Forget Me Not: 6 Wedding Planning Essentials

Have the ABC’s squared away (so you can dance the night away). From organizing your transportation to setting a post-party venue for you and your crew, our events team shares some key reminders.

Once the pre-planning is handled, you can focus on what really matters on your special day. Image Credit: SY Photography

1.     Stock Up Your Get Ready Room

Fill this important room with the works. First, make sure it’s kitted out with the basics: phone chargers, chairs, a steamer, champagne, a white sewing kit, bleach pen, a full-length mirror and a makeup mirror. Feeling butterflies as you’re getting glammed up? Stay nourished and munch on light healthy snacks (i.e. veggies, fruit, popcorn) and have ample hydration (water, water, water!) nearby.

They say breakfast is the most important meal—this holds doubly true on your wedding day. Image Credit: Aubrie Pick

You’ll want to have button-down shirts available to get ready in so that nothing interferes with your hair and makeup. It never hurts to have Emergen-C, electrolytes, band-aids and blister bandages on hand—just in case.

Light bites in your getting-ready room provide the perfect fuel for you and your wedding party. Image Credit: Aubrie Pick

2.     Keep Your Website Or App Up-To-Date

Trust us, a website or app will save the day. Everyone will tack your picturesque invite to the fridge but the helpful details can all live online. Remember, it’s all in the details. Consistently upload the latest 411 on your celebration on your personal website or an easy-to-use app like WeddingHappy. Think of this as a one-stop shop for last-minute information and include the addresses and times of your festivities.

3.     Details of the To and Fro’

The day of your big event, make sure your guests know how to get around. For urban transportation, share Uber and Lyft options—you can even set up vouchers to use day-of. And, if you’re using shuttles or a party bus, don’t forget to share the timing and details of pick-ups and drop-offs.

Wedding day wheels have never looked as good as they do at the Kimpton Gray Hotel. Image Credit: SY Photography

4.     Make A List Of Your Favorite Places

Everyone’s gathering in your chosen city, so share a greatest hits list of your favorite spots.  If your wedding ceremony is in the morning and your reception starts in the evening, make suggestions on where your guests can go for a few hours.

• In downtown Nashville? Recommend some Southern grub or stroll around a leafy park like Magnolia Lawn.
• If you’re in Chicago, hop on a trolley tour of the architectural gems, head up to top of Willis Tower or walk around Millennium Park.
• In Savannah, take a Ghost Tour or plop down on Forest Gump’s famous bench on Chippewa Square.
• And, if you’ll be in Philadelphia, see the historical Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.

5.     It’s Never Too Early To Book Your Hotel

If you’re having a hotel wedding, the early bird catches the worm! If you book your rehearsal dinner and post-nuptial brunch early, in most cases, hotels are more likely to be flexible with their rates. Also, booking a room block gives your guests guaranteed availability plus a discount and possibly even more perks (pssst: at no extra cost to you).

Intimate, cozy, elegant…a rehearsal dinner can be all these things at the Kimpton De Witt Hotel. Image Credit: Rinze Vegelien

6.     Set Up A Post-Party Venue

Keep the celebration alive! Once your wedding band sings their final song and the bar calls its last round, plan an after-party that’s convenient for your crew. If you’re winging it, have a couple of nearby local bars queued up. Often, old-fashioned word-of-mouth or group chat is the easiest way to share the locale. The hotel bar is always a great option as well.

The vibe at Better Sorts Social Club at the Kimpton Nine Zero Hotel makes picking a post-party venue a no-brainer. Image Credit: Will Pryce