Tips for Staying Sane & Organized..Last Couple of Days

It’s easy to lose sight of what’s really important while you’re immersed in the tangled logistical web of event preparation.  Instead of dreaming about taking cooking classes together, decorating your first apartment, or deciding where to spend your first married Thanksgiving, you’re pulling your hair out over the color of your cocktail napkins, tying ribbons on your wedding programs, finalizing the play list for your DJ, arguing over the color of the groomsmen’s ties, debating how many flavors your cake should have…well, the list goes on.
First, breathe (it really does help).  Second, give your groom a hug (hey, he’ll be your husband soon, so don’t lose sight of that!).  Third, read below for a few practical tips to stay organized and sane these last couple of days before your big day.

• Go get yourself a massage! Or a manicure, pedicure, whatever spa treatment suits your fancy.  Something just for you that will help you relax.  Ahhh, sounds nice, right?
• Utilize your bridesmaids. Delegate, delegate, delegate!  These are your closest friends and family you’ve asked to stand with you and support you during your engagement and on your wedding day.  Ask for help.  Don’t have time for last minute errands?  Someone needs to be picked up from the airport?  It doesn’t hurt to ask.  Your friends want to be there for you.
• Gather everything you’ll need for your wedding day and put it in one place. You'll sleep so much better at night knowing where everything is.  The last thing you want to happen....30 minutes before the wedding begins, discovering that you forgot that perfect shade of lipstick you purchased 6 months ago, or the garter, or the flower girl's basket.
• Put together and emergency kit. Every good wedding planner has an emergency kit stocked with things like safety pins, deodorant, hairspray, aspirin, band aids..this list goes on and on. Buy small travel size items from the drugstore and throw them into a small zip lock or makeup case to grab on your way to the ceremony.  It can save the day for you and your wedding party.
• Make sure your dress and veil are steamed and ready to go. Don't wait until the last minute to do this.  When you pick up your dress, if the shop didn''t do it for you, take it directly to your local dry cleaner for steaming...just don't forget to go back and pick it up!
• Pack for your honeymoon if you’re leaving right after your wedding. Encourage your groom to pack.  Set aside passports, travel documents, clean clothes, your wedding night apparel, travel money – anything you want to bring with you.  As your day approaches, you don’t want to be scrambling. My husband and I were not packed when the shuttle arrived at 10 am the morning after our wedding.  I ended up in Tahiti without a blow dryer, and with one pair of shoes.  Not a disaster, but definitely not what I planned.
• Set aside tip money in labeled envelopes for any vendor that will be receiving gratuity. Then give it to the designated person who will be distributing the day of your wedding.
• Send your wedding party one final reminder with the event timeline of the wedding event(s), attire requests (think rehearsal/rehearsal dinner, before the ceremony, accessory requests for the bridesmaids, etc.), and overall event expectations. This includes where to be, what to wear, and when to arrive.  Everyone’s excited for the big day and may be traveling to get to your wedding.   Sending everyone in the wedding party a final timeline helps both you and them stay organized and make sure no one forgets anything!
• Remember – your wedding is one day.  Your marriage is for a lifetime! Keep things in perspective, don’t sweat the small stuff (not everything will go according to plan – that’s okay!), kiss your groom, and sit back and enjoy the ride!