#ATKBridetoBe :: 5 Things to Plan Ahead for your Wedding Morning

Your wedding day is here so how do you prepare for it?...
The moment has arrived and it's finally your big special day! The excitement runs through and you can't wait to get the day going. I know exactly how you feel cause I've been there! But first, you gotta get ready and get all glammed up. And if you're planning on getting ready with your girls, I'm sharing 5 things you need to plan ahead for.

{#1 :: slumber party location}

There's something about having a "last single night" with your close girlfriends that makes it feel so special the night before your wedding day. I remember being a bridesmaid for my girlfriend Mai and she did this and I absolutely loved it! From that moment, I knew I wanted to have "one last single night out" with my girls before my wedding day too. We stayed in a 2 bedroom + 2 bathroom unit at the Astoria at Central Park West Apartments (here) in Irvine which was so roomy and comfortable with lots of space for everyone. They even had a Peet's Coffee and Starbucks machines downstairs in the lobby which we absolutely loved! And they offer free valet for you, your guests, and vendors too (woohoo). Plus the view of the city was nice!
TRAVEL TIP :: Pick a place that has cute photo spots for you to take pictures at while getting ready and that's centrally located near your wedding venue (in case you forget something, it's close by to pick it up).

{#2 :: hair and makeup artists}

Oh girllll, you need to make sure you book this WAYYY in advanced cause they book up fast! I was lucky to be getting married in March which was considered a "slower wedding month" and was able to snag Vivian Tran Artistry and her team plus my girlfriend Scarlet to do all our hair and makeup. It helps if you print/email hairstyle and makeup photos in advance of how you want yours (and your bridal team) to look like. I had a general idea in mind and Vivian, her team, and Scarlet were able to achieve it!
BEAUTY TIP :: try to schedule the "completion time" 30 minutes sooner than you ideally want because something may come up last minute (traffic, getting lost, etc.) and it gives you extra time to work with.

{#3 :: breakfast}

I don't know if you know but these Asian Vietnamese weddings can tend to start at 5AM and last alllll day until midnight sometimes so you got to make sure to feed your people. Can't stress that enough! I've been a bridesmaid multiple times now and know the drill so it's super important to make sure you start the day off with some fuel in your tummies. Otherwise, it'll catch up with you later - TRUST. I've been in that situation too. #lessonlearned
FOOD TIP :: Pastries and coffee (or tea) are easy morning treats! Highly recommend either buying them ahead of time if you have space to store it properly or use UberEats/Postmates to deliver.

{#4 :: bridal party gifts}

You picked your bridal party and they've been through your wedding planning journey. Now's the time to say thanks and show your appreciation. Of course, a thank you is always appreciated but I like to spoil people and show them I care! Plus a gift is something they can take home with them and it's almost like a souvenir from your wedding day. These can be anything from matching robes, pajamas, jewelry, or personalized pieces. I'll share a more detailed post later on what I did with links to everything too.
Remember - these are your bridesmaids not the bride's slaves.

{#5 :: videographer and photographers}

As busy as the day gets, it's nice to have photos and videos of you and your girls getting ready together. This was probably the moment that was most blurry for me. I don't know if it was cause I was still half asleep (it was 5AM) or if it's cause my eyes were closed for most the time while my makeup was being done. Either way, you don't want to worry or fuss about it by communicating with your video/photo team in advanced to coordinate a time when they should arrive. Plus, you can let your hair/makeup team know about this time so they have a "deadline" to work with too.
TIP :: Save time and money by arranging for them to come when you are almost done with your hair and makeup to do the "getting ready" photos/videos. We were kind of running behind on time so, unfortunately, we didn't get photos with our hair & makeup stylists.

What are some bridal tips you would share for the morning of?

Hope you found this helpful. Thanks for reading and sending you hugs!

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{photos by Encor Studio}

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