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It’s wedding season & brides across Chicago are going to be drinking mimosas & channeling their inner Beyonce as they prepare to walk down the aisle. But what should be the most amazing morning of your life can quickly fill with tension & worry.
Here are my top 8 tips for the most amazing wedding morning - EVER!
It all starts with the timeline. Long before the mimosa is poured and the curling irons are heated, you set the tone for your wedding morning in your timeline. Creating a realistic getting ready timeline, whether that means hiring extra hair & make up artists or starting getting ready earlier than you’d like, with help in making you feel relaxed on your wedding morning. Allowing for buffer in your timeline is another way to create that tone long before you sit in the make up chair. If your hair & make up artists tell you that you need 4 hours to complete hair and make up, plan for 5 ½ to 6 hours for when your cousin insists on getting her make up redone because she doesn’t actually like a smokey eye.
Go to bed early. Now I know you’re hosting welcome parties & rehearsal dinners the night before your wedding, but plan smart. If you know you have to start getting ready at 7am, end your parties at 10pm, so you have time to shower before bed & can get a full 8 hours of sleep.
Hydrate before bed. After you’ve made it home from your rehearsal dinner, be intentional about drinking A LOT of water before bed. You’ve probably had a lot to drink tonight & you’ll have a lot to drink tomorrow. So please, be kind to your body and hydrate well. Hydrating is also great for your skin so win, win.
Set clear expectations. I love bridesmaids, but TBH they are the #1 reason getting ready timelines run late & brides stress out. Let them know what is expected of them as being in the wedding party. Get your dress by the deadline you’re given. If it needs alterations, plan ahead. Arrive for hair and make up on time. If you’re asked to come with dry hair, come with dry hair. Don’t get smashed at breakfast because we still have to walk down the aisle. Etc.
Plan for meals. What I find to be the easiest is to have something like Panera catered in. Most locations deliver or you can have a bridesmaids pick up on the way to the getting ready location. For lunch, Jimmy Johns is great because you can order 3 inch sandwiches that are easy to take on the party bus.
Make lists. Create a list of everything you need to bring with you to the hotel for getting ready & everything that needs to go on the bus. Bouquets, rings, garter, veil, shoes. Make a list & double & triple check it before you leave your house before the wedding and have someone check before you leave the hotel.
Write each other a letter. On the morning of your wedding when you’re filled with excitement and jitters, the person you’re really going to want to talk to is your fiance. Fill their void by either writing each other a letter to read on the wedding morning or scheduling time for a call.
For the love of GOD, please hire a Wedding Manager/Coordinator. Now I know what you’re thinking. “Alexis, you are a Wedding Planner, of course you say that.” But if you want a relaxing wedding morning, one of the best things you can do to secure that is to hire an experienced Wedding Manager. This person (it does have to be me, though I’d love to be that person for you) will help you in creating the perfect timeline with plenty of buffer. They’ll watch the clock so you don’t have to. They may even have a bridal attendant who can pick up your breakfast order (we do!). They’ll load your party bus with all of your supplies. They’ll have lists upon lists. They’ll handle any issues that come up. All while you, in all your Beyonce glory, sip champ & get pampered.
So there you have it: my top 8 tips for the Most Amazing Wedding Morning EVER! Which ones are you taking action on to avoid an anxiety inducing wedding morning?
Wondering if you need a Wedding Planner?