Twelve Months or more before the wedding
• Announce your engagement to family and friends.
• Introduce both sets of parents, if you have not already.
• Select a wedding date, time and a possible alternate date.
• Determine the formality of your wedding.
• Check with your pastor to determine any pre-marital requirements.
• Discuss what church or ceremony site you’d like
• Plan the reception and book location as soon as wedding date is set.
• Hire a caterer, if not included with reception site.
• Discuss menu options with your caterer.
• Discuss how expenses will be shared with all relevant parties
Nine to eleven months before the wedding
• Announce your engagement in the newspaper
• Reserve your photographer and videographer
• Reserve the church or ceremony site you’ve decided on.
• Choose the musician(s) and review music selection for ceremony/reception
• Schedule dancing lessons if you want
• Determine the number of guests you want.
• Look around for what kind of wedding dress and accessories you want.
• Select a travel agent and start planning for your honeymoon
Six to nine months before the wedding
• Buy your wedding dress (although you can wait longer if you’d prefer to buy closer to the time.) Note: Sometimes leaving it to the last minute because you want to lose weight/tone up isn’t the best idea. Dresses can be altered.
• Schedule fittings and delivery date when buying or ordering your dress and accessories.
• Select and order bridesmaids dresses and schedule fittings and delivery date.
• Arrange for transportation to ceremony and reception.
• Select and reserve florist and discuss color scheme.
• Register your preferences with the bridal registries of your favorite stores.
• Begin shopping for the formal wear for the groom and male attendants.
Four to six months before the wedding
• Check requirements for blood tests and marriage licenses in your state.
• Make an appointment for an exam with your doctor and dentist.
• Select and order wedding rings.
• Ask both mothers to coordinate and select their dresses.
• Complete your guest list. (There should be no abbreviations).
• Order invitations and stationery, such as direction cards and wedding programs.
• Purchase gifts for wedding attendants and look for favors for guests.
• Purchase accessories, such as goblets, cake knives, flower girl basket, garter, ring pillow, candles, guest book and pen, etc.
• Engage a calligrapher to address invitations, envelopes and write place cards.
• Select baker and order wedding cake.
• Finalize honeymoon details and make reservations. (Apply for a visa or passport, if necessary.)
• Ensure that all bridal attire has been ordered.
• Experiment with hairstyles if you’re doing your own hair.
Two to three months before the wedding
• Send wedding announcements to the newspaper.
• Get your groom to choose his wedding attire, and his groomsmen to go with for fittings.
• Start addressing invitation envelopes.
• Mail invitations six weeks before the wedding.
• Assist with making reservations and finalizing rehearsal dinner details.
• Finalize details with florist, photographer, videographer, musicians and baker.
• Choose a responsible person to attend to your guest book.
• Make an appointment with hairdresser and makeup artist, if you are to have it done for you.
Four to Six Weeks Before the Wedding
• Invitations should have been mailed out by now.
• Mail thank-you notes for shower gifts.
• Have your final wedding dress fitting.
• Have the final fittings for your wedding attendants.
• Purchase a gift for your future spouse.
• Finalize decor, food and beverage menu with the caterer.
• Purchase going away outfit.
Two to Three Weeks Before the Wedding
• Contact guests who have not returned respond cards.
• Arrange name change on documents for business, banking, insurance, etc.
• Send change of address notice to post office.
• Order travelers checks for honeymoon, if needed.
• Pick up wedding rings and make sure they fit.
• Meet with photographer. Give him/her a list of special events or props you want in the videotape.
• Meet with the entertainer and give him/her a list of the music to be played during special events such as bouquet and garter tossing.
• Continue writing thank-you notes for gifts received.
One to Two Weeks Before the Wedding
• Write or have calligrapher do the place cards or a reception-seating chart.
• Provide the caterer with the final guest count and seating arrangements.
• Confirm honeymoon reservations; pick up tickets and travelers checks.
• Assign tasks for your wedding day; written out for each wedding party attendant.
• Pick up wedding attire and make sure everything fits properly.
• Finalize details of transportation for out-of-town guests and wedding day,
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One week before the wedding
• Attend rehersal dinner and give attendents their gifts.
• Put together the tip envelope for the vendors and ask the best man or bridesmaid to give to them.
• Get facial/manicure/pedicure/massage.
• Try to get to bed early each night so you’re well rested.
One day before the wedding
• Go for a final massage.
• Put together the tip envelope for the vendors and ask the best man or bridesmaid to give to them.
• Get facial/manicure/pedicure/massage.
• Try to get to bed early each so you’re well rested for your big day
• Layout everything you’ll need for your wedding day in a safe place (dress, shoes, marriage license, etc).
• Reconfirm hair and make-up appointments if you’ve booked them,
• Call everyone in the wedding party to make sure they know where they’re meant to be at what time.
The wedding
• Eat breakfast even if you think you’re not hungry.
• Have your hair and make-up done.
• Begin dressing two hours before ceremony is scheduled to begin.
• Relax, de-stress and have fun. If something goes wrong on the big day, chances are no one but you will notice, so smile and don’t let it get to you.
- Phew, it kinda helps to have it all out of my head and on a page. And now it's made me realise I need to catch up on some of the things I can't put off anymore.
*Scuttles off to be busy and industrious)*
-Daughter of Dreams
