When reading my monthly bridal magazines, I immediately flip to the timelines. It is on these particular pages where editors advise brides based on the number of months and weeks before the wedding arrives. Six weeks before the big day, Brides Magazine suggests:
- Confirming delivery of bridesmaids’ dresses
- Applying for a marriage license
- Printing the programs, menus, et cetera.
June/July 2015 issue
Instead of discussing outstanding tasks on my one-month countdown, I have decided to take a different approach. Hopefully my advice will help future brides as they inch closer to the daunting four-week mark.
Here are some thoughts that I have gathered along the way. I discussed these with my mom, a few days ago, after leaving my very last dress fitting. Although I’m not one to dwell on the past, it was interesting to note what we would have done differently had we only known.
If I could start all over (please, no) I would…
Tell a tiny bridal lie about my wedding date.
(A white lie seems most fitting for the bride.)
An extra month can go a very long way. For example, if you’re wedding is set for June 20th, tell vendors it is sometime in May. When alterations are involved, it’s better to have too much time than just enough to sew the very last seam. Some brides are golden with just two fittings, while others require four. In certain cases, like mine, veils need to be special ordered.
Ultimately, the potential for multiple alterations is too great to risk the rush. If a bride happens to finish her fittings one month early, she has an extra four weeks to admire her dress. Lucky me!
Proofread everything one too many times.
As I writer, I never imagined that I would catch multiple errors on our simple wedding program. For example, since my groom’s name is John, I had not considered the alternate spelling of the very same name, for a very different Jon, both in personality and punctuation. Also, since our program represents an interfaith marriage, many traditions are written phonetically. I recommend that two sets of eyes aside from those of the bride and groom proofread all wedding materials such as programs, welcome notes and names of guests.
Catching last minute errors with excitement- perfection is possible!
Send Save the Dates.
Way back when, as a naïve newly engaged gal, I decided to skip save the dates all together. I figured filling in close family and friends on the exact date would suffice. Unfortunately, even the most important people don’t always remember things one year in advance. People appreciate the comforts of a tangible date. I recommend sending guests a playful magnetic reminder to decorate their fridge. I would choose something simple that sticks!
Last but not least, always listen to your wedding planner!
Whether you have the fabulous Posh Petal and Pearls team planning your wedding, or possibly your very own mother, listen up! Although the bride and groom are the stars of the show, the wedding planner sits on the highest pedestal. They provide the brains behind the wedding, while the bride provides her very best smile.
My personal, beautiful wedding planner.
Whether brides have ten months or one month left, wedding planners get the job done!
