You finally made it, and you’re about to see the results of all your hard work planning and prepping. You’ll walk down the aisle to the love of your life in just a few hours. To help you keep the stress at bay and enjoy the day, we’ve assembled the ultimate wedding day checklist for brides.

Key Takeaways:

What Should a Bride Do the Day Before Her Wedding?

It’s the night before your big day, and emotions are high. So take a moment to breathe and unwind because a good night’s sleep will help you enjoy your wedding day. You can relax with a bubble bath, your favorite wine, or a good show on Netflix.

However, at some point in the evening, review the wedding day and ensure you have everything, so the day runs smoothly.

First, take a moment to check in with your wedding party and remind them of essential times and items to bring, like their dresses and a bag to hold their belongings after they change. You might also want to check in with the vendors to ensure they’re ready for the big day and know important instructions like where to go and when.

To relieve some after-wedding stress, you can prepare vendor payments ahead of time. Write out checks or schedule payments so they can go through as soon as the ceremony and reception are over, and you can enjoy your honeymoon in wedded bliss without a post-wedding to-do list waiting for you at home.

Some couples leave for the honeymoon immediately after the wedding. If that’s your plan, have your bags packed and ready to go so you can enjoy your wedding night with your new husband rather than spend it filling suitcases.

Create a Contact List

The wedding day is all about you, so you shouldn’t need to run around putting together activities and resolving issues. Instead, from the moment you wake up on your wedding day, you only need to think about how excited you are for this new step in life.

To help you relax on your day, expert wedding planners recommend creating a contact and responsibilities list. This list assigns duties to other wedding party members and families. The list also tells vendors and the wedding party who to contact when issues arise.

Here are a few essential tasks to assign:

• Vendors contact person
• Guest contact person
• Bridal party contact person
• Bride liaison who intercepts any questions and resolves issues before they get to you
• Someone to oversee reception cleanup
• Gift organizer who also makes sure the gifts get back to your house after the ceremony

If you hire a wedding planner, she will take care of most of these tasks, so you don’t have to assign them to other people.

What Does a Bride Need on Her Wedding Day?

Compile these items and prepare them before your big day so you can relax during your wedding:

What You Need to Get Ready

When you wake up, start your day right with a healthy breakfast. As much as you might be excited about your wedding food, there’s a chance you won’t have much of an appetite or time to eat during the reception. Your breakfast could be your biggest meal for a while, so make sure it’s healthy and energizing. Water will also help ward away headaches and dizziness while keeping you focused and energized.

Before heading out, check the weather and plan accordingly. If you notice rain, you may want to make quick arrangements for umbrellas, but don’t stress about it. In some cultures, a little rain on your wedding day is considered good luck and a sign of a lasting marriage.

Make sure you have a copy of the schedule for the day, along with extra copies for everyone involved. Then it’s time to meet up with your bridal party to get ready.

Turn the preparation into a fun pre-party with these dressing-room essentials:

• Snacks and drinks (with straws)
• Music to set the mood
• Bobby pins and safety clips to help with last-minute alterations
• Stain remover in case any food or makeup lands on clothes
• Tissues for those pre-ceremony tears
• Wedding dress, shoes, and accessories
• Undergarments
• A button-down shirt or dress to wear to get ready
• Hair styling tools and accessories
• Hygiene items (deodorant, toothbrush, mouthwash, tampons)
• Comfortable flats

What You Need at the Ceremony

Thankfully, the groom is responsible for the rings. However, there are a few things the bride should make sure are ready for the ceremony, including:

• Wedding programs
• Aisle runner
• Marriage license (with a pre-addressed envelope and postage to drop off immediately after the ceremony)
• Flower girl basket and petals
• Unity candle
• A gift and letter for your fiancé

Also, consider putting together a wedding day emergency kit, a small packet of items to help you handle hiccups, from spills on your dress to unexpected headaches.

What You Need for Photographs

Pictures are a big part of any wedding and should include snapshots of all major players and events. Here are a few items to provide your photographer either before or during the photo session so they can capture every detail of your wedding:

• Wedding rings
• Bouquet
• A physical copy of your wedding invitations
• Wedding signage for couple pictures
• Sentimental items

What You Need at the Reception

You made it through the ceremony. Now you can unwind and have fun at the reception. Here are a few items to make sure you have at the reception ahead of time so you and your guests can enjoy the celebration and food:

• Change of clothes for after the ceremony
• Signage
• Menus
• Escort or place cards
• Table numbers
• Favors
• Guestbook and pens
• Garter
• Cake topper
• Cake knife
• Toasting glasses

Make Memories that Last

The most important thing to remember is not to worry. Sometimes unexpected things happen that are out of your control. So rather than stressing over the minor parts of the wedding, look at the event as a whole and celebrate the beautiful love that no little hiccups during the wedding can put a dent in.

Shine Wedding Invitations is here to support you on your big day through classic and timeless stationery designs. Help create a ceremony and reception that’s as perfect as you are with elegant signs and invite your guests with luxurious invitations.

Contact us to receive a free wedding stationery sample.