Wedding
Planning Timeline
9 - 12 Months
· Announce engagement to family & friends
· Arrange for formal engagement photograph
· Shop for engagement ring
· Set wedding date & time
· Set up wedding budget you can live with
· Decide who is contributing what financially
· Hire wedding consultant if you plan to use one
· Select your wedding attendants
· Decide style and color scheme of wedding
· Reserve wedding and reception sites
· Meet with officient to discuss pre-marital counseling
· Select photographer, videographer, DJ or band, florist, and
the wedding service caterer, emcee and schedule planning meetings
· Determine size of wedding guest list
· Start compiling guest list addresses
· Choose your gown, veil & accessories
· Select your bridesmaids outfits
· Begin researching your honeymoon
· Buy a memory album & start your personal journal
6 - 8 Months
· Begin any required pre-marital counseling
· Discuss wedding vows
·Order your bridal gown & confirm delivery date
· Order headpiece & other accessories
· Order bridesmaids dresses & accessories
· Research invitation styles
· Finalize invitation wording
· Decide on necessary invitation inserts
· Order invitations, inserts, announcements, thank you notes,
napkins, reception place cards, etc (proofread !!)
· Reserve all rental equipment (tents, chairs, etc)
· Decide on reception decorations
· Begin researching wedding cake designers
· Discuss & reserve wedding transportation
· Register for wedding gifts
· Keep a careful record of all gifts received
· Write thank you notes immediately
· Finalize honeymoon plans & make any deposits 4-5 Months
· Shop for wedding rings
· Complete guest list
· Plan ceremony decorations
· Make final arrangements for ceremony including readings
· Meet with organist/soloist to select music for ceremony
· Have mothers coordinate and select their dresses
· Reserve mens formal wear
· Pick up printed invitations (proof read again !!)
· Address invitations & announcements
· Make or buy favors for guests
· Arrange for guest parking at ceremony & reception site
· Finalize menu & confirm all details with caterer
· Order cake & cake topper
· Select flowers for bridal party
· Select flowers for ceremony & reception
· Check requirements for getting a marriage license in your state
· Finalize living arrangements for your new life
· Discuss whether or not to have a prenuptial agreement
· Plan rehearsal dinner
· Research passport & visa requirements
· Write thank you notes immediately
3 Months
· Coordinate accommodations for out of town guests
· Review ceremony with officiant
· Select ceremony music
· If using personalized wedding vows, begin writing them
· Schedule first bridal gown fitting
· Schedule first bridesmaids gown fitting
· Shop for bridal lingerie
· Experiment with makeup & hair styles
· Make all hair, nail & makeup appointments
· Make sure all attire for flower girl & ring bearer has been
ordered
· Discuss reception traditions you plan on using
· Order table numbers & menu cards for reception
· Have all accessories...toasting glasses, garter, ring pillow,
candles, guestbook/Pen, etc
· Consider taking dance lessons if desired
· Finalize plans for wedding rehearsal & rehearsal dinner
· Shop for honeymoon clothes
· Obtain all passport & visa requirements
· Write thank you notes immediately 2 Months
· Pick up wedding rings
· Finalize ceremony specifics with officiant including music
· Select responsible person to handle guestbook
· Schedule dress fittings
· Assemble directions & accommodation cards for out of town guests
· Mail invitations
· Design & print wedding programs if using
· Confirm all reception details
· Have all accessories...toasting glasses, garter, ring pillow,
candles, guestbook/Pen, etc
· Give invited head count to caterer & review details
· Finalize all details with florist & entertainment
· Finalize music selections
· Confirm details with photographer & videographer
· Write thank you notes immediately
· Plan bridesmaid's party
· Draw up any prenuptial agreement
· Make rehearsal arrangements
1 Month
· Buy gifts for attendants
· Arrange for final gown fittings
· Begin breaking in bridal footwear
· Mail announcements
· Give all musicians list of music to be played
· Have your formal bridal portrait taken
· Give photographer list of photographs you woule like taken
· Finalize wedding transporation arrangements
· Write thank you notes immediately
· Host bridesmaids party
· Complete all physical & dental appointments
· Get blood test & marriage license
· Get necessary forms for your name change
· Buy gift for your fiance, if you are exchanging gifts
2 Weeks
· Contact invited guests who have not responded
· Confirm that all vendors received necessary payments
· Prepare any wedding toasts
· Plan seating arrangements for reception
· Designate reliable person to be in charge of gifts brought to
reception
· Give final counts to caterer and review all details
· Confirm delivery arrangements with baker
· Write thank you notes immediately
· Attend bachelor/bachlorette party
· Confirm honeymoon arrangements and start packing
· Get traveler's checks for your honeymoon
· Confirm hotel reservations for the night of your wedding. Guarantee
late arrivals
· Mail wedding announcements to the newspapers
1 Week
· Go over special seating arrangements with ushers
· Pick up wedding gown
· Pick up bridesmaids dresses
· Pick up grooms attire
· Make sure you have all wedding attire & it fits
· Provide transportation company with written wedding day itinerary
including addresses
· Provide entire wedding party with written wedding day itinerary
including addresses
· Write thank you notes immediately
· Arrange for gifts brought to your reception to be delivered
to your new home
· Make sure you have your marriage license
· Have wedding rehearsal & rehearsal dinner On Your Wedding Day
· Be sure you eat something before everything starts
· Do Hair and nails at least
3 hours before ceremony
· Allow plenty of time to apply your makeup
· Give your honor attendant the groom's wedding ring
· Have programs delivered to the church
· Assign someone to transport flower arrangements from the church
to the reception
· Be sure best man has the soloist's fee, tips for the officiant's
assistants, as well as payment for the organist and DJ or band
· Have all accessories together
· Girls begin dressing about 1-1/2 - 2 hours before ceremony...especially
if you are having a photographer arrive before ceremony. If bridesmaids
getting ready elsewhere, have them arrive a minimum of 1 hour
before leaving for ceremony
· Don't forget to bring marriage license to ceremony
· Have A GREAT time
