NINE MONTHS AND EARLIER
• Announce your engagement; Select a date for your wedding.
• Hire a professional wedding consultant.
• Determine the type of wedding you want: location,
formality, time of day, number of guests, etc.
• Determine budget and how expenses will be shared.
• Develop a record-keeping system for payments made.
• Consolidate all guest lists: bride's, groom's, bride's
family, groom's family, and organize as follows:
1) those who must be invited
2) those who should be invited
3) those who would be nice to invite
• Decide if you want to include children among guests.
• Select and reserve ceremony site.
• Select and reserve your officiant.
• Select and reserve reception site.
• Select and order your bridal gown and headpiece.
• Determine your color scheme.
• Send engagement notice with a photograph to your local
newspaper.
• Buy a calendar and note all important activities: showers,
luncheons, parties, get-togethers, etc.
• If ceremony or reception is at home, arrange for home or
garden improvements as needed.
• Order passport, visa or birth certificate, if needed for
your honeymoon or marriage license.
• Select and book photographer.
• Select maid of honor, best man, bridesmaids and ushers
(approx. one usher per 50 guests).
SIX TO NINE MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING
• Select flower girl and ring bearer.
• Select and book reception musicians or DJ.
• Schedule fittings and delivery dates for yourself,
attendants, flower girl and ring bearer.
• Select and book videographer.
• Select and book florist
FOUR
TO SIX MONTHS BEFORE WEDDING
• Start shopping for each other's wedding gifts.
• Reserve rental items needed for ceremony & reception.
• Finalize guest list.
• Select and order wedding invitations, announcements and
other stationery such as thank-you notes, wedding programs, and seating
cards.
• Address invitations or hire a calligrapher.
• Set date, time and location for your rehearsal dinner.
• Arrange accommodations for out-of- town guests.
• Start planning your honeymoon.
• Select and book all miscellaneous services, i.e. gift
attendant, valet parking, etc.
• Register for gifts.
• Purchase shoes & accessories.
• Begin to break-in your shoes.
TWO TO FOUR MONTHS BEFORE WEDDING
• Select bakery and order wedding cake.
• Order party favors.
• Select and order room decorations.
• Purchase honeymoon attire & luggage.
• Select and book transportation for wedding day.
• Check blood test and marriage license requirements.
• Shop for wedding rings and engrave them.
• Consider having your teeth cleaned or bleached.
• Consider writing a will and/or prenuptial agreement.
• Plan activities for your out-of-town guests both before
and after the wedding.
• Purchase gifts for wedding attendants.
SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS BEFORE WEDDING
• Mail invitations. Include accommodation choices and a map
to assist
guests in finding the ceremony and reception
sites.
• Maintain a record of RSVPs and all gifts received. Send
thank-you notes upon receipt of gifts.
• Determine hair style and makeup.
• Schedule to have your hair, makeup and nails done the day
of the wedding.
• Finalize shopping for wedding day accessories such as
toasting glasses, ring pillow, guest book, etc.
• Set up an area or a table in your home to display gifts as
you receive them.
• Check with your local newspapers for wedding announcement
requirements.
• Have your formal wedding portrait taken.
• Send wedding announcement & photograph to your local
newspapers.
• Change name & address on drivers license, social
security card, insurance policies, subscriptions, bank accounts,
memberships, etc.
• Select and reserve wedding attire for groom, ushers,
father of the bride and ring bearer.
• Select a guest book attendant. Decide where and when to
have guests sign in.
• Mail invitations to rehearsal dinner.
• Get blood test and health certificate.
• Obtain marriage license.
• Plan a luncheon or dinner with your bridesmaids. Give them
their gifts at that time or at the rehearsal dinner.
• Find "something old, something new, something
borrowed, something blue, and a six
pence (or shiny penny) for your shoe."
• Finalize your menu, beverage and alcohol order.
TWO TO SIX WEEKS BEFORE WEDDING
• Confirm ceremony details with your officiant.
• Arrange final fitting of bridesmaids' dresses.
• Have final fitting of your gown and headpiece.
• Finalize rehearsal dinner plans; arrange seating and write
names on place cards, if desired.
• Make final floral selections.
• Make a detailed timeline for your wedding party.
• Make a detailed timeline for your service providers.
• Confirm details with all service providers, including
attire. Give them a copy of your wedding timeline.
• Start packing for your honeymoon.
• Finalize addressing and stamping announcements.
• Decide if you want to form a receiving line. If so,
determine when and where to form the line.
• Contact guests who haven't responded.
• Pick up rings and check for fit.
• Meet with photographer and confirm special photos you
want.
• Meet with videographer and confirm special events or
people you want videotaped.
• Meet with musicians and confirm music to be played during
special events such as first dance.
• Continue writing thank-you notes as gifts arrive.
• Remind bridesmaids and ushers of when and where to pick up
their wedding attire.
• Purchase the lipstick, nail polish and any other
accessories you want
your bridesmaids to wear.
• Determine ceremony seating for special guests. Give a list
to the ushers.
• Plan reception room layout and seating with your reception
site manager
or caterer. Write names on place cards for
arranged seating.
THE LAST WEEK
• Pick up wedding attire and make sure everything fits.
• Do final guest count and notify your caterer or reception
site manager.
• Gather everything you will need for the rehearsal and
wedding day as
listed in the Wedding Party Responsibility
Cards.
• Arrange for someone to drive the getaway car.
• Review the schedule of events and last minute arrangements
with your
service providers.
• Confirm all honeymoon reservations and accommodations.
Pick up
tickets and travelers checks.
• Finish packing your suitcases for the honeymoon.
• Familiarize yourself with guests' names. It will help
during the receiving
line and reception.
• Have the Post Office hold your mail while you are away on
your
honeymoon.
THE
REHEARSAL DAY
• Review list of things to bring to the rehearsal as listed
in the Wedding
Party Responsibility Cards.
• Put suitcases in getaway car.
• Give your bridesmaids the lipstick, nail polish and
accessories you want
them to wear for the wedding.
• Give best man the officiant's fee and any other checks for
service
providers. Instruct him to deliver these checks
the day of the wedding.
• Arrange for someone to bring accessories such as flower
basket, ring
pillow, guest book & pen, toasting glasses,
cake cutting knife and
napkins to the ceremony and reception.
• Arrange for someone to mail announcements the day after
the wedding.
• Arrange for someone to return rental items such as tuxedos,
slip and
cake pillars after the wedding.
• Provide each member of your wedding party with a detailed
schedule of
events for the wedding day.
• Review ceremony seating with ushers.
THE WEDDING DAY
• Review list of things to bring to the ceremony as listed
in the Wedding
Party Responsibility Cards.
• Give the groom's ring to the maid of honor. Give the
bride's ring to the
best man.
• Simply follow your detailed schedule of events.
• Relax and enjoy your wedding!
The Ultimate Wedding Planning Guide
By Elizabeth Lluch
