13. 7-Day Wedding Checklist | Beat Stress with Leeann Cook Melbourne

Take a deep breath. You are seven days away.

The final week of wedding planning in Melbourne is usually a blur of excitement, nerves, and a million tiny "did I remember that?" thoughts. But I’m going to tell you the secret to killing that wedding-week anxiety: A bulletproof plan.

I’m Leeann Cook, your Melbourne Civil Celebrant and Online Wedding Planner, and today I’m breaking down your "Final Seven" checklist so you can stop planning and start actually enjoying your lead-up to the altar.

1. The Blueprint: Your Ultimate Wedding Run Sheet

First things first: Finalize the Run Sheet. This isn't just a rough idea; it is your Ultimate Wedding Blueprint. It is the single document that tells every Melbourne wedding vendor where to be and when.

You need a minute-by-minute timeline—from the second the hair dryer turns on at 8:00 AM to when the last guest leaves the dance floor.

Why your vendors need this ASAP:

• Your Photographer: Needs to know when the flowers arrive for those perfect detail shots.

• Your Caterer: Needs to know exactly when the speeches start so they don't serve hot mains while your Dad is mid-sentence.

• Your Celebrant: I need to know if we’re running five minutes late so I can keep your guests entertained!

Don't send this as an editable Word doc. Send it as a PDF. It’s professional, it’s unchangeable, and everyone can open it easily on their phones without the formatting going weird.

2. Logistics & The "Bag of Cash"

Even in our digital world, cash is still king on a wedding day. You don't want to be worrying about bank transfers while you're in your wedding finery.

Confirm Your Final Numbers Send that final guest tally to the caterer and venue today. If Uncle Bob finally replied that he’s bringing a plus-one, this is your last window to fix the seating chart.

Prepare the Envelopes Have a few plain white envelopes ready with:

• Final payments for vendors who require them on the day (check those contracts!).

• Small cash tips for the bar staff or the setup crew who go above and beyond.

• A small "just in case" fund.

Label these clearly with the vendor’s name and give them to your Best Man, Maid of Honour, or a trusted family member. You should not be handing out envelopes on your wedding day!

3. Your Secret Weapon: The Emergency Kit

This is the bag that saves the day when a zipper betrays you or a headache strikes. As an online wedding planner, I always tell my couples to pack this today and hand it to your most organized bridesmaid.

Your Emergency Kit Checklist:

• Safety pins and a mini sewing kit.

• Panadol or Nurofen.

• Mints (essential for that first kiss!).

• Stain remover wipes and tissues.

Wear your wedding shoes around the house tonight with thick socks. It stretches them just enough to prevent those 10:00 PM blisters. You want to be dancing, not sitting in the corner with your shoes off!

Your Only Job is to be Happy

Once that Blueprint is sent and those bags are packed... stop planning.

From here on out, your only job is to show up and be present. If something small goes wrong, it doesn't matter. You have a team of professionals (like me!) who are there to handle the "behind the scenes" while you focus on the "I do."

Planning a Melbourne Wedding? If you're looking for a Melbourne Civil Celebrant who keeps the stress low and the vibes high, I'd love to chat.

Happy (almost) wedding day! I'll see you at the altar!

Leeann Cook

Melbourne Civil Celebrant / Online Wedding Planner

Get in touch.