Your Wedding Planning Timeline
Newly engaged? Congratulations! You are going to be a busy woman for the next several months, so take a deep breath and get ready to get organized!
Soon after you get engaged, you will need to start a wedding notebook or folder. Create a system for organizing your notes, contacts, and ideas in one place! You could include sections on catering, music, gowns, etc.
At this point, you also need to establish what your budget will be and what type of event you will be planning. For example, will your wedding be formal or informal, indoors or outdoors, large or small? Is there a special theme you'd like to incorporate? Will the event be held during the day or in the evening? In your hometown or at a far-away location?
Now is the time to really brainstorm and create a plan for your event that is both unique and feasible. Take the time to investigate all of your options as you gather ideas and information!
9-12 months before the wedding, you will need to be sure you have set your date. Be sure to get input from both families before officially booking the wedding location and/or reception venue.
If by this point you are feeling at all overwhelmed, it may be a good time to hire a wedding planner to assist with the process of making the wedding your perfect day. If you decide that you would rather not hire a wedding planner, you need to research vendors (photographers, cake bakers, DJ's, florists, etc.). This research can be done online, by making phone calls, or (best of all) simply by asking your acquaintances for recommendations.
Now is also a good time to check marriage license requirements for your state, select a wedding officiant, and inquire about pre-marriage requirements (such as classes or counseling).
Also start making a preliminary list of guests that will be invited to your event.
Who will your attendants be? Do you and your fiancee agree upon how many attendants you will each select? Serving as an bridesmaid or groomsman is a huge honor and responsibility; you owe it to your attendants to invite them to participate as early as possible!
Now is also the appropriate time to create a wedding website and announce your engagement to the local newspapers if desired.
Guess what? Now is also the best time to start shopping for your gown! It takes about 6-9 months for a wedding gown to arrive once ordered, plus you need to allow ample time for alterations! Make an appointment with A Formal Affair in advance so that we can reserve the Bridal Room just for you and offer you as much personal assistance as possible!
When you arrive to your first bridal gown shopping appointment, be open-minded and don't be afraid to try on different styles! If you feel overwhelmed by your choices, ask for help in selecting a variety of styles. This will help you to limit your choices (for example, you may discover that a ball gown makes you feel like a princess or a sheath dress makes you feel glamorous). Once you decide upon a dress style that fits your personality, it will be easier to select other dresses to try on.
OK ladies...we left off with 9-12 months before the big day on our last installment of Your Wedding Timeline, so let's continue with the things you should be doing 6-9 months before your wedding!
At this point in the planning stages, you should select and order your wedding invitations and other personalized stationary items such as save-the-date cards and thank-you notes. For your convenience, these items may be ordered at A Formal Affair! Just let us know that you would like for us to show you what stationary items we can order for you!
At this time, you could also begin to arrange airline deals and group hotel accommodations for your out-of-town guests. Some people love to plan ahead, so it is absolutely not too early to start providing this kind of information to your friends and family members!
It would now be a great time to sign contracts with your caterer, photographer, band or DJ, and any other vendors you have decided upon.
Ok...we have finally made it to the final day before your wedding! Are there really still things left for you to do? YES!!!
If you plan to send out official marriage announcements, recruit a friend or family member to mail them for you.
Ask someone you really trust to bring your marriage license to the ceremony.
Deliver welcome baskets to out of town guests if you have them.
Get your nails done.
Deliver gifts to your attendants.
Give rings to the best man.
Get a good night's sleep!
On the day of the wedding, you are still not finished! You will need to...
Eat breakfast.
Have luggage delivered to your hotel (if needed).
Get hair and makeup done.
Dress.
Switch engagement ring to your right hand.
Relax and enjoy your day!!
What about after the wedding? Are there still more tasks? Of course there are! Your final items to take care of are:
Send thank-you notes.
Return gifts if necessary.
Change your name on all legal documents, if desired.
Select and order wedding photographs.
Have your gown dry-cleaned and preserved.
Wedding timeline information compiled by Lisa Miller of A Formal Affair. Sources utilized include In Style Weddings magazine (Summer 2007 issue) and Brides magazine (Summer 2007 issue).
