Before I got married, one of my bridesmaids gave me the best advice. “Don’t even think about perfect,” she said. “Perfect isn’t real. It doesn’t happen. So whatever does happen, just enjoy that.”
This advice was so great because it completely set me free to enjoy the day, rather than to stress about the million-and-one factors beyond my control. If you are enjoying yourself, the likelihood of your bridesmaids enjoying themselves is that much higher, too. After all, your job isn’t only to get ready; it’s also to set the right mood for everyone else.
So how can you be sure that you’ll be relaxed and lighthearted on your wedding morning?
Do just a little bit of advance planning, and then let go. Trust your plan, and commit to enjoying the moments, however they unfold. Here’s how:
Begin by scheduling your morning thoughtfully. If you have a hair and makeup team, make sure the latest appointment times are reserved for those who have the longest drive to get there. If your mom, sister and best friend are staying in the same hotel as you, make them be the ones to scamper across the hall early. This way there’s no risk of people missing appointments, or being grumpy because they had to wake up that early.
Build in 15 minute “buffers” between each appointment so that your team of professionals can use the bathroom, have a drink of water, or wait for tools to heat up. No two people have exactly the same hair or face, and so it’s natural that some people’s hair and makeup will be surprisingly quick, while others will take a little more finesse. Building in buffers will allow your professionals the fluidity they need to do a beautiful job with everyone, and it will deter anyone in your bridal party from stressing out. Again, if your girls feel like they look good, and like your team had adequate time for them, that will definitely set the right mood for a fun getting-ready morning.
Have mimosa fixings, but not copious amounts of them, and be sure to have plenty of hot coffee with both dairy and nondairy creamers available. Your girls may need the caffeinated boost to perk back up after their morning cocktails, and lactose intolerant girls will appreciate bypassing the bloat and discomfort of dairy.
Have a playlist ready, or if you don’t have time or interest in making a full playlist, set up a “Spotify station.” Put a little note near the music player that suggests artists or even specific songs. This way the music isn’t entirely hijacked, and yet it’s one more thing off your plate. Besides, using Spotify's pre-made playlists allows people to skip songs without hurting feelings, and the element of surprise can be perfect to get everyone up and dancing.
Have a designated rack for the dresses, and put a name tag on the neck of each hanger. Writing the names of everyone in your bridal party will take all of three minutes, but it will guarantee that no one tries to squeeze into the wrong gown, causing inadvertent damage. Three minutes to avoid that drama is worth it.
Have a little emergency kit with a needle and thread, tweezers, headache medicine, Midol, antacids, and band-aids. Hopefully no one will need any of this stuff, but if someone does need something, you’ll be glad to have it on hand!
Finally, consider burning a scented candle, or bringing a reed diffuser to your suite. Having it burning or doing its magic before anyone even arrives is ideal. Keeping a calmly invigorating scent around will not only help set the mood; it will do wonders to help you keep your chill, too.
Cheers, and have a fabulous wedding morning!
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