You've spent the better part of a year planning, and the big day is almost here. The décor is ready to go, you've checked in with your vendors, and your dress fits like a dream. Everything is perfect for your wedding day … almost. Unless everyone is staying at a hotel throughout the festivities, you'll want to take these steps to get your home ready for the big event, too.

1. Set Up the Guest Rooms

It's not uncommon to host relatives at your home when getting married locally. Older parents and grandparents appreciate a home-like environment over holing up at a hotel and eating meals out. Ensure your home is comfortable for guests by putting fresh bedding and towels in bedrooms, clearing out closet space for guests to use and decluttering the coat closet so everyone's items can fit. Apartment Therapy suggests a few more things you can do to make houseguests more comfortable and your life easier.

2. Stock the Kitchen

You'll want to eat well the week of your wedding so you feel your best the day of the nuptials, but with the chaos of wedding prep you may not find time to cook. Stock your refrigerator with healthy snacks like cut vegetables and hummus, raw nuts, and fresh fruit. If you'll be hosting guests, ask about dietary restrictions and preferences and shop accordingly. Don't forget to purchase coffee and tea, cocktail supplies and finger snacks for mingling the day your guests arrive (Food52 names the essentials).

3. Streamline Your Housekeeping

In the days leading up to your wedding, your focus should be on the big event, not keeping your house clean with guests. If family is staying with you, delegate chores to ease the burden. If one person washes the bath towels while another loads the dishwasher daily, you can focus on quick and easy tasks like wiping down kitchen and bathroom counters once per day. With people walking in and out constantly, the floors will the hardest to keep clean. You could vacuum daily, or you could spend a little bit on a robotic vacuum cleaner and not worry about it. While some robotic vacuum cleaners are costly, there are some great, affordable options on the market that are worth checking out.

4. Glam Out Your Bed and Bath

From the moment you wake up on your wedding day, you should feel like royalty. If you're staying at home before the wedding, give your sleeping quarters the bridal treatment. Replace your quilt with a fluffy white comforter and pillowcases to match, hang romantic curtains in the windows, and replace surface clutter with bouquets, candles and other charming touches. In the bathroom, clear the counters and lay out your wedding day beauty essentials.

5. Establish a Gift Drop Area

You probably won't touch the mountain of wedding gifts until you're back from the honeymoon. Keep gifts from taking over your house by establishing a drop zone ahead of time. However, you shouldn't hide them in a spare closet — if a gift-giver sees, it could hurt some feelings. Prepare a table or area of your living room where gifts can be arranged nicely until your return.

Your home may not be the center of your wedding festivities, but that doesn't mean your guests won't see it. You may be hosting family, getting dressed for the wedding at home, or just running back and forth preparing for the big event. In any case, your home should help set the mood for your nuptials, not be yet another thing to worry about.

It's Your Day Events Guest Writer: Alice Robertson

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