There are so many components that go into planning your wedding and it’s easy to pass over the “little” things that still hold a great impact for your special day. These 5 things belong on your wedding planning check-list and will make the stresses of planning and organizing your wedding day, go right away.
Getting the “Glam Squad”: We all know that hair, makeup, mani’s & pedi’s are the staple to complete your wedding day look, not just for you, but for your bridal party as well. But it’s more than just booking your hair and makeup artists. Setting aside funds for your hair and makeup needs to be added into your wedding budget and scheduling trial appointments to make sure that you and your artists are a perfect fit for one another. Some brides can foot the bill for their entire bridal party, but it’s not a must! If you do though, make sure you try and schedule the trial(s) so all girls can go with you and turn it into a mini spa day. Pre-beauty treatments such as: tanning, hair cutting and dying, facials and/or massages all should be done 1-2 weeks before your wedding day to make sure your hair has time to grow out a bit, your hair, tan and facial and settle.
Pro Tip: Do some research using Instagram and Pinterest for local salons and makeup artists to see their aesthetic and if their look works for you.
Matte, glossy, calligraphy, oh my!: Stationary needs begin the second you and your partner set the date. From your “Save the Dates”, to your actual wedding invitation, to the ceremony programs and Entrée menus, it’s really easy to get caught up in the stationary details. Helpful tip: keep it simple. Your Save the Dates and invitations set the tone for your wedding theme and scheme, so having the colors you want to use and look executed perfectly for your stationary makes the planning a little easier because you now have a theme to work around! Your wedding invitations also should come with your RSVP card, transportation/travel/hotel accommodation information and postage. There are many wedding invitation websites that do beautiful work and once again, Pinterest and Instagram are your go-to resources to find calligraphers and artists that specialize in one-of-a-kind and custom wedding invitations.
A room for the night before the big day: Depending on the glamming setup the morning of, booking a hotel room close to your venue or at the venue makes the process a whole lot easier. If it fits into your wedding budget, booking a room for you and your bridal party is the way to go-typical hotel check-ins are between 3:00pm-5:00pm, the glamming begins the morning of usually around 6:00am and kicks into high gear around 11:00am. Each bridal party member takes 30-45 minutes for makeup and 45 minutes to an hour for hair. The larger the bridal party, the earlier the start time, so keep your wedding day schedule in mind when organizing you and girls getting ready. Booking a hotel room, the night before also makes it easier for when you have your rehearsal dinner. You’re ensuring everyone is checking in, on time and together.
Pro tip: contact the hotel or your venue and see what type of bridal suite accommodations they have to offer. The bridal suite is an extremely large room, designed specifically to hold the entire bridal party, hair and makeup, photographers and videographers.
You and your ladies need to eat, trust us, you’ll be starving: The morning of your big day, it’s always best to have some food and drinks available for your bridal party (and don’t forget your groomsmen, as well!). It’s a very exciting, high energy, anxious day and you may not think you all need to eat, but you do. Depending on morning start times, make sure you have a nice display of brunch items for you and your girls, Water, juices, fruit salad, mini bagels, petite quiches and maybe mimosas! If it’s a later start time, simple salads and finger sandwiches are always a great option. Some venues and hotels will offer this service as a part of booking your bridal suite, but if not, plan ahead. Assign someone to pick up brunch/lunch options (some places will offer a discount if they know it’s for a wedding) and have them bring the food to your room. You don’t want to be tired and hangry because you and your wedding party haven’t eaten for hours.
Pro tip: make sure the food that you choose is light, healthy but filling. Greens, proteins and plenty of water will make sure you aren’t feeling bloated, drowsy or experiencing a headache throughout your day.
How are we getting there?: Offering transportation for your bridal party and guests is crucial. If you’re planning on hosting a late-night wedding, booking a shuttle for your guests staying at the hotel is a great idea. It limits drinking and driving, it will have your guests arriving to their hotel safely and they will really appreciate it. When it comes your bridal party, there are a few things to consider: on the way to the ceremony, your groom and groomsmen usually arrive before anyone else does so they will need their own limo or party bus. For you and your ladies, a party bus to the hotel or location where you’re getting ready should arrive to pick up and take you to the ceremony. You will also need to organize times after the ceremony if you plan on having multiple locations for your photographs. Booking a few party buses is a win-win for everyone Hors d’oeuvres and an open bar? Yes, please!
