You’ve probably been planning your wedding for at least a few months if not a few years, or let’s face it, your entire lifetime. If you’re one of the lucky few who have a dedicated wedding planner on site then essentially, you don’t need to worry about a thing (which means you probably won’t need to read the rest of this)!

If not, then you need to be well prepared for any unexpected mishaps that may occur on the day and deal with these yourself. During our time as wedding planners we’ve had to deal with everything from bridesmaids breaking their shoes to the groom staining his shirt. To ensure your day runs as smoothly as possible, here are a few things you can do:

1. Pack all the essentials
Whenever we go to a wedding, or any event for that matter, we always have our Carriages’ Emergency Kit on hand which is filled with weird and wonderful things from torches, sticky tape and glue, to a sewing kit, air freshener and cereal bars, because you need to be prepared for every situation. In your case we’re not saying go out and buy hundreds of pounds worth of items, but at least maybe put together a shoe box filled with a few things you may need on your wedding day such as; scissors, hair grips, safety pins, sticky tape and tissues for example.

2. Make a supplier list
It’s your wedding day which means you don’t have the time to chase suppliers on the day. Make sure you’ve put together a list of all your expected suppliers, their contact details and what they will be delivering on the day. Also make a note of any key timings that need to be adhered to because it’s easy for things to get mixed up on the day. It’s essential there are multiple copies available with the master copy given to your main point of contact.

3. Choose the right go-to person
Following on from the point above, ensure your go-to person is someone who can do the job. They need to be polite yet authoritative so he or she can manage pretty much everyone on the day. It would be handy to brief this person beforehand so they’re well prepared – don’t just hand him or her a sheet on the morning of your wedding.

4. Take time out
Not all brides get ready at their chosen venue, or are in a hotel where they have access to a separate room. Make sure that no matter where you are there is a small room or area which is allocated to only you. Whether you need to take five minutes to gather your thoughts, take a break from all the smiling or simply touch up your make-up, you need somewhere to go. A word of advice; invite no more than two to three people into this room to ensure minimum disturbance.

5. Prepare for the weather
The great thing about British weather is that it is so unpredictable. You might be lucky enough to start the day with plenty of beautiful sunshine but find it may start pouring it down when you need to leave the venue. Or even worse, imagine heavy showers striking just when you need to get out of the car to enter the venue and make your way to the ceremony. Make sure you have a long raincoat in the car, a pair of appropriate footwear (so that your beautiful shoes don’t get ruined) and an over the top, huge umbrella that is big enough to keep you completely dry – oh and have someone on hand to carry it for you of course!