Planning a wedding can be very stressful as there are tons of details to take care of. The most important thing is stay organized. Our planning checklists help you understand what you need to do and when. You can either follow the timeline below so we can help you track what you've done and what you have left to do. You can even add notes and rearrange timing -- it's all up to you!
8-12 Months before
□ Select a wedding date
□ Formally announce your engagement and introduce both families
□ Decide whom you would like in you wedding party and ask each person to participate
□ Decide on a wedding budget
□ Hire a wedding planner coordinator (optional)
□ Purchase bridal magazines and start a "Wedding File". Collect tear sheets of dresses, flowers etc.
□ Start shopping for a wedding dress (must allow time for alterations and fittings)
o Reminder: Don't forget to bring a pair of stockings, a strapless bra, shoes and a hair clip to each appointment
o Attend bridal shows
□ Register for wedding gifts
□ Choose an officiate or Clergyman/woman
□ Shop for a videographer and photographer
□ Choose a florist
□ Choose a DJ\Band
□ Purchase a notebook in which to store your wedding information
□ Research locations for ceremony, rehearsal dinner and reception
o Agree and reserve a wedding location and time
□ Send deposit
o Agree and reserve a reception site
□ Choose caterer
□ Determine your wedding theme, style and color scheme
□ Choose a beautiful place for your honeymoon
o Apply for passports if needed
□ Make a rough-guest list with a maximum number of guests in mind
□ Schedule appointments at Bridal Salon’s for you and your wedding party
7 Months before
□ Place your final order for:
o Wedding Gown
o Veil
o Shoes
o Other
□ Begin shopping for bridesmaids' dresses
□ Interview cake designers, sample cake flavours
o Select and place an order for your cake
o Purchase Cake topper
o Cake Knife
6 Months before
□ Go shopping for invitations, calligraphy & thank you cards
o Review invitation options
o Order invitations
o Purchase thank you cards (useful for engagement and wedding gifts)
□ Fine-tune guest list
□ Place final order for bridesmaids' gowns and any accessories
□ Have the mother-in-laws co-ordinate and select their dresses
□ Reserve any rental equipment that may be needed for the wedding day
o Flatware
o Chairs and Covers
o Glassware
o Tents
o Cups, saucers, spoons
o Champagne flutes
o Serving trays, punch bowls, etc.
o Tables and Linens
o Napkins
o Dinner ware
□ Finalize your gift registry (You can request stores send gift cards and not the actual gifts until after the wedding)
□ Book a limousine company for transportation on your wedding day
5 Months before
□ Review and finalize the overall budget
□ Select floral arrangements for: o Bride’s bouquet
o Pew Bows(optional)
o Centerpieces
o Boutonnieres
o Throw away Bouquet
o Head pieces
o Aisle runner
o Alter arrangements
o Corsages
o Bridesmaids Bouquets
o Archway
□ Finalize all decorations
□ Mail any outstanding deposits to vendors
□ Shop for and purchase wedding rings
□ Select the grooms’ wedding attire
o Get tuxedo measurements for all the groomsmen
o Place order for tuxedo’s
4 Months before
□ Submit menu and beverage selections to the hotel or caterer
□ Begin music selections for the ceremony.
o Processional song for the groom, parents and attendants
o Bride-Groom ‘First Dance’
o Recessional song
□ Decide on whom you would like to be the M.C. and verify that they are available and willing
□ Interview and hire any additional management staff and babysitters (optional)
o Bartenders (if not provided)
o Servers (if necessary)
□ Purchase Guest book, sign-in pen
□ Purchase a gift for the groom\bride
□ Research and reserve rehearsal dinner location
□ Place your final order for party favours
□ Schedule tests for makeup and hair
□ Meet with the stationer and select and order:
o Menus
o table numbers
o Place cards
o any other accessories
o several identical pens for your thank you cards
o plenty of stamps
□ Finalize the date, time and place of the wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner
o Make a guest list for the rehearsal dinner
□ Attend your first appointment with the wedding officiate to review details for the ceremony
□ Begin putting together a rough schedule for the weekend of the wedding
o Ceremony
o Cutting of the cake (optional)
o Speeches (optional)
o Bride-groom dance (optional)
o Ect…
o Bachelor/Bachelorette Party
o Gift Opening
□ Select any special readings and choose readers if necessary
□ Begin writing personalized vows, if applicable
□ Finalize all arrangements for makeup, hair, nails, etc.
3 Months before
□ Determine who will be giving speeches at the rehearsal party and the reception
□ Schedule an appointment for a food tasting
□ Set up an appointment to see a sample of your floral centerpieces if applicable
□ Begin writing thank-you notes as wedding gifts arrive. It's easier if you keep them up to date
□ Book and reserve your bridal preparation suite
□ Finalize the date and time of the rehearsal and dinner
□ Finalize your plans for the honeymoon with your travel agent
□ Schedule your first fitting for your wedding gown and your groom's tuxedo or suit.
o Reminder: Remember to bring your panty-hose, shoes, bra, hair accessories, jewelry, camera and best friend
8 Weeks before
□ Purchase gifts for:
o Each other( Bride/Groom)
o Wedding party attendants
o Your parents and In-laws
□ Order rehearsal dinner invitations
□ Finalize music selections
□ Finalize the ceremony readings and songs to be performed (if applicable)
□ Mail all wedding invitations
□ Finalize your selections for the cocktail hour and reception songs. Review them with your band/DJ
□ Apply for a marriage license
□ Purchase all wedding accessories including
o Ring pillow
o Goblets
o Garter belt
o Candles, ect…
□ Visit your photographer for the Bridal Portrait
6 Weeks before
□ Submit the wedding program information to a stationer
□ Finalize all details with your caterer, florist and musicians
□ Finalize all transportation, including any special plans for your family and bridal party
□ Finalize your schedule for the wedding day with your wedding venue contact, band\DJ, MC and wedding coordinator,
if applicable
□ Finalize the wedding ceremony processional and recessional information with your wedding coordinator or wedding venue
contact
□ Prepare a photo and a video shot list, naming important family and guests. Include one’s relationship to you.
□ Pick up the wedding rings (making sure they are sized and engraved)
□ Finalize your jewelry selection, including:
o something old
o something new
o something borrowed
o something blue
□ Schedule a final test makeup and hair session with your stylists. Bring your veil.
□ Attend to business and legal details. Get the necessary forms to change names on your:
o social security card
o driver's license
o insurance and medical plans o bank accounts, ect..
4 Weeks before
□ Schedule your second bridal gown fitting
□ Mail your rehearsal dinner invitations
□ Schedule a final meeting with your officiate to discuss the ceremony
□ Confirm your final appointment with your makeup artist and hair stylist
□ Give all musicians the lists of music for the ceremony and reception
□ Practice your "First Dance" with your music (wearing your bridal shoes)
□ Appoint a family member or friend to gather the gifts at the end of the reception for delivery to the proper location
□ Confirm transportation for wedding party
3 weeks before
□ Reconfirm your hotel room for the wedding night.
□ Reconfirm your bride's dressing room with your hotel or ceremony location (if applicable)
□ Send final confirmation for all your honeymoon reservations
□ Finalize the wedding day timeline and fax, mail or e-mail to all appropriate vendors.
□ Call them to make sure they understand all the information and feel comfortable with the arrangements you have made
□ Submit final numbers to rental companies, the florist and the reception venue managers
□ Mail your wedding day schedules. Make sure each wedding day participant is aware of the day's activities and their role
□ Finalize your seating arrangements (making sure you involve both sets of parents)
2 Weeks before
□ Send final payment to all vendors
□ Prepare a toast for your wedding reception
□ Finalize the vows you have written for the ceremony
□ Have any hair treatments done - highlights, trim etc. (Don't wait until two days before the wedding!)
1 Week before
□ Make sure to confide in at least one person to assist you with your errands the last week prior to your wedding
□ Confirm the whereabouts of your guest book and pen, cake knife and lifter, champagne flutes etc. and put them together
in one box
□ Confirm the whereabouts of your marriage license and wedding rings and put them in a box or bag marked "Ceremony".
□ Pick up your bridal gown and veil and make sure all of your accessories are together.
o Also make sure the wedding dress is covered with a protective bag and stuffed with tissue to preserve its shape
□ Pick up the bridal party outfits and bring them to the bridal dressing room on the day before the wedding, if possible
□ Pick up the groom's outfit and make sure all of his accessories are together
□ Get groom a haircut
□ Confirm all appointment times for hair, makeup, nails, etc.
□ Get a facial (Don't wait until two days before the wedding!)
□ Write any final thank-you notes to bridal party members or parents
□ Attend the bachelor and bachelorette parties, if applicable
□ Pack your wedding night and day-after clothes
□ Prepare all your outfits, including the rehearsal dinner, wedding day and postwedding brunch
□ Prepare and pack for your honeymoon
□ Arrange transportation to your hair and makeup appointments
□ Give your marriage license to the officiate
□ Arrange who will return any rental items that must be returned after the wedding
□ Reconfirm transportation for the entire wedding party
On the Wedding Day
□ Eat a well-balanced breakfast. You have a big day ahead of you, and some brides have been know to faint because they
forget to eat
□ Drink lots of water and refrain from an excess of caffeine and alcohol
□ Take a lavender bath - it's very relaxing
□ Remember to wear a button-down shirt for your hair and makeup appointments
□ Give the Wedding bands to the Best Man and Maid of Honour
□ Take a deep breath and enjoy.
Remember this is your BIG DAY!
No comments:
Post a Comment