Last-minute wedding pointers

Couples may find the last few weeks before their wedding days are filled with anticipation. As the big day draws near, it's understandable if couples are a combination of excited and anxious. The excitement stems from tying the knot, while the anxiety might be spurred by the desire that everything goes off without a hitch.

While those last few weeks before a wedding day can be hectic, it's important that couples stay focused and remember to perform a handful of tasks as their big days draw closer.

• Speak to your vendors. Vendors play a big role at weddings, so it's important that couples contact their vendors to confirm wedding schedules and ensure vendors have directions to the ceremony and reception locations, if necessary. Couples will be busy on their wedding days, so they may want to provide the phones numbers of their maids of honor and best men so vendors can reach them should something go awry or need to be addressed while couples are preparing for the ceremony.

• Write some checks. Many vendors expect final payment a week or two before the ceremony, and it's imperative that couples make these payments on time. Revisit all of your contracts to determine when the final installments of each vendor's payment is due. Pay via check so you have a record that the final payment was made.

• Confirm rehearsal reservations. Contact your ceremony venue as well as the restaurant where your rehearsal dinner will be held to confirm the time of the rehearsal and your dinner reservation. When confirming these details, it's also good to make sure all bridal party members and family who will be attending the rehearsal and subsequent dinner have transportation to and from each venue.

• Prepare visitor bags. Many couples like to leave visitor bags for their guests at the hotel where the majority of their guests will be staying. The weeks leading up to the wedding is a great time for couples to prepare these bags and arrange for their drop-off with hotel personnel.

• Drop off personal items at the reception venue. Couples who have chosen to use personalized toasting glasses, cake servers and other personal items at their wedding receptions should drop such items off in the week leading up their weddings. Arrange this dropoff with your contact at the reception venue, at which time you also can confirm any additional details about your reception you might want to inquire about.