The Ultimate Wedding Week Checklist: Everything You Need Before You Say I Do

You’ve been planning this for months. Maybe longer. And now, somehow, it’s actually here. The week before your wedding is this strange, beautiful mix of excitement and nerves and a to-do list that feels like it multiplies every time you look at it.

Here’s what I want you to know before we dive in: you’ve done the hard work. This week isn’t about adding more to your plate. It’s about tying up loose ends so that when your wedding day actually arrives, you can put the list down and just be there. Fully present, completely in it, soaking up every single moment.

That’s the goal. And this checklist is going to help you get there.

One Week Before Your Wedding

This is the week to confirm, communicate, and clear your head. Most of the big decisions are already made. Now it’s just about making sure everyone is on the same page.

• Give your venue your final guest count and finalize your seating chart
• Confirm your morning schedule with your hair and makeup artists
• Schedule a haircut for the groom
• Clean your engagement ring so it sparkles on camera (trust me on this one!)
• Make sure your photographer and videographer both have your must-have shot list. The more they know about what matters to you, the better they can capture it
• If you’re writing your own vows, practice them out loud. Not to memorize them, but to get comfortable with them so the emotion can come through naturally
• Check in with your planner or coordinator to make sure they have everything they need
• Go over the timeline with all your vendors so everyone is aligned
• Pay any remaining balances so money is completely off your mind for the rest of the week
• Go on a date with your partner. Somewhere low-key, just the two of you. You’re about to get married. Enjoy this

A note on your vows: Whether you’re writing your own or using traditional vows, please don’t rush through them on your wedding day. The ceremony is the heart of everything. It’s what you’ll want to come back to again and again. Slow down and really say the words.

2 to 3 Days Before Your Wedding

The checklist is getting shorter. Things are coming together. Here’s what to focus on now:

• Organize your ceremony and reception decor

Pro tip: Set up each centerpiece exactly how you want it and take a photo. Then separate each table’s decor into its own labeled box and put the photo inside. Whoever sets up your venue will thank you, and you’ll know it was done right.

• Make any final adjustments to your seating chart
• Get your spray tan, manicure, and pedicure done
• Pack your wedding day emergency kit. You’ll want: spray-on deodorant, mints, bobby pins, a sewing kit, Advil or Tylenol, scissors, feminine products, and fashion tape

Pro tip: If your dress has loops and buttons, pack a crochet hook. It will save you so much time getting into your dress on the morning of.

• Wrap and organize any gifts you’re giving to your partner, wedding party, or family members so they’re ready to go

1 to 2 Days Before Your Wedding

Almost there. Here’s what the final stretch looks like:

• Put final vendor payments in individual labeled envelopes and hand them to a trusted friend or your planner to distribute on the day. You should not be thinking about money on your wedding day
• Attend your rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. Actually enjoy it. These are your people
• Check in with your wedding party to make sure they have everything they need
• Pack your overnight bag for wherever you’re staying the night before
• Make sure all your wedding documents (marriage license, vows, vendor contracts) are in one safe place. Nominate a trusted person to be in charge of them
• Steam anything that has wrinkled
• Put your phone down early and get a good night’s sleep

A note on the night before: It’s completely normal to feel a rush of emotions the night before your wedding. Excitement, nerves, nostalgia, all of it. Let yourself feel it. And then get some rest, because tomorrow is going to be one of the most meaningful days of your life and you want to actually remember it.

The Day Before Your Wedding

Your Wedding Day Checklist

This is it. And here’s the thing: your job today is not to manage, coordinate, or troubleshoot. Your job is to be present. That’s it. Let your vendors do what you hired them to do. Let your planner handle the details. Let yourself actually be there for every moment of this day.

• Take a deep breath before anything else
• Eat breakfast. A real one. You’d be amazed how many couples skip this
• Stay hydrated throughout the entire day
• Give yourself extra time in the morning. Things always take a little longer than expected, especially hair and makeup
• Put your phone away as much as possible. The photos and videos are being taken care of. You don’t need to document everything yourself
• Before the ceremony, take a quiet moment with the people who matter most to you. Your mom, your dad, your best friend, whoever it is. Those in-between moments are often the most precious ones
• During the ceremony, slow down. Breathe. Look around at the people who showed up for you. Take a mental snapshot
• During your reception, eat, dance, and be with your guests. The toasts, the first dance, the parent dances, let them happen naturally. Don’t perform them. Just experience them
• At some point in the evening, sneak away with your partner for just five minutes. Look at each other. Take it all in. You just got married

What Your Videographer Wants You to Know

As your filmmaker, there are a few things that will make a real difference in your wedding film:

Give yourself a buffer in the timeline. Rushed moments are harder to capture authentically. Even 15 extra minutes in the morning can change the entire energy of the day.

Tell me about the people who matter most. If there’s a grandparent whose health is fragile, a parent who you know will be emotional, or a moment you’re especially hoping I capture, tell me. The more I know, the more intentional I can be.

Let the ceremony breathe. Don’t rush your vows. Don’t rush the kiss. These are the moments you’ll come back to for the rest of your life. Let them be what they are.

Trust the process. My job is to fade into the background and capture your day as it actually unfolds. The less you think about the camera, the more authentic your film will be. You don’t have to do anything for me. Just be present with each other and let everything else happen around you.

Twenty years from now, you won’t remember whether the timeline ran perfectly or the centerpieces were exactly right. What you’ll remember is how you felt. The voices and laughter of the people you love. The way your partner looked at you. The words that were spoken.

That’s what we’re preserving together.

Looking for a wedding videographer who will capture your day authentically and without intrusion? I’d love to learn about your wedding and tell your story. Reach out to start the conversation.