Your wedding day is just around the corner, and the excitement is starting to build. As you count down the weeks and months to walking down the aisle to say "I do," it's an absolute non-negotiable to take some time to relax, take time out with your partner and closest friends and family and enjoy the build up to the wedding day. 

Here are some activities to make the time between getting engaged and your wedding day even more special.

Pamper Yourself and Your Bridal Party

Book a Spa Day

Start your countdown with a rejuvenating spa day. Treat yourself and your bridal party to massages, facials, and manicures. It's an excellent opportunity to unwind and get that bridal glow.

A spa day can be a wonderful way to destress before the big day. You and your bridesmaids can indulge in massages, facials, and other treatments to help you relax and feel your best. Consider booking a spa package that includes a variety of services to pamper yourselves from head to toe just be mindful to not try anything new too close to the wedding day to ensure you don’t have an adverse reaction, so no new oils or treatments that you’re not used to. 

You could even host a spa-themed evening at home. Set up DIY facials, enjoy some bubbly, watch the movie Bridesmaids and create a relaxing ambiance with scented candles, soothing music, and plush robes. It's a great way to ensure full relaxation and catch up on any girl gossip before the wedding.

Get a countdown board/scratch poster

Let the excitement build with a visual representation you can display in your home. Watch the days getting closer and tasks getting crossed off as you edge closer to your big day!

Create Custom Decor and Keepsakes

DIY Decor Workshop

Gather your friends and family for a DIY wedding decor workshop. Create personalised centrepieces, signage, and other decorative elements that will make your wedding unique.

A DIY decor workshop is not only a fun activity but also a practical one. You can enlist the help of your bridesmaids and any crafty loved ones to create custom one-of-a-kind decorations. Whether it's hand-painted signs, flower crowns, table settings or favours these handmade touches will add a special charm to your wedding and provide the perfect excuse for lots of wholesome time with your besties too. 

Memory Scrapbooking

Spend an afternoon scrapbooking your journey as a couple or even scrapbooking your engagement and wedding planning journey. Chronicle your love story, from your first date to the proposal. 

Scrapbooking is a creative and sentimental way to relive your favourite memories together. Gather photographs, ticket stubs, love letters, and mementos from your relationship and turn them into a beautiful scrapbook. It's a meaningful keepsake that you can cherish for years to come.

If you decide to scrapbook your wedding planning journey, include invitations, save the dates, off cuts from your wedding dress alterations, bridesmaid and grooms-wear colour swatches, pictures of your wedding venue before and after, photographs from the Hen and Stag do and anything sentimental from your proposal or during the wedding planning. 

Food and Drinks

Wine and Cheese Tasting

Host a wine and cheese tasting evening with your parents and future in-laws. It's an excellent way to get to know each other if they all haven't met before, dispelling any nerves before more significant occasions such as the hen dos or fittings. Plus hosting an evening such as a Wine and Cheese tasting creates the perfect opportunity to catch everyone up on the wedding plans so far.

You can select a variety of wines and cheeses to cater to different tastes, and even add some fruits and chocolates to the mix. If you want to make it more of an event, invite other key members of your wedding party and provide tasting cards for your guests to jot down their impressions and preferences, making it not only an opportunity for key people in the wedding party to meet but also educational and full of fun!

Rehearsal and Dinner

Wedding Rehearsal

Practice makes perfect. Gather your wedding party for a rehearsal to ensure everyone knows their roles and feels comfortable with the ceremony.

A wedding rehearsal is a crucial step to ensure that everything goes smoothly on your big day. Walk through the ceremony with your officiant, bridesmaids, groomsmen, and anyone else involved. This will help everyone understand their responsibilities and feel more confident during the ceremony.

Rehearsal Dinner

Host a delightful rehearsal dinner to thank your bridal party and family for their support. Share stories, laughter, and celebrate the love that brought you all together.

The rehearsal dinner is a wonderful opportunity to express your gratitude to your closest friends and family members who have been by your side throughout the wedding planning process. It's a more intimate gathering than the wedding itself, allowing you to spend quality time with your loved ones before the big day and also helps you to extend the wedding celebrations that little bit more. If the thought of hosting a dinner the evening before your wedding scares you, it’s not something you need to do the evening before the wedding nor something you need to host yourself. Consider arranging it a few weeks out from the wedding date if that feels more comfortable and manageable and book a meal at your favourite restaurant which also saves on the washing up!

Date Night

Choose the same day every month to have a proper date night. Maybe the same date as your wedding? 

Use this night to do something really special and enjoy quality couple time together. Do not talk wedding planning!

Dance Lessons

Consider taking a dance class together to perfect your wedding dance. It's a fun way to bond with your partner and brush up on your dance skills.

If you and your significant other are looking to impress your guests with a special dance at the wedding, consider taking a dance class together. Whether it's salsa, swing, or any other style, learning to dance as a couple can be a fun and bonding experience. Plus, it will give you both more confidence when it's time to hit the dance floor on your wedding day.

Final Prep

Final Dress Fitting

Schedule your final dress fitting to ensure your gown fits perfectly. It's a moment of anticipation and joy.

The final dress fitting is a significant milestone in your wedding preparations. Schedule it close to your wedding date to ensure the perfect fit. When you put on your wedding gown and see how it compliments your look, it's a moment of anticipation and joy that will make the upcoming wedding day feel even more real. You may wish to keep the guests invited to this occasion to just one or two of your closest friends or perhaps even your Mum, to keep the complete look a surprise for more people on your wedding day.  

With these fun and meaningful activities, the weeks and months leading up to your wedding will be filled with laughter, love, and cherished memories. 

Take the time to enjoy each moment and savour your engagement before you say "I do." Your journey as a married couple is about to begin, and these pre-wedding celebrations will make it all the more memorable. Whether you're pampering yourself, creating keepsakes, indulging in food and drinks, or enjoying date nights with your partner, these activities will add a special touch to your wedding countdown. 

If you would like further help and support whilst planning your wedding:

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