Planning a wedding involves a million decisions. Using this checklist will ensure that nothing is overlooked.
Upon Engagement / 12 to 24 Months Before Wedding
- Announce your engagement to family, and then friends.
- Prepare and send out newspaper announcement of your engagement.
- Meet with both sets of parents. Decide upon a budget, and list who will pay for what.
- Determine wedding style and degree of formality of your wedding.
- Meet with clergy. Arrange for pre-marital counseling or classes suggested by clergy.
- Select ceremony site.
- Select wedding consultant.
- Select reception site.
- Look for unusual locations, even if they donıt need to be reserved this far in advance.
- Begin to make alternate plans if wedding is to be held outside. (Indoor site availability, tents, etc.)
- Set date and time of wedding and reception.
Note: You must coordinate your ceremony site, reception site, date and time of wedding, budget and size of the wedding before any other definite plans can be made.
- Both families begin to compile guests lists. (Set definite date for final lists.)
- Select color scheme.
- Select photographer.
- Select music for ceremony.
- Select florist.
- Select limousine service or other transportation.
- Select caterer (if not provided by reception site).
- Select rental company.
- Select baker for wedding cake (if not provided by reception caterer).
- Select balloonist.
- Get information from travel agents on possible honeymoon locations.
- Choose your attendants.
- Have fiancee select his groomsmen.
- Shop for your gown, veil, headpiece, jewelry and accessories.
Note: You should order your gown at least 7 months before your wedding date.
- Select attendants gowns.
Note: These gowns should also be ordered at approximately same time as your gown. Obtain a swatch of fabric to coordinate all other wedding colors.
- Select shoes for you and attendants. (If shoes must be dyed, have them all done at the same time to ensure the best color match.)
- Develop a record-keeping system for all wedding details, contracts, etc.
- Develop a record-keeping system for guests, invitations, gifts, and thank-you notes.
- Register at stores in the towns of both families.
- Decide where you will live after your wedding.
- Select a Realtor if needed.
- Begin looking for an apartment, if necessary.
- Purchase calendars for all involved in the wedding, and highlight all important wedding-related dates.
6 to 9 MONTHS Before Wedding
- Select formalwear.
- Finalize honeymoon plans.
- Apply for passport and arrange for inoculations (if necessary).
- Select beauty consultant.
- Order wedding cake and groomıs cake.
- Make arrangements for rehearsal dinner. (Or remind groomıs mother, if his parents are hosting this event.)
- Reserve wedding night hotel suite.
4 to 6 Months Before Wedding
- Finalize guest list, eliminate duplicates.
- Enter guestsı names, addresses, and phone numbers into appropriate record book.
- Plan bachelor/bachelorette party.
- Select wedding rings.
- Make arrangements for out-of-town wedding attendants (Rooms, transportation, maps.)
- Remind both mothers to purchase wedding apparel. (Brideıs mother has first choice of color and style.)
- Select favors. (If they are to be made, begin preparations.)
- Make appointments for hairdresser, nail salon, makeup, tanning.
- Try new hairstyle now, rather than just before wedding.
- Select major appliances and furnishings for your home together.
- Order invitations, wedding stationery, personal stationery with your married name, etc.
- Buy ³Love² stamps for wedding invitations, shower invitations, thank you notes.
- Reconfirm plans with ceremony and reception sites, clergy person, caterer, florist, photographer, videographer, ceremony and reception musicians, baker, and travel agent for honeymoon plans.
- Check on status of attendantsı gowns.
- Design maps to wedding and reception sites to be inserted into invitations.
- Write and review wedding vows, if appropriate.
- Select pertinent readings, poems, etc. for ceremony.
- Ask special people to do reading at the ceremony.
- Design wedding program handout for ceremony.
- Arrange to have wedding program printed.
- Plan itinerary for out-of-town guests (special parties, dinners, activities).
- Begin shopping for trousseau.
- Make sure all deposits are paid, and contracts signed.
2 to 4 Months Before Wedding
- Address wedding invitations. (Invitations should be mailed six weeks before wedding date.)
- Select gifts for attendants.
- Compile bridal shower guest lists.
- Make an appointment for a complete physical and dental cleaning/checkup.
- Purchase garter, cake top, knife, toasting glasses.
- Purchase or make pillow for ring bearer.
- Schedule appointment for formal bridal portrait.
- Shop for honeymoon outfits and going away outfit.
- Shop for honeymoon accessories. (Tanning lotion, films, etc.)
- Pack honeymoon clothes which are out of season (bathing suits, shorts, etc.)
- Schedule wedding rehearsal.
- Purchase or arrange to borrow luggage for honeymoon.
1 to 2 Months Before Wedding
- Have fittings for gown and attendantsı gowns.
- Have formal wedding portrait taken.
- Obtain marriage license. (30 days before wedding date)
- Send invitations to rehearsal dinner. (Or remind hostess to do so.)
- Plan bridesmaidıs luncheon.
- Purchase wedding gift for fiancee.
- Maintain records of all gifts given, thank yous sent.
- Prepare seating list for reception and make place cards, if appropriate.
- Confirm attendantsı outfits with them.
- Review and change beneficiaries life insurance policies, if necessary.
- Review other insurance (automobile, homeowners) if they will be changing.
- If appropriate, purchase renters insurance.
- If you have agreed to a prenuptial agreement, meet with lawyers.
- Arrange for furniture movers (if necessary).
- Open joint checking and savings accounts.)
- Change names on charge accounts.
- Arrange for new telephone listing.
- Arrange for housesitter during honeymoon.
- Give itinerary for honeymoon to one or both sets of parents.
- Confirm ceremony details with officiant.
- Finalize wedding music with organist.
- Finalize music list for reception. Request special dances, songs, etc.
- If appropriate, place liquor order.
- Make an itinerary for your wedding day. Give to all wedding party members, parents, wedding consultant.
- Wrap gifts to each other, and gifts for attendants.
- Pre-pack any non-necessities for honeymoon.
- Make sure all transportation arrangements for wedding party have been finalized.
- Confirm that all men have been fitted for formalwear.
2 Weeks Before Wedding
- Call guests who have not responded to invitations.
- Call caterer for last minute details, preliminary head count.
- Keep up with thank you notes.
- Confirm time and date of wedding rehearsal with all wedding party members.
- Ask post office to stop mail while you are away on your honeymoon.
- Fill out change of address card at post office, if necessary.
- Notify police of dates you will be away, ask them to check on your home.
- Obtain travel tickets, itineraries.
- Confirm out-of-town guest reservations, transportation.
- Make list of emergency numbers of honeymoon locations, and list of credit card numbers to leave at home with both sets of parents.
1 Week Before Wedding
- Try on wedding gown to check fit and make sure it is pressed.
- Continue packing for honeymoon.
- Purchase travelerıs checks for honeymoon.
- Remind attendants about wedding day schedule.
- Reconfirm all wedding plans: ceremony and reception site, florist, photographer, videographer, musicians, baker, and honeymoon plans.
- Write thank you notes to all who helped you with wedding plans and details.
- Give caterer/reception site final head count.
- Make final payment for any services that require prepayment.
- Provide wedding party and out-of-town guests with itinerary and maps (if necessary).
- Make up emergency kit with essentials to have on hand for wedding and reception (needle, thread, safety pins, tape, mirror, white bobbypins, scissors, tissue, extra stockings).
- Pay upcoming bills.
- Verify that all attendants have wedding apparel.
1 Day Before Wedding
- Finish honeymoon packing.
- Set aside everything you will need at ceremony site: gown, headpiece, veil, accessories, shoes, stockings, slip, emergency kit, purse, brush, hairspray.
- Attend rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
- Give each other wedding gifts.
- Give attendantsı and groomsmen their gifts.
- Give the best man the officiantıs fee.
- Get a good nightıs sleep!
Wedding Day
- Forget any details that run amok.
- Eat a good breakfast.
- Take a relaxing bath.
- See hairdresser for wedding hairstyle.
- Have makeup applied.
- Donıt forget rings and wedding license.
- Thank everyone for their help.
- Enjoy the day!
After The Wedding
- Write thank you notes for all wedding gifts.
- Have a beautiful life together!
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