The last 2 weeks before wedding

For me, figuring out the logistics of everything was a huge issue last week and this week because my fiancé and I are getting ready across town from each other; our wedding party and parents are not all staying in one place (some of whom have to take a ferry to come get ready with us); we are getting ready and taking wedding party pics on the mainland and then taking a ferry to the island where our wedding is; coordinating both breakfast (while getting ready) and lunch (on the island) for the wedding party because of the super early start for hair and makeup (8a); the list goes on. Also, I waited until I was off work to work on a lot of details (like our DIY photo booth and ceremony decor) because it was next to impossible to run all the errands and do all the DIY I needed to while working (50 - 65 hr per week). Finally, I had two people (one bridesmaid) decide to fly in way early (a week), and I am hosting them (which I thought was an awesome idea 6 months ago).

I think it's just lots of small details that need to get done.

My last 2 weeks (in no particular order)

- bachelorette party and kitchen tea

- paying all the last deposits to DJ and photographer

- submitting final numbers to venue, double checking invoices, paying balance

- doing seating chart, printing programs and menus, making confetti holders

- confirming final numbers with decor vendor, double checking invoice and paying balance

- sticking thank-you stickers on our wedding favours

- practicing our first dance

- buying and wrapping last of presents

- picking up wedding dress

- having house cleaned by cleaning service

- taking our parrot into boarding

- having nails and eyebrows done

- buying socks cos DH realised like 3 days before that he wanted matching socks for him and best man

This is just the things that I remember. Probably other things as well.

ETA: I forgot about the rehearsal, dinner, and we also had to deliver our bottled water to the venue.

Plus we had a house guest (but that was our own doing).

We met with all of our vendors for the last meeting during the week before our wedding to go over final details. Plus, all of our decor had to get to our venue, and you can't really do a seating chart until the last minute, as things change a lot with guests.

Last two weeks were crazy for me but not just because of wedding. I work very long hours and my company knew I would be gone for 2 weeks for the honeymoon so the hours got even longer. Wedding related I had to finish table arrangements which kept changing due to cancellations, pick up tuxes, print export cards, thank you card inserts, put together kids bags, dance lessons with my Dad, mani pedi, there was a lot of back and forth with DJ, venue, florist, etc. Coordinating with my out of town guests. It was just a lot for me. I didn't even get my escort cards done until the morning of the wedding. I was on the floor in my suite with them all spread out. HaHa! Maybe you are just really organized.

Ours was somewhat crazy... We went to CT (where I grew up and where wedding was) two weekends before. That weekend was a GIaNT cluster. We had to get the marriage license, buy welcome bag supplies, assemble welcome bags, wrap all gifts, assemble my must have bag (hairpieces veil, extensions etc). We also had a graduation party, and had to visit grandparents in hospice care. It was literally 1000x per minute. The next two weeks in FL weren't bad. Finalizing orders (BEO and flowers), informing vendors of any changes and making sure everyone was paid. The weekend of the wedding we flew in Friday am and it was basically madness from the start. (Good madness though). Had to drop off decor and welcome bags, pick up suits, pick up MOH, pick up brother, get nails done Saturday, drive to wedding spot (Monday wedding) and start welcoming guests. RD went by in a flash and so did they wedding day. Wouldn't do it any differently, but just try to keep the craziness in check. It's all worth it!!

Thanks all : )

@MrsMrs, I’m hoping that’s how ours goes, too.

Maybe it won’t be too bad. We’ve decided to keep things as simple as possible while still having ‘our’ wedding day. I’m also trying to do everything ahead of time, if possible…as we have time, little by little.

ie We obviously can’t finish the escort cards until the RSVPs are in; but we do have the folded card stock already & will finish up the template with guest names by the end of this week…then when the time comes, we just need to update the names, add their table #, print n fold! Don’t get me wrong, I love the look of the seating chart on a window frame or a beautiful print out; but that would have to be last minute & I just don’t want to deal with that.

Don’t worry, I’m sure I will not be bored those last 2 weeks! LOL I just didn’t know if I was missing something…

ETA...and checklists!

1) wedding planning list

2) wedding day packing list

3) will have a honeymoon packing list...even if I can't pack until the week of, the list will make packing way more efficient, I think

And with all this prep, I'm STILL going to forget something(s)!

Mine was crazy because the Friday before our Sunday wedding was H's bachelor party due to his BM coming back from Germany. Then the day of rehearsal I took H to the hospital for alcohol poisoning. So I didn't get shit done that day. Didn't even shave my legs. Thank God my SIL used to do weddings at a golf course so she kindly took over for me since I was freaking the fuck out. Even MIL said I seemed scattered. She normally doesn't notice things like that.

You're so close!!!

https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-ideas/things-to-do-week-before-wedding

@JenniferVR, cleaning service...I like that idea! FIL will be coming in for OOS early & staying at our place until after our honeymoon/watching our dog. So cleaning was definitely on our list.

@Jackie...that sux & certainly not something you planned for :o

My last two weeks weren't crazy at all, but maybe that's because I planned a wedding six hours away, so I had everything done way ahead of time so I could take it to my parents the last time I had been there (which was a month and a half before our wedding). The day before was chaos, and the morning of we ran a little behind but luckily I planned more than enough time for photos before that we caught up.

Ours were not crazy at all. We did hear our friends stress during the last weeks before their weddings and we avoided all those by planning ahead. We paid all final payments a month ahead at a minimum rather than waiting till their due dates - this was a big stressor for friends which we didn't want to go through.

I didn't find the last 2 weeks that crazy...H had his bachelor weekend the weekend before, so i was home alone and doing final planning touches (picking up my veil and accessories from the friend who made them, writing thank yous, wrapping WP and family gifts, etc). it wasn't till the last couple days that i started to feel a little nuts--as OOT friends started arriving and wanting to drop by, and i was still working till 2 days before the wedding, i felt pretty strung out! having checklists/timelines for the week before, day before, and day of was MASSIVELY helpful. enjoy it all! and remember that anything you forget will likely be solvable.

I'm pretty sure I lost my mind the entire month before the wedding. All the excitement and last minute preps start to rear their heads

Allow me to provide a real time example. I'm getting married in 10 days. Last week I called a local dry cleaner to see if they can steam press my dress. I spoke with a woman who suggested that I bring it in this week to allow plenty of time for processing (they do it on site, I asked).

Fast forward to today where I roll in with my dress and the clerk takes all my info and hands me a receipt that says it will be ready on August 22!

Mind you that's a solid 2+ weeks after my date.

He told me not to worry about it and that he would fix it in their system but I can't help but feel a little nervous about it.

On my way to BSC!

Cause it was LOL. At least for me.

I took 2 days before the wedding, but I had to drop off decor at the venue, make some final payments in person. Get a mani and pedi, pick up my wedding dress which I didn't do until the day before. Then last minute unforeseen circumstances took place. Besides wedding stuff, I still had a job so I had to make sure I was leaving my coworkers hanging - I had to make sure they had everything they needed to cover me while I was away.

Ugh... 10 days out and my list seems to be getting bigger rather than smaller. Primarily because I am realizing all of those small details that need to be ironed out and FH is packing up his apartment and finishing a job this week so it not exactly helpful. Here are some things that are getting done this week.

- Bridesmaids gifts

- Parent gifts

- FH's shirt for wedding

- Nail appointments

- Honeymoon packing + Helping FH with some errands

- Calling honeymoon resort to confirm flights

- Ceremony music

- Seating chart

- Finishing up decorations

- Trying to nail down florist (Why can no one respond to email!!!)

- Figuring out trolley schedule for guests

- Meeting with DJ

- Practicing first dance

- Figuring out food for during getting ready

- Sending out final payments to vendors

- Figuring out how to tip vendors (envelopes of cash? Send them after?)

- Figuring out what to bring for emergency kit to venue and making this

- Figuring out dinner with FIL's day before the wedding

- A bunch of cat-related stuff for my cat and the cat I am cat-sitting

And that is just the stuff I came up with off the top of my head...Ugh my anxiety is now in overdrive.

If you are a better planner than me, I suspect this would not be your life.

@Lemonade, we might be date twins. Hang on... You got this!