What Not to Do Before Your Wedding, Based on Expert Advice

There are plenty of to-do-list items to tackle during your wedding week, from designating a point person for your vendors to ensuring your wedding attire is stain free. But do you have a "what not to do before a wedding" checklist? Because knowing what wedding no-nos to skip is a must if you want your week to be as stress free as possible. Some are obvious, like avoiding drastic changes to your beauty routine, but there are others you might've not thought about.

Keep reading to learn what The Knot editors think you should keep far away from as you work through your week-of wedding checklist. Plus, see what additional tasks wedding planners and officiants think you can do without.

Design: Falak Khoja

1. Don't Crash Diet

A crash diet is a method of losing weight in a short period of time by restricting how much one eats. Many health experts say this weight-loss plan isn't healthy and Melissa Caceres, president and creative director of Events On A Budget, agrees. "The wedding week isn't the time for extreme dieting," says Caceres, whose planned events for 20 years. "Drastic measures can leave you feeling physically unwell and emotionally drained. Instead, you should be soaking in every beautiful moment with family, friends and your future spouse."

2. Don't Tackle New DIYs

Staring at a table full of unfinished wedding favors isn't what you want in the final days before your wedding. "That clever cocktail stirrer or custom welcome bag insert might feel important at 1 a.m. on Wednesday. I promise you, it's not," says Michelle Durpetti, founder of Michelle Durpetti Events and owner of Gene & Georgetti Steakhouse. "Last-minute crafting often leads to frustration, messy execution and unnecessary wedding stress."

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3. Don't Make Drastic Changes to Your Diet

You might be wondering what foods to avoid before the wedding, which might influence you to experiment with your diet. As we said before about crash diets, this isn't a great idea. "You need fuel to get through this week—emotionally, mentally and physically. Eat good food, hydrate and focus on feeling like yourself," says Durpetti. Stick to eating how you normally would and you'll most likely prevent any unwelcome surprises.

4. Don't Try a New Skincare Routine

If you've never used a retinol, put down the Tretinoin cream. You may feel like you need to launch into a fancy new skincare routine for your wedding, but stick with what you know works for your skin. You never know when something will react poorly with your individual chemistry.

5. Don't Check the Weather Too Soon

Here's what not to do before your wedding—constantly check the forecast for your wedding day. While it's beneficial to know whether you'll need to order clear umbrellas at the last minute or not, checking the weather too far in advance is a futile effort. Instead, look at the weather one or two days ahead and add this task to your wedding day checklist.

6. Don't Have a Wild Bach Party

While logistics may dictate a bachelor or bachelorette party right before the wedding when everyone is in one place, don't let it get out of hand. Alcohol-induced hangovers or mishaps won't match your wedding day glam. Plan those parties wisely.

7. Don't Drink Alcohol Every Night

You're getting married, so it's understandable that you want to celebrate, but overindulging in alcohol can affect your skin, sleep schedule and overall well-being. Eliminate excessive alcohol consumption from your prewedding itinerary.

8. Don't Get a Fake Tan

Don't be quick to reach for that bottle of self-tanning lotion. This is a big risk during the week of the wedding since you can easily apply too much, even if you're usually a pro at it.

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9. Don't Get a New Haircut or Hair Color

Whether it's your birthday bash or wedding, many beauty experts warn people against getting new haircuts or dye jobs before big events. Yes, things can go exactly the way you want them to, but you can also end up being upset by the outcome and not have enough time to fix it. If you want to go this route, do big hair changes at least one month before the wedding.

10. Don't Stay Up Late

"It's simple: You can't show up fully if you're running on fumes. Prioritize sleep. Your body, skin and sanity will thank you," Durpetti says. Keep your wedding morning timeline intact by getting plenty of rest the week of the wedding.

11. Don't Make Big Last-Minute Changes

Steer clear of making significant changes to wedding elements like seating arrangements or decor because it can cause unnecessary stress. Trust all the hard work you and your vendors accomplished. At the end of the day, you and guests will have a wonderful time.

12. Don't Listen to Nightmare Wedding Stories

If there's one "don't" you take from our list of things not to do before your wedding, let this be it. Everyone has their horror stories and unpopular wedding opinions. Some of them are worth listening to, while others aren't. But the week of your wedding, the only opinions that matter are yours and your partner's.

13. Don't Try on Your Wedding Outfit

We know it'll be tempting to shimmy into your wedding outfit to see how it looks, but it's best that you don't. By restraining yourself, you won't have to worry about accidentally damaging your attire before the wedding.

14. Don't Stay Out In the Sun for Too Long

Don't know what not to do before your wedding? Well, hanging outside in the sun all day is definitely something you shouldn't do. Listen, sunscreen can only help you so much—skip the peeling and pain of a sunburn and relax inside instead.

15. Don't Do Any Intense Workouts

Do what you know works for your body in those last days before the wedding. New, intense fitness regimens can lead to muscle soreness or injury. You should be sore from having the time of your life on the dance floor at your reception, not because you decided to do 50 burpees the night before.

16. Don't Get Your Eyebrows Waxed

Hot wax on your face isn't a good idea on the week of your wedding, since there's a possibility that you can get a wax burn. Skip having to treat a wound with a cold compress and aloe vera and consider threading, tweezing or other eyebrow maintenance methods as an alternative.

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17. Don't Try New Makeup or Hair Products

Who doesn't love opening a new package of mascara or hair serum? Yes, it feels like you're opening a present on your birthday, but hold off on using these products until after your wedding day. Since these are new items, there's a possibility that the ingredients can interact with your hair and skin negatively.

18. Don't Do Cupping Therapy

According to Robert H. Shmerling, MD of Harvard Health Publishing, cupping therapy involves putting round cups on one's back and is "supposed to draw fluid into the [back] area." The results? Circular bruises because of the broken blood vessels beneath the skin. So even though you might like how cupping is supposed to help with back and neck pain, lowering cholesterol and more, leave this as a postwedding activity, especially if you plan on wearing a wedding outfit with an open back.

19. Don't Look at What's Fulfilled on Your Registry

What not to do the night before your wedding? Obsessively looking at your wedding registry. There's no need to worry about what was or wasn't purchased. Some people are last-minute shoppers, which means they still have time to put money towards your honeymoon fund.

20. Don't Wait to Have the Prenup Conversation

Prevent having to deal with lawyers during you and your partner's to-be-wed bliss by having the prenuptial agreement conversation early. We suggest having this conversation three to six months before the wedding so there's enough time for you to discuss if you want to sign a prenup, to get one and complete the legal process.

21. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Not every small inconvenience needs to turn into a wedding emergency. Trust us, all the work you've put into planning your wedding will turn out beautifully and create sweet memories down the road. Instead of stressing, do something fun, like posting cute photos of you and partner together with creative wedding countdown captions.

22. Don't Micromanage

This one works for before the celebration and as a wedding day tip. "You hired your vendors for a reason—let them do what they do best. Your job this week is to be present, soak it all in and enjoy the incredible moment you've spent months (or years) planning," says Durpetti. Caceres adds: "Trust the process and let go. If you have a planner who has been reliable and detail-oriented, you've done all the work needed—losing sleep won't change anything." So even though you might have some last-minute questions for your vendors, don't go down a worry rabbit hole.

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23. Don't Argue Over Minor Things

Wondering how to avoid wedding drama? Caceres advises: "Focus on the bigger picture. Not everything may go as planned, but keeping the love and excitement alive between you and your partner is what truly matters in the final days leading up to your dream wedding." Pause on the serious conversations and check out these wedding morning ideas to keep the good vibes going.

24. Don't Overbook Your Schedule

"I know there are last-minute errands, airport pickups and family obligations, but you should protect your time like it's a nonrefundable ticket to paradise," says Durpetti. "Build in space to breathe, rest and laugh with your people."

25. Don't Leave Too Much for the Last Minute

The best way to eliminate tension from your day-to-day life is by getting tasks done early. "The week of your wedding should be reserved for minor last-minute details, not overwhelming commitments like extra vendor meetings or work stress," says Caceres.

26. Don't Impulse Buy

"As the wedding gets closer, some couples feel the urge to purchase extra things that weren't originally in the budget," says Caceres. "If you have room for it, great. But impulsive spending can lead to regret and unnecessary financial strain." So put your credit card down because you don't need those wine glass charms for the cocktail hour.

Please note: The Knot and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, legal or medical advice and should not be used as such. You should always consult with your professional advisors about your specific circumstances. This information contained herein is not necessarily exhaustive, complete, accurate or up to date. In addition, we do not take responsibility for information contained in any external links, over which we have no control.