The week before your wedding is not for redesigning florals or inviting three more cousins. It is for confirming what is already booked, paying what is already owed, and handing responsibility to people you trust. Think of it as a final systems check—not a last-minute planning sprint.
Use this checklist seven days out through the morning of. Tick items in order where you can; parallel tasks are fine if different people own them. Pair it with your day-of timeline template so confirmations match the run sheet vendors receive.
Seven days out: money, numbers, and contracts
- Confirm final guest count with catering and venue—use RSVP data, not guesswork.
- Verify all vendor balances are paid or scheduled; log last payments in your deposit tracker.
- Send dietary requirements to the caterer—pull from RSVP notes, not memory.
- Confirm vendor arrival times, parking, and load-in rules with the venue.
- Check marriage licence or civil paperwork is complete per local requirements.
- Prepare cash or envelopes for tips if you are giving them—label by vendor.
Five days out: people and communication
- Share the day-of timeline with wedding party, ushers, and key family helpers.
- Confirm who gives a speech—and how long they have—so nobody surprises you at the mic.
- Send accommodation and transport notes to out-of-town guests if not already on your website.
- Designate one point person for guest questions (not you) and share their number.
- Confirm childcare, pet care, and where you are staying the night before.
Three days out: details vendors need
- Finalise seating chart if not already done; send to venue or planner.
- Confirm song choices, readings, and ceremony order with officiant and musicians.
- Deliver timeline to photographer, videographer, and DJ or band—including must-capture moments.
- Pack vendor meal preferences and allergy notes if your contracts include feeding suppliers.
- Collect rings, licences, vows, and any ceremonial items in one labelled bag.
Two days out: rehearsal and setup
- Attend rehearsal or walk-through if you are having one; note where people stand and walk.
- Confirm delivery times for flowers, cake, rentals, and decor with your setup lead.
- Charge phones, portable speakers, and any devices used for music or slideshows.
- Prepare payments or labels for next-day vendor handoffs (e.g. final florist balance).
- Check weather forecast and confirm backup plan with venue if outdoors.
One day out: pack and delegate
- Pack getting-ready bags: outfits, shoes, emergency kit, snacks, timeline printout.
- Label boxes by room or moment (“ceremony,” “reception,” “gifts”) for setup crew.
- Hand off guest book, favours, and signage to someone setting up tomorrow.
- Write a short note to your partner if you are staying apart the night before.
- Set an out-of-office on email—not for guests, but for work distractions.
Morning of: stay out of the way
- Eat something. Drink water. Assign breakfast for the wedding party if needed.
- Give vendors one contact—the planner, best man, or mum—not both of you.
- Keep phones on silent except for your point person; photos can wait until prep is done.
- Trust the timeline you confirmed. Problems get solved without you unless essential.
The one-page run sheet
Collapse the week into a single page: vendor contacts, arrival times, ceremony start, speech order, golden-hour photo slot, and first dance. Share it with venue coordinator, photographer, and DJ. If it is not on the run sheet, it should not be a day-of decision.
Build this from your app timeline rather than rewriting from scratch. The same tool that tracked your 12-month checklist should export what happens hour by hour on the day itself.
What to stop doing this week
No new guest additions without catering confirmation. No seating chart reshuffles unless someone cancelled. No scrolling vendor Instagram wondering if you should have booked different tableware. The planning window has closed; execution mode has opened.
If something small is unfinished—a welcome sign, a playlist tweak—assign it or let it go. Guests remember how they felt, not whether place cards used serif or sans-serif. Your job this week is to arrive rested and present.
Emergency kit reminder
Pack plasters, pain relief, stain remover, sewing kit, spare tights, phone charger, and snacks for the wedding party. Confirm someone brings it to the getting-ready room—not left in your flat. Small crises (blister, torn hem, headache) should not require a pharmacy run in full hair and makeup.
After the last dance
Note what is left to collect: gifts, decor, leftover cake, hired items for return. Assign pickup to a trusted friend or family member so you are not loading a car in formalwear. Final vendor thank-yous can wait a few days— but mark any remaining balances in your budget so post-wedding admin does not linger for months.
Plan with less chaos
WedCheese is the AI wedding planner that turns your real wedding details into an organised plan: checklist, budget, guests, RSVP, decor, vendors, and notes in one calm app.