In the many years that
we have been in business we've encountered countless happy brides and grooms.
Not all of them were calm. This is the most important and special day of your
life and with careful planning and organization you can increase your
enjoyment of not only your "big day" but all the days leading up to
it.
Our hope is that this
information will help all brides and grooms better plan their wedding and
make it one of the most perfect memories of their life.
BRIDE AND GROOM'S
PLANNING CALENDAR
Six To Twelve Months
Before Your Wedding
Announce engagement. Use
formal printed announcements and/or the newspaper.
Select a wedding date and
time.
Choose size and style of
wedding-formal, informal, special theme.
Set a preliminary budget.
Schedule a meeting with
both sets of parents to openly discuss wedding expectations, costs, and
responsibilities.
Buy a wedding planner or a
notebook to remain organized and record decisions.
Invite attendants to be in
your wedding.
Reserve the ceremony
location.
Choose the officiant for
the ceremony.
Reserve the reception site.
Find out what services are included or available.
Interview caterers,
Florist, photographers, videographers, musicians, etc. Be sure to taste
food options, see the work of florists, photographers and videographers.
Listen to or watch tapes of musicians. Ask for references and discuss
deposit requirements and the cancellation policy. Hire as soon as
possible.
Create a preliminary guest
list, including addresses. Ask all parents to do the same. Include the
relationship (friend, uncle), this helps if the list needs to be
shortened.
Begin planning the wedding
ceremony and reception.
Write out directions and or
a map to be included on a separate card with invitation.
Shop for a wedding gown and
accessories. Order your dress at least 6-8 months in advance.
Choose and order attire and
accessories for bridesmaids. Keep in mind the time of year and style of
wedding.
Start planning the
honeymoon. If you are leaving the country, make sure your passport is up
to date and verify any visa requirements.
Register for wedding gifts.
Develop a system for recording gifts as they arrive and for recording
when you wrote the thank-you note.
Three
To Six Months Before Your Wedding
Finalize guest list. Write
each guest's name and address on an index card and use these to track
responses.
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.
Start making final
decisions and arrangements for the ceremony and reception, including
food, music, flowers and any rental equipment.
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.
Arrange for wedding day
transportation for important guests and wedding party.
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.
Order wedding rings and
make arrangements for engraving.
Have both mothers select
their wedding attire.
Confirm the delivery date for
the wedding gown and bridesmaids dresses. Schedule fittings.
Choose and order formal
wear for the groom and groomsmen. Remind men to submit their
measurements to your formal wear provider.
Finalize honeymoon plans.
Shop for trousseau and
special attire for parties, showers and honeymoon.
Write thank-you notes as
gifts are received. If you are using preprinted thank you notes to
immediately acknowledge that a gift was received, be sure to send a hand
written thank you on your informal notes within two months after the
wedding.
Two
To Three Months Before Your Wedding
Finish addressing
invitations and announcements.
Make an appointment for an examination with your family doctor which includes your necessary blood tests for
the marriage license and any shots required for your honeymoon.
Finalize the ceremony
details with officiant.
Finalize details with
caterer, florist, musicians, photographer, etc.
Order wedding cake.
Finalize plans for bridal
luncheon or any other wedding events.
Check requirements for
medical tests and marriage license.
Schedule appointment to
have a picture taken for newspaper announcement.
Ask someone to be
responsible for the guest book.
Choose small gifts of
appreciation for the wedding party.
Collect the forms necessary
to change your name (if you are changing your name) on your Social
Security card, driver's license, insurance, etc.
Continue to write thank you
notes.
Six Weeks
To Two Months Before Your Wedding
Mail the invitations (six
weeks is customary, eight is becoming increasingly common). It is not
uncommon for guests to mail their response card without writing their
name. To identify guests if this happens, assign each guest a number.
Write this number very small on the back of their response card before
you put it in with the invitation. An incomplete response card can now
be matched to a guest.
Use the index cards with
each guest's name and address to track responses.
Order wedding programs and
reception accessories such as napkins, cake boxes etc.
Make final menu decisions.
Set rehearsal time and
verify with all participants.
Have first wedding dress
fitting.
Schedule to have formal
bridal portrait taken two to four weeks before wedding. Make sure
wedding dress and shoes will be ready.
Make sure members of the
wedding party have their fitting.
Make an appointment with
your hairdresser to practice your wedding-day hair style. Bring
headpiece. Have a makeup consultation at the same time. Schedule hair
and makeup appointments for yourself and bridal party on the wedding
day. Schedule a manicure for the day before wedding.
Give photographer a list of
all pictures you would like taken, including pictures you may want of
the tent, flowers, cake, etc.
Give videographer list of
all shots you would like included in the video.
Purchase gift for fiancé,
if gifts are being exchanged.
Choose thank-you gifts for
parents and any others who helped with wedding.
Submit wedding announcement
and photograph to newspaper. Specify date for publishing.
Continue to write thank you
notes.
One
Month Before Your Wedding
Have your final wedding
dress fitting.
Verify that all members of
the wedding party have had their final fitting.
Make sure you have all
accessories, toasting goblets, cake knife, ring pillow, guest book, etc.
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.
Give musicians final music
list for the ceremony and reception. Specify any music you do not want
played. Have the music start 30 minutes before the ceremony.
Prepare your wedding
toasts.
Pick up and try on your
wedding bands.
Confirm honeymoon
reservations.
Two
Weeks Before Your Wedding
Go with your fiancee to fillout the necessary forms for your marriage license.
Phone the society editors of your local papers to find out what information is required for your wedding announcements.
Plan with your hairdresser for a wedding hair-do. Bring your headpiece and veil, and make an appointment if you want your hair done the day of the wedding.
If you are changing your name, arrange to change your name and address on official documents (driver's License, bank accounts, insurance, and health policies, etc.
Deliver your wedding announcement to the local paper's society editor.
One
Week Before Your Wedding
Verify final details with
all service providers. Inform them of any changes.
Finalize the guest count,
making necessary changes to seating chart.
Confirm transportation for
the wedding party.
Confirm that the
photographer understands the list of pictures you have requested.
Confirm that the
videographer understands your specific requests.
Verify that all wedding
attire has been picked up and fits.
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.