Hey there! This is going to be a short and sweet blog post as we are getting ready for a mini vacation. I’m ready for a few days away from the real world! I recently talked with a friend who just got married and she was telling me about a couple of gotchas they ran into a few days before and on the big day.
Don’t Assume It Will Fit
Often the wedding day attire is purchased months in advance. This includes not only the couple’s attire but also the wedding party and immediate families. You might find a great deal a year before and since the season is the same, you snatch it up. Now, I’m not saying don’t grab that bargain, I’m always a sucker for a great deal, but just remember that a lot can happen in a year, even in the weeks before the wedding. In the couple of months before the wedding, you’ll likely have showers, parties and other events where you may find yourself, or someone in your wedding party may find they have put on a few extra pounds. Heck, in my case, menopause hit right when my boyfriend’s daughter got married. I ended up shopping for a dress just a few weeks before and it was STILL tight on the day of. Gotta love hormones!
At my friend’s wedding, her partner’s mom purchased the dress months before and put it in the closet. On the day of the wedding, there was no way the zipper was going to close. In fact, it broke! Luckily they had a friend whose mom gathered 9 of her formals in her van and drove them over. As luck would have it, one of them fit perfectly! They were very fortunate in this instance but if she had just tried it on a week or even a couple of days before, there would have been enough time to remedy it without causing unneeded stress on the day of the ceremony.
Check the Order
If you plan on doing a lot of the planning and organizing yourself, you will likely have a list of items you need to pick up from various vendors. For instance, you can save a lot of money if you have access to a farmers market that has flowers and use them for the tables. Just make sure you check your order! My friend went to pick up their desserts and luckily she noticed something was not quite right. She ordered 4 different flavors of desserts and a cut cake. They were carrying the order to the car and there was only 4 bags. No cut cake. She went back in and sure enough, they missed that bag when they gave them the order.
Cell Phone or No Cell Phone
There is so much on the news, blogs, and advice sites around cell phones and opinions going both ways. Yes, have your cell phone in your bouquet. No, leave your phone on the dresser. Yes, give your cell phone to your maid of honor to video everything. No, lock both of your cell phones in a locked drawer so you’re not tempted. Here is my advice – if you think of it, sure, take a picture while you’re getting ready. But once the day’s main activities get underway, just leave it in your bag. My daughter made sure they created a hashtag and posted it so guests could tag them in photos. If you really want to make sure the moments are captured, ask a friend who is not in the wedding party to take candids for you. Back in the days of my wedding (over 30 years ago!), we had those old-fashioned cameras. You know, the ones with film in them?! I asked a family friend who was very outgoing to take pictures throughout the night. She did a fantastic job! And then when her daughter got married, I returned the favor. Bottom line, you really want to see and experience your big day with your own eyes and not through a camera lens.
While you may not head off all minor emergencies the day of the wedding, I hope these few simple planning tips and reminders can help keep them at a minimum. Most of the time, minor emergencies turn out to just work themselves out because, in reality, all you really need is you, your partner, and your loved ones to make the day perfect. Oh, and the license. Definitely need the license. 🙂
Remember, less is more
~ Melissa
