Help! Advice on making wedding run smoothly!

dressmaker

Hi
Well, my daughter is getting married in just two weeks, Aug. 4th. I'll gladly take any tips or advice to help make the last week before the wedding and the wedding day less stressful for all of us.
Thanks
Appreciate It!!!

Shirlann

Hi, do EVERYTHING you possibly can do ahead of time. Then, the afternoon before, re-check the cake person, the flower person, etc., make sure they have the time and place correct. Take a long, hot bath, relax and enjoy the blessings of a wedding.

Hugs, Shirlann

Emelee26

Congrats!!!
Eat the day of the wedding. Little things will go wrong, but it will be ok. Pack several days before the wedding so you don't forget anything. Take time off from work 2-3 days before the wedding to slowly de-stress and make sure things get done...take lots of pictures
Love Marisa
P.S. I just got married May 28..

meliaanne

Hi,
Our older daughter was married last summer, and our younger one is getting married in Oct. My motto was/is that we are going for a wonderful wedding, not a perfect wedding, and that as long as the two of them and the pastor showed up, we were good. We had a blast last summer and we intend to do that again in Oct. None of the tiny details matter, it goes by in a flash and it's all a blur. Have fun! It's a celebration of their love and commitment, and as long as they are happy, it's all good.

nosurrender

The best thing is to do a complete walk through in your minds. Sit down and go through the entire event. For example starting with " OK we are going to be getting dressed at the church, so what do we need to bring" and then make a list and take out the things you need. Then continue on with who stands where when the church is filling up with guests... make someone a runner who can check on progress on guest arrival. Then make a note of that. Go over where your photographers will stand and when and where you want them standing as you leave the church. Will there be formal pictures taken there or at the reception venue. Make it clear in writing

Have detailed plans for the limo driver and who rides in what car. Make sure there are several copies of these plans.

Make a surprise visit to the caterer and go over every detail from timing, to cocktail napkins- does she provide them or have you had specialty ones made and if so who will give them to the caterer to make sure they are on the bars. Reconfirm the cake. If the caterer is making it, reconfirm where it will be placed. If the caterer is subbing out for a cake then you need to contact that person to cover your bases and make sure they know that you want flowers around the cake. The baker may say he doesn't do that so then you make a note to your florist that she must decorate the cake with flowers and show her what you want.

Make sure the caterer knows how you want the waiters to act and what you want them to wear and find out who will be the captian that night. The caterer will always have a head waiter who is running the floor and is handling the way the food is being delivered to the tables. Give him cues so he knows when to hold off things - like not clearing dishes when the father of the bride is giving his speech. Have all that timing in writing. When the speeches will be given, by whom, and at what part of the dinner.

When you walk through it in your mind you will find all the things you need to do and not be left hanging. The evening should be in the hands of the professionals who know what they are doing. The worst bride/client is the kind that says "I don't know what I want...what do you think??" The day of the wedding is NO TIME for that.

Make it as organized as possible for all the parties in charge and then you can sit back and enjoy the lovely time.

Remember to tell your daughter to hold her bouquet low, by her waist... so many brides get nervous and have their bouquets under their chins.

Good luck and HAPPY WEDDING!!

g

Anonymous

Good advice, Gina.

When my daughter got married several years ago she and her fiancee (now hubby) planned their own wedding. They would fly in about every week to meet with someone or look for something, all that stuff. They knew what they wanted and what they wanted. Yep, they were stressed. Even up until the very last minute when he and his mom checked the reception hall -- they found it a mess and had to do some cleaning. His mom was doing the decorating because she's good at it and she used to be an interior designer. On the other hand (and we didn't know what was going on at the reception hall) we gals were at the beauty shop getting "fixed" up.

Now, my middle daughter had a less complicated wedding. She and her fiancee (yep, hubby now) found a place, let that place plan their wedding and got married there. It turned out great. She looked beautiful and no big stressers.

What am I advising. Nothing. Just have a great time the day of!
Shirley

jdash

g - fantastic advice!! i cant even add anything but just to enjoy enjoy enjoy ! all the things we worry in advance about usually will never happen and if something does go wrong most of your guests will never notice- it is such a special time that you should just enjoy every moment of it
g - you and i would make a great team! maybe we should consider event planning together ))))

iodine

Just remember that whatever goes wrong at the wedding will be the best memories down the road!!!

Hattie

Eat! Relax, and enjoy the day. Don't let the details make you miss the big moments.
Take care,
--Hattie

JustOne

All wonderful advise already been given. As the mother of the bride, I took my cue from my daughter, she was relaxed and a most gracious bride. Saying she knew everything wouldn’t go perfectly, but at the end of it all she would be married to that man and that was all that mattered. It was a beautiful wedding and I thought, perfect. Enjoy the day!


~Pam

dressmaker

Thanks everyone for the tips and advice. I made the wedding gown (finished it this weekend) I have 2 bridesmaid dresses left to hem otherwise they are done. Still have work on my dress.
We met with a women at the reception gardens this morning. She is new, didn't make us feel quite at ease as the owner did.
I'll post some pics when the big day has come and gone!
Thanks again!