|
|
Wedding Planning Timetable
At Least 1 Year
- Arrange for all parents to meet
- Work out budget and review with your parents, if they'll be
paying for any part of the event
- Interview and hire a wedding consultant
if you are using one
- Decide on style of wedding
- Decide who will officiate. Favorite officiates may book up as quickly
as caterers and banquet halls. You will need to consult this person
regarding many issues throughout your planning. When necessary,
book the officiate, church, synagogue, sanctuary or chapel.
- Make preliminary guest list and estimate final party size
- Choose your wedding party and call them
- Set wedding date & time
- Pick a caterer, a ceremony and reception location (if there will be
one, for the engagement party, rehearsal dinner, after-wedding
breakfast). Send a deposit when necessary
- Book a block of rooms for out-of-town guests
- Interview and choose photographers, videographers, florists,
musicians, calligraphers
- Make transportation reservations
- Make plans and shop for your honeymoon
- Shop for wedding gown.
- Send a "Save-the-Date" card to your "A" list guests
10 Months
- Choose a color theme
- Order wedding gown & accessories (have plenty of time if
something should go wrong)
- Make up your final guest list
- Go House or Apartment-hunting with your fiancé.
Narrow choices to a few
9 Months
- Decide what gifts you would like and register for gifts
(china, flatware, etc.)
- Shop for and order invitations, announcements, programs and
any other printed materials
- Have your engagement party. Start a "thank you list" and mail
notes as soon as possible
- Have an engagement picture taken & submit to newspaper
- Create schematics for the processional, recessional, reserved seating. Distribute them to participants
- If you are not having a wedding consultant, arrange for someone
to be in charge of keeping everyone on schedule and coaching
the processional
- Select guests for honors (e.g., toast, speech, blessings)
8 Months
- Discuss wedding attire with mothers of the bride and groom
- Order your accessory items and bridesmaid dresses
- Look at tuxedos
7 Months
- If you are buying a home, get serious about a contract. If you
will be renting, place a deposit
6 Months
- Select guests wedding favors
- Order imprinted yarmulkes.
- Order wedding invitations, programs and other stationery
5 Months
- Arrange for tuxedo rentals
- Book your honeymoon
- Included directions, as needed, in Save-the-date and/or invitations.
Take a trial drive to double check distances & landmarks
4 Months
- Purchase wedding gifts (for attendants & fiance)
- Finalize floral arrangements.
- Set hair, make-up, nail and wax appointments
- Select a bakery for your wedding cake, as well as cakes for pre-
wedding receptions & pastries for after-wedding brunch
- Begin to address invitations or take final guest list to your calligrapher
- Select wedding bands. Place an order
- Get change of address cards from post office and get them ready to mail
- Decide who will ride with whom and where people need to be when
- Prepare programs and/or a wedding booklet for the wedding and assign
one to distribute them
- Have the groom select and order tuxedos for himself, his groomsmen & the dads. If people are in different locations, mail the measurements
- Order table cameras. Make or buy a receptacle for them. Assign
someone the task of collecting the cameras
3 Months
- Final dress fittings for you and your bridesmaids
- Finalize cake arrangements
- Write your own vows
- Buy cake knife, toasting glasses, guest book & garter
- Pick out associated events clothing. Remember shoes (ballet slippers, sandals) for the reception
- Find a hairdresser & make a test run with your veil
- Send invitations (double check postage) (8-10 Weeks)
2 Months
- Get name-change forms for social security, driver's license,
credit cards & bank. Review documents and make needed changes
(e.g. insurance, lease, Health Care Proxy, Living Will, etc.)
- Get blood tests (if required) and marriage license
- Make hair and nails appointments very close to the wedding day
- Finalize menu with caterer
- Review your needs with your photographer and videographer. List
your wedding party, a schedule of events, any toasts or speeches
planned and any special photos, memories or candid's you want. It is
best not to surprise these professionals
- Meet with your entertainment (music, etc.). A schedule of events,
favorite tunes, style of music requested, plus a list of toasts,
speeches, etc. will ensure that the MC and you coordinate
- Arrange the rehearsal dinner, as well as other wedding-day- connected parties
1 Month
- Make guest baskets and assign someone to distribute them
- Make sure all your groomsmen, ushers, ring bearer, and fathers have ordered tuxedos
- Send change-of-address forms to post office
- Reconfirm all reservations and accommodations
- Confirm honeymoon plans
- Start the seating plan for the reception
3 Weeks Before
- Call guests who have not responded
- Finalize reception seating arrangements
- Get your marriage license
- Prepare wedding announcement for the newspaper
- Pick up your wedding bands
- Fill out the table cards or give names to your calligrapher.
- Put fees and tips in envelopes (officiant, soloist, maitre d' etc.)
and give it to someone you assign in making the payments
- Arrange with someone to bring items to the wedding venue, such as
cake knife, toasting glasses, programs, emergency kit for
the bride, wedding license and to take them home
- Arrange for someone to return rentals (tuxedos, chairs, etc.)
- Arrange for someone to take your bouquet and gown "home"
put them in preservation
- Pay all Church, Synagogue or officiant fees
2 Weeks Before
- Call caterer with final total of guests
- Confirm directions, pickup & drop-off points with transportation
service. Confirm all other professionals
1 Week
- Create a detailed schedule of your wedding day activities
- Get a manicure and/or pedicure &/or other beauty services.
- Pack for your honeymoon
- Confirm post-wedding brunch arrangements
1 Day
- Get a manicure
- Attend wedding rehearsal
- Pack wedding day emergency kit. (extra pantyhose, safety pins, thread
and needle, steamer, brush & make- up)
- Get a good night's sleep
Your Wedding Day
- Eat a good breakfast
- Have your make-up done
- Have your hair done
- Give yourself lots of ready-time
- Relax & have fun!
After Your Wedding Day
- Send thank -you’s and/or send gifts to the special people
who made your wedding "happen."
- Send wedding photo and announcement to newspaper(s)
|
|
|
|
