Getting Ready For Wedding Day

The night before the wedding day is an exciting time. There is normally a rehearsal followed by a rehearsal dinner. You are surrounded by friends and families who may have come from far away places. The celebration is just getting started!

Today I have a few tips for the bride and groom to be on the night before the wedding:

(1) Try to get ready your wedding day clothing and accessories

Running around in the morning of your wedding day trying to find an undergarment that is supposed to go underneath the dress will not be fun. Forgetting where your tie or cufflink is just add unnecessary stress.

Ladies, you might also want to set aside a button down shirt to wear for getting ready so that it can be easily removed after your hair styling session without messing up your hair.

(2) Plan the meal(s) for wedding day for you and/or your bridal party

Depending on the time you are getting ready for the wedding, you probably need to plan for a breakfast and /or lunch for you and/or your bridal party (if they are getting ready with you).

A traditional Chinese breakfast of long life noodles with eggs is typical for Chinese weddings

I am showing the wedding day breakfast that my Mother insisted on serving because it was a Chinese tradition in the photo above (Photo taken by Christopher Helm Photography ) but you can serve whatever food you fancy (as long as it is something familiar - so you don't get any "surprises" later on!).

You can designate someone to buy the food in advance or you can have a restaurant/caterer deliver the food to your house or your get ready location (wherever that might be). Just remember not to be hungry before the ceremony starts. I had actually witnessed the fainting of a bridesmaid during the ceremony when I attended a wedding. It was not a pretty sight.

(3) Try to get some sleep

It maybe difficult but getting enough rest on the night before your wedding will give you energy for your own wedding day.

(4) Try a rehearsal and rehearsal dinner on Thursday night (for Saturday weddings)

Maybe this tip does not qualify as "getting ready the night before the wedding" but I really like having rehearsal and rehearsal dinner on Thursday night for a Saturday wedding. It is actually my preferred rehearsal night whenever schedule allows due to the reasons below:

Reason 1: You can party longer on Thursday night since the wedding is not the next day. Even if you have a hangover, you can still use Friday to recover from it.
Reason 2: Rehearsal dinner can be cheaper on a weeknight vs. Friday evening (weekend)
Reason 3: You will then have the night before the wedding to relax (since there is no rehearsal and no rehearsal dinner)

(5) Limit tasks that need to be accomplished on the day before the wedding
 
Last minute errands and running around the day before the wedding is tiring. Try to limit yourself to one or two things that have to be done that day and finish other tasks before then.

I normally only give one task to my brides on the day before the wedding: go get the manicure and pedicure!