Wedding Timetable A 12 Month Wedding Planning Countdown

Congratulations on your engagement! It's a time where your will, wit, organizational skills, and humor will be put to the test. Weddings take a lot of planning and you will likely spend over 100 hours on the phone, visiting with vendors, planning, and chasing after details. To help you get off to a good start, we've put together a complete outline of the things you'll need to do for your wedding and the approximate timeline for getting those things done!

Six to Twelve Months Before Your Wedding

• Select a Wedding Date and Time (and possibly a backup date)

• Announce your engagement in the paper

• Plan an engagement party with family and friends

• Talk with a bridal consultant or wedding coordinator

• Find out what bridal shows are in the area and plan on attending

• Agree on a preliminary wedding budget

• Decide who will pay for what and how expenses will be shared

• Call your church or synagogue for an appointment with the Officiant

• Consider and ask friends and family to serve as wedding attendants

• Start a "planning system" and system of organization

• Start your wedding guest list

• Start thinking about ideas/themes for your wedding reception and wedding catering plans

• Determine what type of wedding entertainment you want to have for your reception

• Decide the type of wedding you would like to have (size, formality, and setting)

• Think about your color schemes

• Explore pre-marital counseling

• Start health and fitness plan if you're not already in one!

• Select your reception location

• Select your professional wedding photographer

• Select your wedding videographer

• Select professional wedding caterer (if necessary)

• Select Wedding Band or Disc Jockey

• Select your wedding florist

• Shop together for your wedding rings

• Select wedding dress and headpiece, and set a date for fittings and delivery

• Select your bridesmaids' dresses and accessories

• It's time to choose a honeymoon and location

Four Months Prior To The Wedding

• Check the requirements for marriage license

• Select and discuss your color schemes with the florist/decorator of choice

• Again consider pre-marital counseling

• Reserve your wedding day rental equipment

• Decide upon a bridal gift registry and select your gift choices

• Order your wedding invitations and related stationery needs

• Start shopping for the men's' wedding attire

• Reserve your wedding day transportation

• Research and select readings for ceremony

• Make music selections for ceremony and reception

• Decide upon and order favors

• Select your baker, then choose your wedding cake, and groom's cake

• Help both mothers coordinate and find their wedding day clothing

• Review your contracts with all of your vendors and service providers (DETAILS!!)

Two Months Before Your Wedding

• Have engagement portraits taken

• Place your engagement announcement in the newspaper

• Mail out invitations and announcements

• Decide on the men's' wedding attire

• Arrange and plan your rehearsal dinner

• Purchase your wedding day accessories

• Arrange attendants' parties

• Prepare accommodations for out-of-town attendants and guests

• Consider a hairdresser and/or makeup artist and book appointments

• Finalize all honeymoon plans

One Month Left!

• Final wedding dress fitting

• Final fitting for your wedding attendants

• Obtain marriage license

• Have your attendants' parties

• Purchase your going-away outfit

• Create a calendar of events for the wedding day.

• Make sure your accessories are in order (rings, pillow, garter, etc.)

Two Weeks Remaining!

• Finalize arrangements with the wedding entertainment

• Provide a list of wedding music you would like played (or not played)

• Finalize music during special events such as first dance, dance with dad, etc.

• Pick up your wedding rings and make sure that the engravings are correct

• Make sure they fit!

• Contact the guests who have not responded to your invitations.

One Week To GO!

• If you can, take the week, or part of the week off from work!

• Make sure your marriage license is in order

• Prepare seating arrangements, if necessary

• Purchase travelers checks, confirm honeymoon reservations

• Pack your baggage for your honeymoon

• Have your wedding ceremony rehearsal

• Instruct your wedding party on what they will be doing on the day of the wedding

• Have your rehearsal dinner

• Make sure all wedding attire fits properly

• Give the best man the amounts your vendors are to be paid on the day of the wedding

• Inform your caterer of the total guest count

• Confirm out-of-town guests have transportation and sleeping accommodations

• Check with your florist and/or balloonist to make sure they will arrive when scheduled.

Your Wedding Day

• Relax, enjoy yourself, and remain calm!
  Allow at least two hours for dressing

• Allow plenty of time to apply your makeup and style your hair

• If professionals are doing your hair and/or makeup, determine the time they need

• If photographs are to be taken before the ceremony, allow plenty of time for that!

• Remember to bring the rings and marriage license

• Seat guests as they arrive

• The groom's parents should be seated about 5 minutes before start time

• Mother of the bride is normally seated last

• Take a deep breath, don't worry, be HAPPY and SMILE!