You’ve made it to the home stretch! In this episode of 52 'Til I Do, we’re wrapping up your Phase 3 tasks and diving into everything that happens in the final four weeks before your wedding (hello Phase 4!). From last-minute to-dos and vendor confirmations to emotional prep and packing your day-of essentials, we’ll help you finish strong and feel ready to walk down the aisle with confidence.
Phase 3 was all about getting the details into the hands of your trusted team and tackling those non-time-sensitive tasks that can easily pile up. And remember, don’t feel rushed! If you’re already done with Phase 3 by this point, that’s totally okay. Everything you worked on during Phase 3 was meant to help make Phase 4 run as smoothly as possible.
Be sure to listen to Episode 30 of 52 ’Til I Do for even more tips and tricks when it comes to Phase 3!
In Phase 4, we’re getting into the final stretch! We’ll be finalizing transportation, finishing your timeline, working on music and decor, confirming final vendor details, solidifying your rehearsal, and talking about what you can actually expect on your big day.
At the beginning of Phase 4, it’s pretty likely that you’ll have all of your RSVPs in, your hotel planning will be wrapping up, and you’ll have a much clearer idea of what your wedding day timeline is actually going to look like.
The first thing we recommend thinking about is where you and your partner need to be throughout the day. If you’re getting ready at separate locations but you’re doing a first look, how are you both going to get there? It’s important to prioritize transportation for you and your partner first because it’s your big day!
After that, you can start thinking about transportation for your bridal party and any other VIPs. There are so many ways you can approach this depending on your group and what works best for you. Maybe it’s a party bus, Uber credits, a trolley, everyone driving their own cars, a limo service, a professional personal driver, or something completely different!
Pro tip: Listen to Episode 28 of 52 ’Til I Do for all of our advice and tips when it comes to wedding transportation!
By this point, you should have your caterer booked, your menu mostly figured out, and a pretty good idea of what you want your guests to eat. Now it’s time to finalize all those little details!
Start by confirming your final guest count with your caterer and making sure your menu is completely finalized. This is also a great time to double-check any dietary restrictions or allergies that your guests have shared with you.
You’ll also want to confirm details like:
Pro tip: Make sure your planner or coordinator has all of these catering details too! The more your team knows ahead of time, the less you and your partner have to worry about on your wedding day.
Now it’s time to start finalizing your wedding-day timeline! Work with your planner or coordinator to make sure you’ve accounted for everything—from getting ready and transportation to the ceremony, photos, reception, and everything in between.
And don’t forget to build in some buffer time. Things don’t always go exactly according to plan, and a little extra time can make a big difference!
Time to get those music choices locked in! Make sure your DJ or band has all of your important songs, including your processional, recessional, first dance, parent dances, grand entrance, and last song.
And don’t forget your must-play and do-not-play lists!
At this point, your decor should be moving from “What do we want?” to “How is this getting to the venue?” Make sure everything is purchased, created, and ready to go. Then decide who is bringing it, who is setting it up, and who is taking it home at the end of the night.
Pro tip: Label your decor boxes by where everything goes. Your setup team will thank you!
It’s time for a final vendor check-in! Confirm arrival times, setup details, final guest count, timeline, special requests, and final payments with each of your vendors.
Make sure your planner or coordinator has everyone’s contact information, too. Ideally, your vendors should be contacting them—not you—with questions on the wedding day!
Your rehearsal is your chance to walk through the ceremony before the big day. Confirm the date, time, location, and attendees, then walk through the processional, where everyone will stand, and the recessional.
It doesn’t have to be perfect! The goal is simply to make sure everyone knows where to go and feels comfortable when the real thing arrives.
You’ve officially made it to the final month! From here on out, your checklist is going to get a little more specific each week as you move closer to the big day. Don’t worry if everything isn’t checked off exactly on schedule—some tasks may shift around depending on your vendors, venue, and plans. The goal is simply to stay organized, keep communicating with your team, and slowly take those final details off your plate. Before you know it, you’ll be walking down the aisle!
☐ Finalize your guest count and send it to your venue/caterer
☐ Finalize your catering menu and dietary restrictions
☐ Schedule final vendor calls
☐ Schedule your final call with your planner/coordinator
☐ Schedule final dress/suit fittings for you, your partner, and wedding party
☐ Finish gift bags and remaining DIY projects
☐ Get your marriage license
☐ Create your rain/weather contingency plan
☐ Attend your final venue walkthrough
☐ Finalize your seating chart
☐ Confirm your ceremony details with your officiant
☐ Finalize transportation plans
☐ Confirm rehearsal details
☐ Confirm final vendor arrival times and contact information
☐ Finalize your wedding-day timeline
☐ Send the final timeline to your vendors and wedding party
☐ Finalize ceremony music and reception music
☐ Finalize readings, vows, speeches, and other ceremony details
☐ Confirm all decor and personal items are ready
☐ Confirm who is responsible for transporting decor and personal items
☐ Finish addressing and preparing any remaining stationery
☐ Confirm transportation for you, your partner, wedding party, and VIPs
☐ Confirm your rehearsal and make sure everyone who needs to attend has the details
☐ Confirm your honeymoon reservations and travel plans
☐ Begin preparing final vendor payments/tips
☐ Confirm your final guest count with all necessary vendors
☐ Double-check your seating chart and place cards
☐ Confirm final details with your caterer
☐ Confirm final details with your venue
☐ Confirm your final timeline with your planner/coordinator
☐ Make sure all wedding-party attire and accessories are ready
☐ Pick up any remaining attire, accessories, or rentals
☐ Finish assembling welcome bags, favors, and other guest items
☐ Organize everything that needs to go to the venue
☐ Confirm who is handling each day-of task
☐ Make sure your emergency kit is ready
☐ Confirm your rehearsal details one more time
☐ Check in with your vendors and make sure everyone has what they need
☐ Give your planner/coordinator all final documents and information
☐ Confirm the final wedding-day timeline with your key vendors and wedding party
☐ Pack everything you’re bringing to the venue
☐ Prepare your getting-ready bags
☐ Prepare your overnight/honeymoon bags
☐ Make sure all wedding-day accessories are together
☐ Give rings, marriage license, tips, or other important items to the appropriate person
☐ Confirm transportation one last time
☐ Confirm your rehearsal time and location
☐ Finish any last-minute beauty appointments
☐ Check the weather and review your contingency plan
☐ Get some rest and enjoy this week!
Delegate! At one week out, you should not be the person everyone is calling with questions. Make sure your trusted team knows where things are, who is responsible for what, and who to contact if something comes up. Your job is to get excited and get married!
You’ve made it to the final countdown! At this point, it’s less about adding new things to your plate and more about finalizing the details, trusting your team, and enjoying the moment. Not everything will go exactly according to plan, and that’s okay!
The big day is almost here, so take a breath, let your team handle the details, and remember what all of this planning has been leading up to: celebrating you, your partner, and the start of your next chapter together!
Be sure to listen to Episode 47 of 52 ‘Til I Do on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to learn more about phase 4.
Have more questions? Send us a message at hello@marryment.com or get in touch on our social media—we love helping couples navigate this part of wedding planning!
Photo Credit to JNA Visuals
Marryment proudly serves couples all across Chicago and the surrounding Chicago Suburbs including popular areas such as Schaumburg, Elmhurst, Naperville, Evanston, Joliet, Oak Park, Skokie, Barrington, Downers Grove and Northbrook, to name a few. We also love destination weddings. We'd love to be a part of your wedding day! Schedule your free planning call with us today.
Schedule your free planning call with us.
Planning tips, wedding inspiration, and exclusive offers—straight to your inbox! Join our community and get the latest updates to make your wedding journey even more joyful.
