So now you are engaged and starting to think about planning your perfect day, with so much to think about where do you start? Here are some aspects of the wedding process:
To do now
• Tell family and friends that you are engaged
• Decide on your wedding date
• Choose the type of ceremony you want i.e. religious, church, civil ceremony or abroad
• Choose how many people you are likely to invite to the wedding and wedding breakfast and the same for the evening reception
• Will you have the same venue for both the ceremony and reception?
• Consider the time of your ceremony and day you would like to have it, this could affect both pricing and budgeting i.e. if you have a ceremony and wedding breakfast midday and a reception in the evening you might want to think about a buffet in the evening
• If you do have them in separate locations think about transport and what kind of transport you would like and does it match your theme?
• Shortlist potential venues, visit and check their availability
• Set your budget and decide who’s paying for what
• Organise wedding insurance
• Open a dedicated wedding savings account
• Choose your best man, ushers, maid of honour and bridesmaids
• Book your tickets to see wedding shows
12 months to go
• Have you decided on your ceremony venue? If so, is it the same as reception? If not then shortlist, visit and check availability for your reception venue
• Check your date with your minister/priest or book the register office
• Make a first draft of your guest list
• Decide on your theme and colour scheme, shortlist and contact invitation designers for pricing and designs
• Send out save the date cards
• Start a wedding scrapbook filled with ideas from magazines
• Think about your dress and attire
• Start thinking about flowers and the seasons they are available
• Look at sample menus and book caterer if you decide to go with outside caterers, if not book a tasting with your chosen venue after deciding on your choice of wedding breakfast
• Start thinking about cake design and how many guests you need to have a slice for
• Shortlist photographers and videographers, have consultations and get to know them as they will be with you for your entire day
• Book your transport
• Book your videographer and photographer
• Order your wedding invitations and stationery; will you need table numbers, place names and a welcome board with designated seating for guests to find where they need to be?
• Start looking for your cake maker
• Make appointments to start trying on dresses
• Choose your florist and discuss ideas
• Book your reception entertainment, do you need a master of ceremonies, DJ, live band, singer, musician or something a little bit different?
6 months to go
• If your wedding isn’t church of England, give notice of marriage to the superintendent registrar at your local registry office
• Start thinking about decoration and favours
• Prompt the groom to start looking for suits for himself, ushers and groomsmen
• Book a cake tasting at your chosen cake designer
• Set up a wedding gift list, do you want it to go to charity, or money to go towards your honeymoon or an actual gift from your guests?
• Would you like an open bar, or your guests to pay for their own drinks? Or alternatively you may pay for welcome drinks and toasting drinks?
• If on a budget would you want to use your wedding cake as the desert?
• Book accommodation for wedding guests-are you paying for it? Is it on site of the reception? If not, start looking for hotels and b&b’s close to the venue
• Think about accessories for you the bride and your bridesmaids, veils, shoes, jewellery etc
4 months to go
• Reserve any rental equipment such as chair covers, table linen, cutlery etc
• Arrange a tasting with your caterer if you have chosen to go outside the venue for your food
• Book your honeymoon, making sure passports are in date and flights are at a convenient time so that you don’t have to leave the wedding mid-flow
• Have your first wedding dress fitting
• Choose your bridesmaids dresses
• Find hairdressers and make-up artists, book trials with them, then book your chosen supplier for the day
2 months to go
• Think about music for pre ceremony, during and after
• Select any reading and music and confirm your choices with your minister/registrar
• Send out your invitations, together with gift list and any other details required
• Confirm your booking if you are marrying in a registry office
• Finalise your honeymoon plans, ensuring you have any necessary visas, inoculations and travel insurance
• Have order-of-service sheets printed
• Start dance lessons
• Write your personalised wedding vows, if necessary.
• Buy a guestbook
• Try out various Hair and make-up looks with chosen suppliers
• Plan your hen and stag parties with your attendants
• Book your first night accommodation
• Contact local or national papers if you want to publish your wedding announcement
• Buy any accessories for yourself and bridesmaids
1 month to go
• Chase up all un-answered invitations and get confirmation of numbers
• Draw up final guest list
• Finalise your seating plan
• Give the final number of guests to your caterer and venue
• Buy your marriage licence from registrar
• Have your final dress fitting and confirm the collection date
• Choose gifts for your wedding party
• Book your final hair appointment
• Finalise transport and all other suppliers
• As people start to buy presents from your guest list or donations, make a list ready for your thank you cards
• Give your fiancé, father and best man a gentle nudge to start working on their speeches
• Find out where your guests are staying if you plan to deliver gifts or welcome notes to their rooms and of course how they are getting to and from the wedding
• Hold your hen and stag parties
2 weeks to go
• Hold a wedding rehearsal if needed
• Write out your place cards if you have not ordered them from your stationer
• Type up a list of must-take shots for your photographer
• Confirm timings with all your key wedding suppliers, including photographer, florist, cake designer and band/DJ
• Plan your honeymoon wardrobe
• Remind your fiancé to get a haircut
1 week to go
• Have your final hair and makeup practice
• Arrange for the cake to be delivered to your reception venue
• Reconfirm final numbers to your caterer and venue
• Double check outfits and accessories
• Make sure the best man has arranged for the hired outfits to be returned on time after the wedding-if hired
• Wear you bridal shoes in around the house
The day before the wedding
• Help to decorate the venue if necessary
• Have a manicure and pedicure
• Have your honeymoon luggage sent to your first night hotel
Upon returning from your honeymoon
Send all thank you cards to guests that attended your perfect day and thanks for any gifts or contributions they may have given
