Wedding Planning Checklist
Weddings require a lot of detailed planning over an extended period of time. The following wedding planning checklist is the best place to start, whether you’re a newly engaged couple or are closer to your wedding date and have already started planning.
The checklist is not a absolute list of must-dos, but simply a guideline for what you might choose to do and a rough timetable for when you should do it. A more specific timetable depends on where you want to hold the wedding, how complex you want it to be, and other priorities.
12-15 Months Before the Wedding
- Announce engagement to family and friends
- Envision wedding with partner and both sets of parents
- Create filing system for ideas and paperwork
- Determine budget and who’s contributing to it
- Pick wedding date (can be approximate)
- Start creating guest list
- Hire wedding consultant (optional)
- Find officiant and meet with him or her
- Begin researching vendors
- Start dress shopping
9 - 11 Months Before the Wedding
- Find and book ceremony and reception sites
- Sign up for wedding gift registries
- Choose attendants (bridesmaids, groomsmen)
- Submit engagement announcement to newspapers
- Continue dress shopping
- Choose caterer (if necessary) and start planning menu
- Find photographer and videographer
- Meet with potential florists
- Find and book band of DJ
- Begin planning honeymoon
- Order Invitations and other Stationery (i.e., Response Cards and Thank You Cards)
- Order Save-the-Date Cards
6 - 8 Months Before the Wedding
- Order wedding gown and bridesmaids’ dresses
- Reserve rentals (tent, chairs, etc.)
- Order wedding stationery
- Send Save-the-Date cards
- Start planning rehearsal dinner
- Decide on florist
- Find cake baker
- Reserve Chocolate Fountain
- Choose ceremony music and musicians
- Reserve blocks of hotel rooms for guests
3-5 Months Before the Wedding
- Finalize guest list
- Purchase wedding rings
- Address invitations
- Finalize menu with caterer
- Schedule dress fittings
- Research marriage license requirements
- Pick out groom’s and groomsmen’s clothes
- Shop for wedding favors
- Book rehearsal dinner
- Get travel documents for honeymoon (if necessary) — Don’t forget about passports
6 Weeks - 2 Months Before the Wedding
- Send out invitations
- Have final dress fittings
- Buy accessories for gown
- Prepare ceremony programs
- Finalize menus
- Work on vows (if only you’re writing them yourselves)
- Arrange wedding-day transportation
- Make sure bridesmaids have dresses and accessories
- Buy gifts for wedding party (attendants and family)
- Have practice session with hair and makeup stylists and book both for wedding day
- Confirm ceremony and rehearsal dates and times
- Finalize rehearsal dinner plans
- Have groomsmen submit measurements for tuxedos
3 -4 Weeks Before the Wedding
- Have formal wedding portrait taken
- Submit wedding announcement to newspapers
- Get marriage license and blood tests
- Pick up wedding rings
- Meet with officiant
- Finalize ceremony details
- Confirm honeymoon reservations
- Finalize rehearsal dinner plans
- Send rehearsal dinner invitations
- Work on reception seating plan
- Create song-list for reception
- Ask an attendant to handle wedding gifts at reception and to transport gifts from reception to home
- Hire movers (if you’re moving after wedding)
- Wrap gifts for family and attendants
- Get final haircut and coloring (for bride)
- Select wedding gifts for each other
- Finalize flowers with florist — bring fabric samples
- Prepare welcome baskets and arrange for delivery to guest’s hotel rooms
1- 2 Weeks Before the Wedding
- Follow up with guests who have not RSVP’d
- Finalize seating chart and make place-cards
- Confirm musicians and DJ for ceremony and reception
- Confirm details with photographer, videographer, florist, cake baker and location manager
- Confirm final headcount with caterer
- Get final haircut (for groom)
- Prepare directions, schedule, and contact lists for parents, attendants and vendors
- Pick up dress and veil; pick up and try on tuxedo
- Practice walking in wedding shoes
- Pack for honeymoon
Day Before the Wedding
- Prepare final checks and tips for vendors and servers
- Distribute directions, schedule, and contact lists to parents, attendants and vendors
- Confirm honeymoon travel plans
- Get manicure and pedicure
- Hold wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner
If you require more information or would like to discuss your requirements further, we’ll be happy to help.
Telephone: 949.233-9931 - or - chocofountain@sbcglobal.net
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Posted by: admin | 03-03-2008 | 05:03 PM