You survived the planning process and now your wedding day is right around the corner. You’ve thought about all of the big details but now you are starting to sweat over the small stuff, and you lie awake at night wondering how it’s all going to come together that day. We’ve been planning and coordinating weddings since 2007 and we have seen it all! So here are a few of our tips for achieving a stress free wedding day.

1. Hire a Wedding Coordinator

We aren’t just saying this because it’s our business. Ask anyone who has worked with a great wedding coordinator and they will tell you this vendor is a must have for a stress free wedding day. Not only are coordinators there to ensure everything flows smoothly on your wedding day, there is a huge value in having someone on your vendor team whose job it is to point out any potential problems and make you think of things you hadn’t thought of before. Every single time we start an initial itinerary building with our couples we uncover a piece that the couple hadn’t considered before. Beyond that, a good wedding coordination provides complete piece of mind to the couple and acts almost like a wedding success insurance policy. Knowing that you have someone double checking every detail and setup, and knowing that someone has your back if a certain rowdy relative gets out of line, there’s no better way to achieve a stress free wedding than having a professional wedding coordinator by your side.

3. Rent instead of buy

Use rentals instead of buying decor if your budget allows. We understand that this might not be an option for everyone’s wedding budget, but something that can really keep your anxiety down on your wedding day. Renting your decor and accessories eliminates the stress of making sure you have the right quantities because your rental company should be able to identify any discrepancies. You also don’t need to worry about storing the items before the wedding, figuring out who is delivering everything to the venue, or waking up the next day and having to figure out what you are going to do with things like a wedding card box or 200 votive candle holders. And don’t worry about having the same stuff as everyone else if you rent, because thee are great specialty rental companies in our area that can create custom pieces for you.

4. Book vendors that you fully trust

This one is HUGE. Even if you know that some of your vendors’ responsibilities are higher on your priority list than others, there’s nothing more distracting and stress inducing then a vendor that fell short of your expectations. And this isn’t just for the day of – this also applies to the planning process. Having vendors that are responsive, know their duties inside and out, and can positively contribute to your overall planning experience is so important. Your vendors shouldn’t give you a head ache – they should ensure that your wedding wants and needs are heard and delivered. Hiring a good wedding planner can ensure that you have the ultimate vendor dream team. Professional wedding planners keep a tight-knit circle of go-to vendors that consistently go above and beyond for their clients. But if you are planning on your own be sure to do your research and read reviews of your vendors by past clients. Sites like Wedding Wire and The Knot are good places to start.

5. Throw a Welcome Party

This is another tip that might be possible for everyone, but if you can swing it we recommend throwing some sort of a welcome party that day before your wedding. This allows you to visit with all of your guests in a more casual setting so that you are free to do whatever you want during your wedding reception, whether that be hitting the dance floor all night or stuffing your face with food and cake! You definitely want to mingle with all of your guests, especially those you haven’t seen in a while or those who traveled far for your wedding, and it’s actually easier to converse with them when you don’t have a million other things on your mind on the day of your wedding. And this welcome party doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive – invite everyone for a picnic in the park or post rehearsal dinner meet up at a local bar. Often times people underestimate how much time it takes to visit each table during the reception. And everyone who’s had a wedding will tell you how fast your day will go by. Spend that time enjoying every moment how you see fit!

5. Send Itineraries

Send out a detailed itinerary to your bridal party and family (including anyone involved in photos!). You have enough to worry about on your wedding day without having to worry about making sure everyone is where they are supposed to be. The easiest way to prevent this stress is to send out an email or your bridal party the week before the wedding outlining who needs to be where and when. This is especially important for photos since most photo sessions are on a tight timeline between the ceremony and the reception. The timeline should include everything on it – nail appointments, hair and makeup schedule, when to begin getting ready and where, what time they need to be dressed by, what time they are heading to the ceremony, what time the wedding ends, etc. This will also prevent you from having to answer those questions on repeat the day of! Of course if you are working with a wedding coordinator they will be able to take care of all of this for you. We hand out mini itineraries to family and bridal party at the rehearsal the night before and give everyone a card with our cell number on it in case anything comes up overnight.

Ready to hand your worries over to a professional? Your first consult with us is free!

Related:

Getting Married in New York State

How To Assemble Wedding Invitations

Catskills Wedding – Annemarie and Tim

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Photos above by Arius Photography, J Castro Photography, Diving Light Photography, and Jessie Casey Photography