Planning a wedding

Below you will find a helpful checklist of items needed to complete for planning your wedding.  The following checklist is an "ideal" timetable. Couples who do not have as much time as shown should plan their wedding in much the same order, using the checklist as a guide. Be sure to check things off as you complete them.

12-18 Months before the Wedding

• Discuss possible times and dates for your wedding.   

• Decide with your fiancé the size and style of wedding and reception you want.  A more formal wedding will take longer to plan than a simple ceremony.

• Plan a budget and discuss with your fiancé and parents how the expenses will be shared.  You may want to go to our  who pays for what? page to help you with this decision.

• Visit with clergy member or judge and discuss any pre-marital counseling or retreats your denomination may require.  

• Make arrangements for the ceremony including reservations of the church or facility, organist, soloist, and musicians.

• If you will be using a wedding consultant, now is the time to enlist their services.

• Make arrangements for the reception.  Securing reception location and making initial contact with catering services.  (Reception sites may book a year in advance during a holiday season or at a resort location.) 

• Bride will want to begin shopping for her wedding gown.  Go to our section on wedding dresses for help.

• Begin making honeymoon plans.  Look through the internet or contact a travel agent for information on honeymoon sites.
  back to top

• Begin a guest list and ask your fiancé and his parents to do the same.  Determine the amount of invitation sets you will need.

• Finalize the overall color scheme for your wedding and reception.  This information will be important when choosing the flowers and wedding attire for the wedding party.

• Select members of your bridal party  and invite them to participate in the wedding ceremony.

• Select one usher for every 50 guests. Groomsmen can also usher guest as well.

• Review the initial wedding budget and make adjustments where needed.

• Interview  photographers and videographers for your wedding and reception.  

• Arrange to have your formal engagement portrait taken.  At the same time, have the photographer take a black and white photo which will be best for your engagement announcement in the newspaper.

• Announce the engagement through a newspaper article or a formal printed announcement. 
  back to top

6 - 8 Months before the Wedding

• Bride and Groom each plan a party or social event with their attendants. 

• Book the organist, soloist or other musicians for your ceremony. 

• Have the engagement sequences done for your wedding video. 

• Investigate florists, caterers,  reception music - band or disc jockey, florist and bakeries.  We suggest limiting yourself to three to four estimates in which to choose. 

• Bride begins selecting her garter, lingerie and going away outfit and accessories. 

• Bride and Groom begin to shop for bridal registry selections then register your patterns, colors, etc. with the leading bridal registries in your area. 

• If this is home or outdoor wedding, book garden furniture, tent, etc.   You'll want to visit or call rental companies to review rental options.

• Book time off work for the honeymoon. Booking some time off the week before the wedding is strongly recommended as well. 

• Begin looking at wedding invitation and announcement styles that will complement your wedding style and degree of formality.   Shop through our extensive wedding invitations selections.

• Consider birth-control options. 
  back to top

• Finalize guest list. 

• Order wedding and reception invitations, response cards, place cards, announcements, thank you notes, informals, at home cards, hold the date cards and accessories. Always order extra invitations and envelopes to allow for addressing mistakes and surprise guests. It is less expensive to order extras from the start.

• Send out Hold the Date Cards so your guests can reserve your special day on their calendar.

• Address invitations and announcements as soon as possible. 

• Arrange to have someone mail the wedding announcements the day of the wedding.

• Order printed napkins, match boxes, cake boxes and other favors for wedding guest.  Go to our online shop for wedding favors. 

• Start making final decisions and arrangements for the ceremony and reception, including food, music, flowers and any rental equipment. 

• Order your wedding cake.

• Decide which beverages will be served at the reception. If your reception will be in a hall or location where you will be organizing the beverages, you may wish to consult a wine and liquor representative to advise you on quantities and any legalities concerning liquor license you may need. 

• Sign contracts and place deposits with caterer, photographer, videographer, florist, musicians and other service providers if you have not already done so. 

• Plan rehearsal dinner. Time, menu and guest list. The immediate family, members of the wedding party and special out-of-town guests are normally included. 

• Arrange for wedding day transportation for important guests and wedding party. Friends and relatives may be able to provide this service, but you may wish to book limousines or other vehicles. 

• Reserve a block of hotel rooms for out-of-town members of the wedding party and guests. It is nice to provide a list of local restaurants and attractions.  

•  Provide out-of-town guest with maps to the locations of the ceremony, reception and the site of your formal photographs. These can be printed and enclosed with your invitation or ushers may distribute further details at the ceremony site on the day of the wedding.   You may want to include these maps in a  basket of "goodies" such as snacks, candy, bubble bath or other fun treats in the out-of-town guest's hotel rooms.

• The mothers of the Bride and Groom finalize clothing and accessory selections.  Traditionally, the Bride's mother has first choice and the Groom's mother's choice complements it in color and degree of formality. 

• Confirm the delivery date for the wedding gown and bridesmaids dresses. Schedule fittings. Include shoes at this time if they must be dyed to match. 

• Choose and order formal wear for groomsmen. Remind men to submit their measurements to your formal wear provider. 

• Order wedding rings and make arrangements for engraving. Traditionally the rings are engraved on the inside with the wedding date and the initials of the Bride and Groom or you may include a special bible verse address as well. 

• Begin looking at gifts for your attendants, helpers and your new spouse.   Shop through our selection of wedding gifts.

• Shop for trousseau and special attire for parties, showers and honeymoon.  

• Register for your pre-marriage counseling course.  

• Visit travel agent and finalize honeymoon plans. send deposits/payments for airline tickets and hotel if needed. If traveling outside the country, check on visas, passports and inoculations. 

• Complete bridal registry.
  back to top

• Mail invitations (six weeks before the wedding; eight weeks to out-of-town guests).   Reply cards should be dated four weeks before the wedding date. Realize that if there are guests from out of town they will need extra time to make travel and accommodation arrangements. If this time span covers a holiday period (for example Christmas) even more time is necessary for mail delivery and personal arrangements.   Save the date cards can be mailed a month or so before the invitations if need be.

• Order wedding programs.

• Attend parties in your honor.  Showers normally are held one to two months in advance. Other parties may be closer to the wedding day. Schedule carefully so you do not end up overly tired by an excess of parties all at the last minute. 

• If you intend to change your name, begin the process of having documents changed (driver's license, credit cards, Insurance bank accounts, Social insurance, etc.). It's easy to overlook minor details, so make lists of everything that must be changed and cross items off as they are completed. 

• Investigate legal details, such as naming your fiancée as beneficiary in your will and life insurance, obtaining insurance to cover joint property, consolidating auto insurance, opening joint bank accounts, etc.

• Plan a recording system for your wedding gifts. Start writing thank you notes as the gifts arrive. Save them to mail after the wedding.

• Consider planning a party for the out-of-town guests (if not including all of them in the rehearsal dinner.)   It is a good idea to hold It only a day or two before the wedding day so the greatest number of guests can attend. Select the relative or friend who will host the event. 

• Find out what the legal requirements are for marriage in your state; arrange for any necessary blood tests and decide when you will apply for the license.

• Obtain any immunizations you will need for the honeymoon.

• Purchase gifts for each other, your parents, members of your wedding party and others who helped with the wedding in a special way.

• Give photographer a list of all pictures you would like taken, including pictures you may want of the church, flowers, cake, family members etc. 

• Give videographer list of all shots you would like included in the video. 

• Have first wedding dress fitting.  Make sure members of the wedding party have their fitting. 

• Hire a calligrapher to address invitations.

• Finalize the ceremony details with officiant. 

• If you are not using your wedding portrait now is the time to submit wedding announcement and photograph to newspaper. Specify date for publishing. 
  back to top

1 Month before the Wedding

• Contact florist to finalize times and delivery places of the flowers. 

• Make an appointment with your hairdresser to practice your wedding-day hair style. Bring headpiece. Have a make-up consultation at the same time.

• Schedule hair and make-up appointments for yourself and bridal party on the wedding day. Schedule a manicure for the day before wedding. 

• Schedule to have formal bridal portrait taken two to four weeks before wedding. Make sure wedding dress and shoes will be ready.  You may wish to schedule this appointment on the same day after your "trial run" hair and make-up appointment.

• Ask someone to be responsible for the guest book and arrange for its location at the ceremony and reception. 

• Arrange to have a display area if your gifts are to be displayed. 

• Plan the details of your receiving line. 

• Develop the schedule of speakers for the reception and give it to the Master of Ceremonies.  Prepare your wedding toasts.  you may want to review our section on wedding toasts for inspiration. 

• Make sure that you have all accessories: aisle carpet and canopy (coordinate this with your florist), ring pillow for ring bearer, toasting goblets, candles, decorations for the hall, garter, cake cutting knife, etc.  Shop through our wedding accessories for any items you may need. 

• Confirm the rehearsal time with your ceremony site.

• Arrange bridesmaids' luncheon. Often, that is when the bride gives them their gifts.  

• Create a detailed wedding schedule for all attendants. List all events participants are expected to attend. Include date, time, location and any responsibilities. Give attendants the schedule two weeks before the wedding. 

• Complete change-of-address information for post-office. 

• Finalize plans for rehearsal dinner. Plan seating arrangements for the rehearsal dinner and how and when toasts will be given.

• Make an appointment to have wedding bouquet preserved and wedding dress cleaned and preserved after ceremony.  Consult our section on wedding dresses for more information.

• Pick up and try on your wedding bands. 

• Have your final wedding dress fitting.

• Verify that all members of the wedding party have had their final fitting.

• Register all tuxedo sizes with the formal wear store if not already done so. 

• Get blood test and obtain your marriage license.   This may be a good time to schedule a physical examination as well.

• Give musicians final music list for the ceremony and reception. Specify any music you do not want played.   Consult our wedding music section for suggestions.
  back to top

2 Weeks before the Wedding

• Inform or send invitations including exact time and location to those who will attend the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.

• Prepare address and stamp wedding announcements to be mailed following the wedding. 

• Walk through the entire event in your mind. Consider things like parking, access for handicapped guests, etc.

• Check in with caterer, photographer, videographer, musicians, DJ, florist, etc. to confirm all arrangements.  Inform them of any changes.

• Inquire about where you and your attendants will dress for the ceremony. 

• Prepare envelopes with payments (gifts or donations) for ceremony site, officiator, clans, etc. 

• Plan the seating for your reception and submit names for place cards to calligrapher or write out yourself. 

• "Break in" wedding shoes at home by wearing them indoors for a few hours each day. 

• If using your formal bridal portrait now is the time to send announcements to the newspapers. 

• Bachelor and Bachelorette parties held.

• Pick up tickets, medical Insurance forms and travel documents for the honeymoon. 

• Exchange money or obtain travelers checks for your honeymoon trip.

• Confirm wedding night hotel reservation.

• Arrange for someone to collect gifts brought to the ceremony and bring them to your home.
  back to top

1 Week before the Wedding

• Bride and Groom each spend a quiet evening with their families.   Everything will soon be moving at the speed of lightening.

• If you are not working with a wedding coordinator, appoint someone to act as an "organizer" to handle any last minute problems (such as a special friend not in the wedding party or a relative such as an aunt.)

• Finalize the guest count, making necessary changes to seating chart. 

• Confirm all transportation plans for the wedding party. 

• Confirm that all attendants know when to arrive at the rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, and the wedding ceremony. Confirm that all attendants have a copy of the wedding schedule you created.

• Contact guests that have not responded to RSVP request. 

• Give final guest count to the caterer. 

• Verify that all wedding attire has been picked up and fits. 

• Pick up wedding gown and attendants gowns if you have not already done so.

• Groom and Groom's men have final fittings for their formal wear. Arrange specific times for pick up and return of these items following the wedding as well as who will be doing it.

• Pack for your honeymoon.   Leaving several days to purchase any last minute items.

• Confirm honeymoon arrangements. 

• Pay bills that will be due while you are away. 

• Continue to write thank you notes, if possible. 

• Pick up your marriage license.

• Pick up wedding rings. Make sure they fit.

• Groom, Groom's men and Ushers have hair trimmed. (Having the trim too close to the wedding day will produce a "shaved' look in the photographs.) 
  back to top

1 - 2 Days before the Wedding

• Try to make sure everyone arriving from out-of-town is met by someone, knows where everyone else is staying, etc.

• Pack an "emergency kit" containing things like spare hose, safety pins, bobby pins, sewing supplies, tissues, nail file, sanitary supplies, aspirin, extra cosmetics,  perfume, nail polish, snacks and beverages, scotch tape, masking tape, comb, hairbrush, hair spray. mirror, breath mints, and antacids, etc. to take with you to the wedding day.

•  Hold the party or social event for those guests coming from out of town. 

• Attend rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.  If you have not already given your attendants their gifts, now is an appropriate time.

• Review the schedule for tomorrow and make sure everyone is aware of any changes. Ensure that all details are covered.

• Arrange for your honeymoon suitcases and going away outfits to be at the correct location.

• Give ushers the list of guests to be seated in the reserved section. 

• Entrust payment envelopes and license to the Best Man.

• Entrust wedding rings to the Best Man and Maid of Honour or affix them to the ring bearer's pillow. 

• Assemble all accessories for tomorrow's dressing in one room. Double check everything. 

• Get a manicure.

• Try as hard as you can to get to bed early and get a good night's sleep. 
  back to top

The Wedding Day

• Enjoy the day!

• Be sure to have a substantial breakfast. It is going to be a long day and you'll need your energy.

• Allow enough time for make-up and hair appointments and dressing time.  You can't be relaxed if you are rushing. 

• Double check that the car keys, license, tickets, money and hotel confirmations are assembled and that someone is responsible for them. 

• Arrange for the going away car to be at the reception hall. 

• Mail wedding announcements (to folks not invited to the wedding).

• Try to relax and enjoy the day. If anything goes differently than planned, chances are you are the only ones who will notice.
  back to top
  

Stress Reducing Tips || Wedding Shower Ideas || Who pays for what?