What did you do the day of your wedding?

Ali092011

All I've got so far is make-up and hair for my BMs and me from 11:30 to 2:30. And probably lunch sometime in there? (I thought it sounded early to get that stuff done, but my hair and MUA insisted, and she knows better than I do.) My ceremony starts at 6:00, and the bridal suite isn't available to us until 45 minutes before the ceremony. The GMs will probably be hanging out at our house, since there's not too much for them to do other than get dressed. I'm not adverse to going back to our house to spend time as a group, but I feel like I'm missing something. We're doing a quick first look (we'll arrive at the ceremony site, I'll slip on my dress, we'll meet on the staircase and take a few pictures), but the other photos will be taken during cocktail hour.

On my friend's wedding day, there were last-minute errands to run and we went straight from doing those to the venue, but I don't think I'll need to get our rings cleaned or anything like that.

What did everyone do on the day of the wedding if you had an evening ceremony? What am I missing? I'm probably overthinking this...

Meegles4

8:30 am - hair/makeup
10:30 am - depart salon for wedding site (had about a 45+ minute drive from salon to where we were getting married)
11:30 am - arrive at wedding hotel. A couple BMs checked in, we got my car parked and kind of chilled for a bit
12 pm - walk to church (2 blocks from hotel); have lunch. Our DOC brought us Jimmy John's subs.
-- Get dressed at church, hang out. We didn't do any formal photos before the ceremony
2 p.m. - ceremony
3:15 pm - 3:45 pm - Formal family photos at church
4 pm - 6 pm - Photos around town. Us and the WP took a party bus from ceremony to reception, taking photos in between
5:30 pm - Cocktail hour started for guests
6:30/7 pm - Cocktail hour ended, guests were seated, WP entrance, toasts were made, dinner was served
7 pm and on - party!

We didn't have too many errands to run. The only thing that would've needed doing was picking up lunch (I'd pre-ordered and paid for it), but my DOC offered to do that for me. Some of my BMs were there from the start (those that were getting their hair done). Those that weren't met up with us at the church at noon. We had probably an hour of time to kill between getting to the church and the ceremony starting, even with me getting dressed and doing some bridal photos.

OliveOilsMom

I had my nails done the day before the wedding, so that was something that was already done.  I also dropped by e-ring off at the jewelers the day before and he kept it overnight to clean it for as long as possible, which I wasn't expecting.  So my mom picked my e-ring up at the jewelers.  After hair and make up, my girls and I just sat around, chatting.  I had plenty of food at the house, breakfast and lunch for everyone, but our MU & hair people came to us.  There really wasn't much to do until my photographer showed up around 2 pm to start getting photos.  The limo arrived at 4:30 and off to the church we went.

It sounds like you have everything under control!

Meegles4

Oh yeah, I got my nails done the day before too. And we only cleaned my e-ring (the other two had remained in their boxes and were brand new) and we had that done about a week prior. Honestly, I would get everything done that you possibly can before the wedding day. Even if you have an evening ceremony, the day will fly by and you don't want to get held up by some surprise that you thought would only take 5 minutes.

The only thing you might have to do is set up. We were lucky that our hall and the florist handled our set up, and I had a DOC to double-check everything looked good. But, if you're responsible for room set-up, you should work that into your morning schedule.

KellyBrian2013

10:00 - Hair stylist arrived at hotel & started my hair
11:00 - Makeup artist arrived at hotel & started BM makeup
(There were 5 BM's, my mom, and myself to get ready - so 7 of us all for hair and makeup.)

2:45 - Left for venue
3:30 - Photographer arrived
3:45 - Started bride's family/bridal party photographs
5:00 - Groom arrived; started groom's family/groomsmen photographs
(I was in the bridal suite enjoying cheese, crackers, and champagne while DH took his pictures.)

6:30 - Ceremony started
7:00 - Cocktail hour for guests; combined family and wedding party photos
8:00 - Grandparents, parents, and wedding party introduction
8:15 - Cake cutting
8:30 - Toasts, Dinner served
9:30 - PARTY!!


Honestly, even the downtime after my hair and makeup was done (and my BM's were still in the works) was SO nice. Your day will fly by; drink in the relaxed and quiet moments while you can.

gurrlballa10

10:00-rehearsal
11:00-4:30-makeup and hair for myself and 9 others
Two of my bridesmaids were nice enough to go pickup the sandwiches and salad that I ordered from Panera.  One of my readers set up a bar in the suite and brought her iPod with her(bloody marys, mimosas, and "blushing bride")
4:30-leave for venue
5:00-put on dress and do finishing touches
5:15-6:15-first look
6:30-ceremony
7:00-reception

TBH, I really enjoyed just being able to kick back and relax in the hotel suite.  I was last to get my hair and makeup done, so I just sat around hanging out with the girls until 3 or so.  It was nice not to have to do anything, except get married of course. 

AdeleDazeem

I will not be helpful, but I'll share anyway.  Our wedding started at 6pm.

9am: Breakfast with whoever was awake
11am - 2pm - Golf
3pm - 6pm: Hair, make up

Off we went. 

All flowers were delivered to the hotel and handled by the coordinator.  Hair and make up people came directly to my room.  Photographer and videographer appeared, were shown the area for the ceremony, and did their thing.  The only hiccup was that I really wanted some lunch.  My husband (fiance at the time) got some for me, gave it to my sister and passed it off to me.  Everything was so relaxed.

ElleB87

9:00 am - got up, showered, had breakfast, called in-laws back home.
10:30ish - photographer showed up
11:00 - got hair done
12:00 - Make up time
12:30 - got dressed
1:00 - 2:45 -Took some photos around the grounds
3:00 - Ceremony
3:30-5:00 - Took pics inside, around the castle
5:00ish - Sat down for dinner
7:00 - finished dinner, went back up to our suite

misshart00

I don't think I'm going to be much help, but here goes. 7:00 got up couldn't sleep anymore 8:00 got to church and started setting up reception. My bridesmaids and FI showed up a few minutes later 811 set up and goofed off with my bridesmaids 11:00 went and got lunch 1:00 photographer and hair and makeup people showed up. Got my makeup done. 1:30 got dressed 2:00 went to vote 2:30 got my hair done. everyone else got their hair and makeup done between 1 and 3:30 4:00 first look photos 4:15 or 4:30 family and formal photos 5:30 final sound check and make sure everything was ready to go 6:30 ceremony start

acaponi87

Ours started at 6.

I slept in til about 9, had a nice breakfast and chilled out. Got hair done with all the girls at noon. Make-up back  at the hotel/lunch/more hang out. I was at my venue at 4 which was when we did "girl" pictures and family until 5 and then more chill time for me until ceremony at 6.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

Got my nails done the day before.

Around 8am I went out and got bagels and fruit and coffee for everyone.

At 11am the hair/MUA came and did me and my mom.

My BMs arrived around noon or so and got dressed and did their own hair.

The florist showed up at some point in there to deliver the personal flowers.

At 1:30/2pm we left for pics.

At 4:30 we got to the ceremony site and relaxed/touched up makeup, unbustled my dress.

Ceremony was at 5:30.

casswhiting

Our day is not your normal evening affair. This is the schedule: Day before: Buy breakfast and early lunch for BMs, pick up dress, get nails done. Day of: 6AM Get up, take showers, wake up BM we are all staying at my moms house, eat breakfast, head over to the salon. 7 AM Get hair and make up done. Head back to moms house. 10AM Finish getting ready, relax. 11AM Limo arrives, ride to church and eat light lunch. Noon Ceremony begins!

ECook25

I don't remember my exact timeline but it was similar to yours.  Our ceremony was 6pm, and hair/makeup started at 11 or 11:30 am.  I thought it was absurdly early but it turned out that we did need all that time.  My MIL got kind of freaked out about her makeup and there was a lot of redoing.

We had sandwiches and salads delivered to the bridal suite for the girls to nosh on at their leisure.  The guys went out for a group lunch, then got dressed and did their pics (plus H's family) at 2pm.  My pics with my girls and family were from about 4-5:30pm.  The guys played pool while we were doing our pics (our venue had a billiards room).

Like I said, we did need the time to get all the girls done and dressed, and do photos, but I felt like the day DRAGGED.  I was so antsy for the ceremony to start.  I think 5:30-6pm was the longest 30 minutes of my life.

Good luck and enjoy!!

HockeyFan4

wow...some of you had super busy days!


I got my nails done on Thursday (we had an afternoon rehersal on Friday followed by a cookout)

On Saturday (day of)
6:30am wake up
7:00 am Hair and MU artist arrived and started
7:10ish dad arrived with breakfast (ate while my hair was being done)
7:30am Photographers arrived
9:30am finished hair and makeup
9:40am drove to the venue
10:30am arrived at venue, got yelled at to stay out of view of my now Husband
10:45am Got dressed & took a few pictures with a couple people around (FG, MOH, Mom)
11:05ish am went downstairs and stood around with the bridal party
11:30am Ceremony
11:50am pictures during cocktail hour
1:00pm Reception

lyndausvi

nails the day before.

Woke up at some point.  

Had breakfast with the other 17 people staying at the house.

hung out, ate pizza,  took a bath.

Hair at 1pm.  

Makeup, got dressed, pictures at 3:30.

First look at 4.   more pictures

relaxed

Went to ceremony at 5:15.

NOLAbridealmost

We got married at 6:30. 

Morning....goofed around bored as hell. 

Nails at 12:30 (no appointment--just walk-in), hair at 3:00, went to my grandmother's for getting ready pictures, champagne, and family portraits at 4:15.   First look at 5:30.  Bridal party portraits up until the wedding ceremony (we gradually walked from the first look location across the park to the ceremony venue). 

thale0924

My temp day of sched is:
7-ish wake up
8-9 hair/make up: after that go back to the hotel and relax and EAT
12-first look
1215-5 pictures around the cit
5-530 relax in the bridal suite
530-ceremony
6-7-cocktail hour
7-11-ish reception!