All these months you have planned an amazing weekend for your friends & family to celebrate your nuptials. And now it is time to actually celebrate! You're excited. They're excited. Wow, it is going to be great!
So here's the truth. You can't control everything. Nobody can. Besides weather you will have what I call the Forgetful Wedding Party Syndrome. You will probably have at least half of them swear they, "had no idea that they were supposed to be there then".
They will also inevitably ask, "Where am I supposed to go?" and, "Am I supposed to go to this?" and, "Can my date come?" And you of course, will probably want to strangle a few of them after you've been asked 43.7 times.
Well, you know you told them, and I know you told them, and I told them again at rehearsal, and its on their wedding weekend celebration program too. Yet still- they will swear, that they had no idea and nobody told them. So, the best thing you can do, is get started early. Every reminder helps.
10 days to 1 week before the wedding, mail everyone a last newsletter. Five days before the wedding, email everyone. Include the times, locations, and how they should get there (walking, personal car, trolley, private coach, etc.) and why they are there. By everyone, I mean any and all people who are scheduled for anything! This means, parents, siblings, bridesmaids, groomsmen, grandparents, and photo must people. It also helps to mention who does not need to attend certain things. In other words, make it perfectly clear. For example:
7:30pm
Just after the ceremony, we'll need just these people to stay on the beach for family photos:
John Smith
Jill & Jack
Jack & Lynn
All parents, our siblings, bridesmaids, groomsmen, flowergirls (and a parent)
It will take about 15 minutes and then a trolley will take you to the cocktail party where you can meet your spouses and the rest of our guests.
Yes, its a boring tedious task. But it will make your weekend that much easier for you so that you can focus on the real reason you are there; to get married!
