One-month countdown: are you ready?

You can almost hear the wedding bells; the final adjustments are being made. It’s the one-month countdown until your wedding day. But for even the most organised bride, the month before your wedding can be overwhelming.

You’re juggling family members, last-minute RSVPs, phone calls, and seating arrangements. You name it, the bride is dealing with it. Put this alongside your normal life working and those 24 hours in a day are gone by in a flash.

That’s why we’ve put together this easy checklist to make sure that every “i” is dotted, every “t” is crossed. This list will make sure that you get hitched… without a hitch.

One-month countdown: Four weeks to go

Have your final wedding dress fitting

With only a few weeks to go, that final dress fitting should be this week. This way you can be sure that any last minute alterations have time to be done. You want to make sure your dream dress is exactly how you imagined it – and fits like a glove!

Check your vows over with the celebrant

It should be around now that your celebrant has gotten to know you two as a couple and is able to get the ceremony just right. Check over the details to make any changes you see necessary.

Chase up RSVPS

Some people can be a little forgetful when it comes to RSVPs. Perhaps they thought they did it, or maybe they had given you verbal confirmation. It’s time to get the RSVPs finalised – you’ll need those for all the vendors!

Make sure you’ve put your NOIM in

That’s right, you’re legally getting married. Did you know you’ll need a notice of intention to marry to go through with it? This has to be registered 30 days before the wedding. Visit your states Births, Deaths and Marriages site and make sure your intention is registered.

Bucks and Hens parties

With a month to go, the festivities might have already started. It’s about this time that hens parties and bucks nights will be happening. You want enough gap between this and the wedding, for… you know… recovery.

Confirm all recovery day info

A tradition that is only from the last few years, recovery days have really picked up momentum. It’s a time for the bride and groom to be a little more “off the clock” and spend some time with their loved ones.

One-month countdown: Three weeks to go

Haircut and colour

They say it takes two weeks to grow out a bad haircut. While we don’t think a bad haircut will happen to you, you want to give yourself some breathing room between a new cut and colour and the big day.

Final hair trial 

Speaking of hair, that final hair trial should happen this week. This will be your look coming together and you’re less likely to change your mind between now and the wedding.

Confirm numbers/drinks/catering

Your caterers will need to make sure there’s enough food and drink to serve your guests. After the RSVPs are confirmed, send those final numbers over to them.

Finish any DIY projects

Have you decided to DIY anything for the wedding? Perhaps an altar, the veil, maybe something for the flower girl to hold? These sorts of projects should be finished by now. You don’t want to be making any last minute Bunnings trips the week of the wedding.

Finalise seating plan

Now that you’ve got all the RSVPs, it’s time to work out the seating arrangements. This can be a little bit more of a process than you think. Pairing together colleagues with old friends and asking yourself “will they get along? Who had a breakup with who?” The seating arrangements comes with a lot of politics.

Pick up wedding rings

Time to get those rings and put them in a safe place – and remember where you’ve put them.

One-month countdown: Two weeks to go

Decide on the key songs: aisle walk, introduction as newlyweds, first dance

You might have been going back and forth for a while between your key songs. It’s now time to take the leap and decide. Is it a tear-jerker or a party starter you want? Let the DJ know!

Finalise all readings

Poems, bible verses, personal letters. There’s no rules for what readings you can have at a wedding. Particularly as more couples are bucking the tradition and not getting married in a church. With two weeks to go before your wedding, finalise these choices and send them to whoever is doing the reading. They’ll need some time to practice.

Give your photographer your shortlist

Your photographer is an expert at what they do, but they also need some guidance to know what shots you want. From  family members you need to have included in the “family photos” to what style you’re after. This is the time to submit your list of shots to the photographer.

Confirm bump-in and bump-out times for vendors and suppliers

A wedding is a large affair with quite a few moving parts. As such, you’ll need to make sure that the bump-in times are communicated with the vendors, and the bump-out times! We’ve heard all sorts of disaster stories where the wedding needed to be packed up in record time to accommodate a yoga class in the hall early the next day – be prepared!

Pick up the wedding dress and suit

If you pick up your wedding dress too early, you’ll be tempted to look at it. Maybe even touch it and try it on. To keep it fresh and clean give yourself two weeks before the wedding to pick it up and store it safely before airing it out and steaming it the day before.

Confirm details with MC, run sheet, call outs

The MC is such an important role. They keep the day moving, the speeches capped and ensure that no one is forgotten about. But you’ll need to give your MC a bit of a script of the day as well as the run sheet. 

One-month countdown: One week to go

Spray tan!

Don’t leave it to the day before – your spray tan needs time to settle and be able to wash off the residue. The week before the wedding – it’s tanning time.

Facials/skin scrubs

Facials are a godsend, but they can also sometimes bring some of those blemishes to the surface. With this in mind, give your skin at least a week to recover if you plan on getting a facial or skin scrubs prior to the big day.

Nails 

If you get your nails done any earlier than a week out you’re risking chipping the polish/tips. You don’t want to have to make an emergency appointment to fix a broken or damaged nail the day before the wedding – who’s got time for that?

Pack

Are you going away for the wedding? Or the night after? Or maybe even a honeymoon straight away. Pack a week before because if you leave it too late, you’re guaranteed to forget something.

Drink lots of water!

There’s so much to do before your wedding, and you might be on a little less sleep than usual. If this is the case for you, make sure you’re keeping hydrated! You want to look healthy and fresh. It also helps to stave off any sicknesses or being run down. Keep chugging!

One-month countdown: Day before

Eat lots

Your wedding day will go by so fast. You’ll be up early getting ready, maybe even a cheeky champagne. Make sure you’ve had plenty of yummy, fresh food the day before – and try to avoid anything that can make your tummy feel a bit funny.

Get your dress out

It’s time to get the dress out of the bag and hang it up. Make sure it’s out of reach of any little hands or excited dogs. Airing it out and steaming it is crucial before it’s go-time!

A good night’s rest

Everything has been done. You’re ready to wed! The thing you’ll need now? Beauty sleep!