Wedding planner Katrina Otter, gives her simple advice of the things to do on your wedding day
After all of the planning and all of the build-up, your wedding day will be upon you before you know it. But, rather like childhood Christmas Days, and as I’m sure you’ve already been told, your wedding day will pass you by in a flash with all the celebrations, bubbles and emotions. With this in mind, here’s my list of ten things that you should do on your wedding day…
- Start the day in style. Well, if there’s one day when drinking champagne with breakfast is almost essential, it’s on your wedding day! Make the day extra special from the moment you wake up with a bubbly breakfast BUT don’t forgo your food! Even if you’re feeling nervous, do try to eat something because even a little snack will stop your morning tipple from going straight to your head and you won’t have a rumbling tummy during your ceremony either!
- Send a note to your partner. You might have a text message history that’s taking up most of the memory on your phone but sending a ‘proper’ love letter to your partner is more memorable than you can imagine. Before the big day, take some time out to write a heartfelt note and have it delivered on the morning of your wedding. If you’re lucky, you’ll receive one too and all I can say is make sure you have a tissue on standby!
- Stop planning. Now this one REALLY is important. On your wedding day, stop planning. This is the day to enjoy yourself, not to worry about the little details or micro-managing your way through. Delegate this job to a trusted friend and let them handle everything for you. Better still, hand everything over to a professional wedding planner / stylist or venue coordinator so everyone can relax and enjoy the day knowing that everything is in hand.
- Have a ‘first look’. The ‘first look’ is basically a private moment between you and your partner ahead of your ceremony. You can meet, see each other for the first time without anyone else being around, share a few words and then head into your ceremony free from nerves. I absolutely love first looks and the photos that you get from them are some of the best wedding photos I’ve ever seen.
- Focus on your ceremony. Whatever else is going on throughout the day, your ceremony is the most important part of the whole occasion. Don’t worry about anything, concentrate entirely on your partner and remember to look at them rather than the officiant as you take your vows!
- Make memories. Fill your wedding day with wonderful, never-to-be-repeated moments and make the most of being surrounded by everyone you love most in the world. Do whatever you like that makes you happy but I’d urge you to spend as much time as possible with your guests, thank them for coming, show them some love, have a laugh and talk to them about anything and everything because both you and they will remember these moments for years to come.
- Escape for a few moments. As much as I believe you should spend time with your guests, I also heartily recommend that you escape with your partner for a few moments of privacy. Whether you sneak off for a few moments alone while everyone’s going into dinner or disappear for some photographs before your first dance, get some time alone at some point during the day.
- Get the party started. If you’ve planned an evening party, make sure that you get on the dancefloor and start the party as soon as possible. It can be tempting to wait for additional guests or just have one more chat or drink before you have your first dance but don’t delay. You don’t have to stay on the dancefloor all night but you do have to make the first move so cue the music and go for it!
- Leave on a high. Now I know that you’ll want your wedding day to last as long as possible but I’d urge you to leave on a high. Don’t wait until the party starts to fizzle out or you’re left trying to manage the last few guests. Make sure that your last memory of your wedding is downright fantastic and get everyone together to give you the send-off you deserve.
- Enjoy every minute. As I said earlier, the day flashes by and I’d urge you to resist the temptation to spend the whole day working to try and make things perfect. If dinner is five minutes late or if the table plan is in slightly the wrong place, then smile and move on. Your wedding day is all about the beauty in the bigger picture and the fabulous person by your side.
Katrina Otter is a Cambridgeshire based wedding planner and event organiser with over 10 years experience. Find out how she could help you plan your wedding day
