The countless months, hours, sweat, and tears that you put into your wedding are all part of the natural course that every bride takes while planning her wedding.  One day you will reach a point where all of your vendors have been chosen and your last item on the never-ending “to-do” list has been checked off – or so you thought.  More often than not, brides can get so focused on specific details that they forget some very important aspects of their wedding!  We’ve made a top 10 list of things that brides often forget– these items can be crucial to having your big day running smoothly and making sure the focus is entirely on the bride and groom!

1. Undergarment(s)
   • We’re starting off with the basics!  Making sure you have the right accessories and undergarments ahead of time for all of the attire that you will be wearing throughout your wedding can help save time and last-minute stress!
2. Shot list for photographer
   • This one is pretty self-explanatory and most photographers will remind you about this task.  However, making sure you take care of this in advance will help you create a more thorough list that captures exactly what you want from your photographer.
3. Songs you DON’T want played at the reception
   • Songs for special dances, cake cutting, bouquet/garter are usually not forgotten– in fact, these songs might be some of the easiest selections for the bride and groom.  However, songs that you do NOT want played are often forgotten.  Making sure your DJ knows what you are comfortable with (and more importantly uncomfortable with) is extremely important.
4. Reserved rows for the ceremony
   • Here at A Southern Soiree, we try and remind our couples early on in the planning process that we will need to know the exact number of seats they need to save for family on each side.  Letting these members know (in advance) that they will be sitting in a reserved row is crucial to having this part of your wedding flow smoothly.  If there is every a question on how many family members to include in this, we often recommend that less is more– the more members you add to this list, the more difficult it can become to find a stopping point.
5. Final Payments/Gratuities
   • Organizing final payments or any gratuities before the wedding approaches can help you enjoy your wedding, rather than worry about important payments getting lost or confused (especially when dealing with cash).  A simple way to do this is by sealing payments/gratuities in envelopes marked with which vendor they are going to.  Designate a person (typically the planner) to distribute these to the appropriate vendors.
6. Gifts for family
   • Brides and Grooms don’t often forget gifts for their significant other, or even the friends participating in the wedding party.  Planning ahead for gifts for the mothers and fathers or other important family members will help you feel prepared and will make your family feel appreciated during a very important time in your life!
7. Permits & Licenses
   • Having a planner can help you stay on track for items such as your marriage license or any permits that might be needed for your wedding.  However, the planner often cannot obtain these licenses or permits for the couple.  Don’t forget to plan time in your busy schedules to obtain these important documents for your big day!  Reference our previous blog for help with getting a marriage license in the state of North Carolina!
8. Parking/Transportation Accommodations
   • Whether you have a wedding website, welcome bags, or simply word-of-mouth, making sure you have planned for both transportation and parking accommodations for the bride & groom, the wedding party, family, and guests will help ease any confusion and will save you a lot of questions the week before and day-of your wedding.
9. Honeymoon Preparation
   • Pack your bags, prepare your passport, and check transportation!  If you’re leaving soon after the wedding, make sure to plan ahead for these items– you would be amazed at how many couples can forget these details!
10. Online Review for Vendors 
    • Remember when you were searching for vendors for your wedding? At times you were overwhelmed with the process?  Other couples are going through that same process!  Writing reviews, whether good or bad, about your experience with wedding professionals can greatly help steer other couples in the right direction.  We have been very fortunate to receive great reviews from our outstanding couples!  If you are on the fence about booking a planner, check out some of our reviews on Wedding Wire and Google!

Hopefully this top 10 list will help you remember these wedding details that are most often forgotten!  We’d love your feedback on items that you have overlooked or recommend that other brides plan ahead for–leave a comment in the reply box below and we’ll be sure to share the information!