On your wedding day, your head is guaranteed to be spinning with hundreds of thoughts and hoping that everything goes as planned. With these thoughts rushing through your head at warp speed its imperative that you have an effective plan in place and your closest friend(s) helping to make sure your special day goes as planned. Normally the best way to do this is by creating a checklist, printing off a few copies and distributing them to your designated friends and appropriate vendors.
Check your state laws to ensure that you have all the legal paperwork in place for a legal marriage. Each state has different requirement so be sure to check with your state for all the requirements. This should really be investigated in the beginning stages of your wedding planning, but it is a good idea to double check that you have everything in place and ready to go that day.
If you didn’t hire a wedding planner who you can count on to ensure that everything goes off without a hitch, you will need to contact each vendor (florist, DJ or band, catering company etc.) at least two weeks prior to the wedding and confirm the date and that all the details are in place and exactly the way that you want them. Unfortunately it is a common mistake for companies to accidentally double book events. By contacting the vendors a few weeks before your wedding, you can hopefully correct any mistakes and iron out any wrinkles before they become major problems.
Another major success factor of any wedding is the food. Make sure you hire a reliable and reputable catering company. When you’re considering a catering company, make sure the catering company will provide you with samples of the dishes that you are considering. Any time that you commit to spending hundreds or thousands of dollars with any company, it is very important to know exactly what you’re getting. If a catering company is trying to serve box-mixes and canned foods, its time to move on. It is also very important to get personal referrals about any company that you are considering.
Photography is another major issue to consider. You’ll want to select a professional and reputable photographer. When shopping for a photographer you’ll want to ask to see examples of events they have photographed in the past and make sure to get personal referrals from people who have used the photographer. Find out all the specifics; how many pictures will be taken, if taken digitally, will the pictures be touched up on a photo-editing program, exactly who will be taking the photographs and when will the photos be ready for delivery.
And lastly, be sure to have a printed checklist of everything that will be needed on your wedding day, this helps to avoid forgetting anything. This list needs to include items for both the bride and groom’s appearance, items for your bridesmaids and groomsmen to carry, toiletries, and emergency supplies. An emergency kit will help you to relax, knowing that you are prepared for anything.
