You’ve probably seen so many to-do lists as you prepare for your wedding. As your wedding day gets closer, the last thing you want is to be told you’re forgetting something.

However, I’m sharing my own experiences (both the good and bad) to prevent the week leading up to your wedding from being full of stress.

Take work off

You’ll appreciate having at least two days off work prior to your wedding. Last-minute details creep up, and the last thing you want is to be up all night the day before your wedding tying up loose ends. I personally had only had the day before my wedding off from work and wish I’d had one more day to calmly prepare.

Confirm your vendors

Touch base with your vendors and confirm WHEN and WHERE they’ll be arriving. Make sure to be specific; give them addresses, and specific rooms if necessary. Better yet, hire a wedding planner or month of coordinator that will manage these details for you!

Confirm the photography timeline

Confirm when and where you will need your bridal party dressed and ready for photos, as well as any family members participating in formal photos. I can’t stress the importance of this enough.

Create a detail box for your photographer

Make your detail photos (the ring, dress, heirlooms, jewelry, etc.) extra special with a little planning beforehand. Check out this blog post if you have questions about what a detail box is and what should go in it.

Assign someone to oversee taking home special items

If you don’t have a wedding planner, assign someone (a bridesmaid, mom, helpful aunt, etc.) to gather items you’d like to keep after the reception. That way, when you come back from your honeymoon, you won’t be guessing where your guest book, wedding dress, and bouquet are.

Assign someone to return your groom's tux

If your groom is renting a tux, it will likely need to be returned the following morning. Save yourselves the errand (or late fees) and leave the tux with the best man to return. He’ll already be making the trip with his own tux, and your groom can return the favor someday.

Do a trial run with your hair and makeup

If you haven’t done a trial run yet, this is the week to do so. Not only will you see what you like, you'll have a better understanding of how long this process will take.

Get your ring cleaned

You want your ring to be as gorgeous as possible in those close-up macro photos. If you beat up your ring like me, a nice polish from the jeweler will make it extra sparkly and ready for the big day.

Start packing

Start daydreaming while you pack for you honeymoon! Encourage your future spouse to do the same.

Relax

Get a mani-pedi with your bridal party and relax! Doing this the day before your wedding will save you time on the big day, but also lets you put your feet up after all your hard work. You deserve it!