Wedding incidentals and other things you’re likely to forget

There are only seven days until Spencer and I get married. Seven! One week. A fourth of a month. In other words, not long at all. Since I don’t have the most time in the world for anything but wedding, wedding, wedding and I’m currently dealing with this don’t-forget-anything-or-the-wedding-is-ruined mentality, I thought I’d give you all a peek into the last few days before the big one!

SPOILER ALERT: It’s absolute insanity.

Here are just a few of the wedding incidentals and other things that I’ve forgotten to do, buy, and make in the last year of planning this wedding. Why does it feel like I’m also forgetting a ton more things for this list?

A day-of emergency kit

Technically, I’ve had one of these since a week or so after Spencer and I got engaged. Sarah, one of my bridesmaids, got this adorable little kit for me (before I’d even asked her to be in the wedding!), and it has all the essentials: blotting tissue, clear elastics, double-sided tape, even extra wedding bands! I would definitely recommend that the bride or the maid of honor has some kind of an “oh shit!” kit for all of those unexpected moments.

The garter/bouquet to toss

I’ve already spoken to this, but the garter toss and the bouquet toss are two things that guests have grown to expect at any wedding reception. You might’ve had it on the day-of schedule for months, but you won’t be having either unless you remember to actually purchase your garter and get your florist to construct a designated (but much more simple) “tossing bouquet,” so yours can survive the wedding and be preserved!

Things for the rehearsal dinner

Chances are someone else has taken on the bulk of the rehearsal dinner planning for you. Perhaps your future mother-in-law? If not, pat yourself on the back because you are super bride, and you should probably look into doing this kind of planning for a living!

Even though I didn’t plan the dinner itself, I am helping out with the photo presentation, which means I’ve spent my lunch breaks scanning pictures on the office copier and compiling them all into a movie. Did I mean to leave this element for the very last minute? Of course not. But I remembered it, and that’s what matters!

Things for the ceremony

So many things! I know these aren’t the most descriptive items, but we each need different things depending on the theme/feel of our weddings. For instance, I need to remember the ribbons for the handfasting, a Bible for our readings, and the wedding rings. You might need a basket for the flower girl, a pillow for the ring bearer, a unity candle, a whole bunch of different colored sand, some other stuff you can mix together to symbolize your union… you get my point.

Music

Why is it so easy to forget the music? Like have you ever seen the extended features on DVDs, where they show the deleted scenes, and it’s just two people talking in front of a camera, and there’s no music, and it’s just about the most boring thing in the entire world? Yeah, that’s what your wedding will be like if you forget the cool jams.

You need ceremony processional music, ceremony recessional music, music for the bridal party introduction, the first dance, the cake cutting… So much music. Make sure you’ve talked to your musicians/DJ or downloaded your iPod playlists to make sure everything’s a go!

I know for a fact that I’m forgetting something from this list (oh the irony), but I’ll leave you with this one piece of advice from my mom that I am seriously going to take to heart:

Pretend like your wedding will take place the Wednesday before it actually does.  Finish everything by Tuesday, and anything that doesn’t get done obviously wasn’t important enough to prioritize.  Otherwise, you’ll spend all day Wednesday, Thursday, and even Friday completing tasks and stressing, two things you just don’t need right before the happiest day of your life!

Please someone tell me what it is that I’m forgetting to remember! Or at least share something that you forgot/put off until the last minute.

P.S. If you’re in the beginning stages of planning your big day, please don’t let me discourage you! I have all sorts of wedding resources to help you out.