Once you’re in the thick of wedding planning, it can be hard to keep up with all the little components that come up in coordinating an event, and sometimes things can slip through the cracks.
To help you ensure nothing is left to the absolute last minute, I’ve put together a quick guide of the small (but important) details to keep in mind as you plan your wedding!
Proper Undergarments
You found the perfect gown, but each dress will require its own set of proper undergarments that you’ll need to decide on. The cut and construction of the gown will correspond to what types of underwear you choose. You have a few options for bras as some dresses have built in bras/cups. Tailors will happily insert cups into the dress for you, or you can try wearing a strapless bra or adhesive cups for backless dresses. It’s a good idea to buy a few different Spanx/underwear options and bring them with you to your alterations fittings, especially if your dress is tight and you’re concerned with panty lines. Whatever you choose, make sure you’ve tried it a few times in different lighting to make sure it all works well.
Postage
You may have budgeted for costs of save the dates and invitations, but it’s important to budget in for postage as well. Typically, postage will run you another $100-$200 depending on the number of guests you are inviting so make sure to include that in the budget from the start. It may also help to make note of all guests who are overseas and plan ahead on how you would like to proceed with sending them their invitations, either through the mail or electronically to save on postage.
Gifts
You don’t get to choose your family, but you did get to choose your bridal party. They have helped you throughout the planning process because they care about your special day just as much as you do. So when the wedding day arrives it is just as much a relief for them. Express your gratitude with personal gifts for each of your bridesmaids, parents and even flower girls. Plan ahead for this to make each gift unique and include handwritten cards. Everyone wants to feel of value to the bride on the wedding day and a personal touch will add that note of appreciation and love.
Transportation
You will need a way to arrive at and leave your wedding, so do not leave transportation to the last minute. The odds are you don’t want to be driving your own car on your wedding day and will need to organize transportation for you and your bridal party for the day. Organize a car service to pick you up and get you to the ceremony, the reception, and how you will be getting home at the end of the night. Often venues do not provide transportation services for guests so you will need to sort out how to get them from ceremony to reception or hotel to venue. Shuttle services are great for this, as long as you remember to book them in plenty of time.
The Marriage License
Let’s all not forget that your wedding needs to be legal! A marriage license authorizes you to wed and serves as a record of the marriage, which is just a bit more official than changing your Facebook status. It needs to be taken care of at least seven days before the ceremony, although you should look into your own state’s laws as they can vary. Both parties must be present, of legal age and present proper identification. Make sure to allot time to do this with your partner before you get too caught up with last minute wedding details!
Style Me Pretty Contributor – Goli Parvinian is a bridal enthusiast and masters student living in Melbourne, Australia. Over the past few years, she has worked for bridal brands in her hometown of Chicago, New Zealand and New York City. You can typically find her in a cafe, face-timing her nieces or out on a long run.