Planning your Wedding
You are engaged to be married and have
set a date for the big day. For the next 12-18 months you’re
going to be very busy planning the most important day of your
life. Although this is an exciting task and something every
bride looks forward to, it is also a stressful task. Today’s
women simply don’t have enough time; many of them spend
as much time working as their ‘husband to be’ does.
Without a doubt, organising a wedding can be one of the most
stressful and time consuming events in a person's life. Most
weddings, on average, take 250 hours to plan. Both time and
stress can be reduced (never eliminated) by careful planning
and organisation, to ensure what is probably going to be the
most important and expensive day of your life goes smoothly.
Whilst many parents want to have a lot of involvement in the
planning of the wedding, it should pointed out that it is
the bride and groom's day. Final decisions should be theirs,
and sometimes this requires some delicate handling. Whilst
parents are often making a significant financial contribution
to the wedding, it is essential that the wedding is seen as
the breaking away from parental responsibility and the transition
into the independent espousal relationship.
The 12 Month Timetable
Congratulations on your engagement! It's a time where your will, organisational skills and humour be put to the test. Weddings take a lot of planning and you will likely spend over 100 hours on the phone, visiting with vendors, planning, and chasing after details. To help you get off to a good start, we've put together a complete outline of the things you'll need to do for your wedding and the approximate timeline for getting those things done!
Six to Twelve Months Before Your Wedding
Select a Wedding Date and Time(and possibly a backup date)
Announce your engagement in the paper
Plan an engagement party with family and friends
Talk with a bridal consultant or wedding co-ordinator
Find out what bridal shows are in the area and plan on attending
Agree on a preliminary budget
Decide who will pay for what and how expenses will be shared
Call your church or synagogue for an appointment with the Officiant
Consider and ask friends and family to serve as wedding attendants
Start a "planning system" and system of organisation
Start your wedding guest list
Start thinking about ideas/themes for your reception and catering plans
Determine what type of entertainment you want to have for your reception
Decide the type of wedding you would like to have (size, formality, and setting)
Think about your colour schemes
Select your reception location
Select your professional photographer
Select your videographer
Select professional caterer (if necessary)
Select Musicians
Select your florist
Shop together for your wedding rings
Select wedding dress and headpiece, and set a date for fittings and delivery
Select your bridesmaids' dresses and accessories
It's time to choose a honeymoon and location
Four Months Prior To The Wedding
Check the requirements for marriage license
Select and discuss your colour schemes with the florist/decorator of choice
Reserve your wedding day rental equipment
Decide upon a gift registry and select your gift choices
Order your invitations and related Stationery needs
Start shopping for the men's’ wedding attire
Reserve your wedding day transportation
Research and select readings for ceremony
Make music selections for ceremony and reception
Decide upon and order favours
Select your baker, then choose your cake, and groom’s cake
Two Months Before Your Wedding
Have engagement portraits taken
Place your engagement announcement in the newspaper
Mail out invitations and announcements
Decide on the mens’ wedding attire
Arrange and plan your rehearsal dinner
Purchase your wedding day accessories
Arrange attendants' parties
Prepare accommodations for out-of-town attendants and guests
Consider a hairdresser and/or makeup artist and book appointments
Finalise all honeymoon plans
One Month To Go
Final wedding dress fitting
Final fitting for your wedding attendants
Obtain marriage license
Have your attendants' parties
Purchase your going-away outfit
Create a calendar of events for the wedding day.
Make sure your accessories are in order (rings, pillow, garter, etc.)
Two Weeks Left
Finalise arrangements with the entertainer(s)
Provide a list of music you would like played (or not played)
Finalise music during special events such as first dance, dance with dad, etc.
Pick up your wedding rings and make sure that the engravings are correct
Make sure they fit!
Contact the guests who have not responded to your invitations.
One Week To Go!
If you can, take the week, or part of the week off from work!
Make sure your marriage license is in order
Prepare seating arrangements, if necessary
Purchase travelers checks, confirm honeymoon reservations
Pack your baggage for your honeymoon
Have your wedding ceremony rehearsal
Instruct your wedding party on what they will be doing on the day of the wedding
Have your rehearsal dinner
Make sure all wedding attire fits properly
Give the best man the amounts your vendors are to be paid on the day of the wedding
Inform your caterer of the total guest count
Confirm out-of-town guests have transportation and sleeping accommodations
Check with your florist and/or balloonist to make sure they will arrive when scheduled.
Your Wedding Day
Your primary goal today is to get married! Have fun!
Relax, enjoy yourself, and remain calm!
Allow at least two hours for dressing
Allow plenty of time to apply your makeup and style your hair
If professionals are doing your preparation, determine the time they will need
If photographs are to be taken before the ceremony, allow plenty of time for that!
Remember to bring the rings and marriage license
Seat guests as they arrive
The groom’s parents should be seated about 5 minutes before start time
Mother of the bride is normally seated last
|
