax, we’ll handle it. :)
— DISCUSS —
Which of these checklist items did YOU forget to do? Do you have any last-minute wedding checklist items to add? Tell us in the comment box below!
Happy Planning!
xo
Emma
