The Ultimate Wedding Checklist: What to Do in the Months Prior to Your Big Day

Becoming engaged is an amazing event and one that deserves special attention. The sheer excitement of the engagement is often so great that brides-to-be neglect to handle everything that must be done before the actual wedding day arrives. Here is a checklist that can help soon-to-be brides to ensure that they take care of all arrangements before the wedding.

Given that most engagements last from one year to eighteen months, brides should begin their planning at the eighteen month mark. Those getting married in a year or less will have to do many of the tasks that are recommended for the twelfth to eighteenth months during the year leading up to the wedding.

The very first thing that brides-to-be should do, after announcing their engagement that is, is to create a wedding binder. This will give an excellent reference point and ensure that all tasks are carried out promptly and correctly. Browsing through various gardening, fashion, design, food and bridal magazines is an excellent way to get ideas for an upcoming wedding.

The budget is an important factor and should be determined early in the wedding planning process. Brides should determine just how much cash they will have to spend toward the wedding preparations and should note exactly where the money will be coming from (via family contributions, savings, etc.)

Finally, in the year leading up to the wedding, the wedding party should be chosen and confirmed and the guest list should be made. This can be altered later if needed, but a rough draft of the guest list is crucial in order for brides to ensure that food planning, gifts and other tasks can be completed.

At twelve months before the wedding, the officiator should be chosen and the caterer should be secured. The location of the wedding as well as the reception should be secured as well.

Eight months before the wedding -

Picures and Videos - At this point, the photographer and videographer should be secured. Brides should ensure that these two jobs be secured so as not to find themselves without a photographer and videographer at the wedding.

Reception Entertainment - Entertainment should be booked as soon as possible. This should be done at least eight months prior to the wedding day, to ensure that the group or person entertaining has availability for the wedding date.

Catering - Caterers should be considered at this point, although it is not necessary to make the ultimate choice yet. For those who do not choose a wedding venue with a catering service, it is crucial to meet with various caterers and choose the one that will cater the wedding. Actually booking the caterer can be done six months before the wedding, but choosing the food and the catering service should be done as quickly as possible.

The wedding dress - It is crucial that brides choose and purchase a wedding dress at least eight months prior to the wedding date. This gives time for any alterations that may need to be done. It is also important that brides schedule time for no less than three fittings of the dress, to ensure that it fits perfectly. The veil and shoes can be purchased at a later date.

Six Months Before the Wedding -

Invitations - Brides and grooms should select and purchase their wedding invitations, hire a calligrapher and address cards at this time. Invitations need time to reach out of town guests and these guests need time to RSVP.

The Honeymoon - Many vacation areas require at least three months advance on reservations. The honeymoon location should be chosen six months prior to the wedding and allpassports and other documents should be checked for validity at this point.

Bridesmaid's Dresses - It is recommended that bridesmaid's dresses be chosen and ordered at least six months prior to the wedding, in order to have time for alterations if needed.

Flowers - This is the time to book a florist. Since most florists can handle more than one client on specific days, this task can be put off until two to three months before the wedding. However, it is a good idea to go ahead and take care of this task, just to ensure that time is given for more time-consuming tasks closer to the wedding day.

Four Months Before The Wedding -

The Wedding Cake - This is the time to choose and order the wedding cake. Many bakers require several weeks of lead time, so ordering at least four mnoths prior to the wedding date is highly recommended.

Wedding Shoes and Veil - This is also the time to go ahead and purchase the wedding shoes and veil. Any additional wedding dress fittings should also be completed at this point.

Hair and Makeup - Appointments for hair and makeup should be made at this point, so brides-to-be should visit several area salons and choose the expert that will serve them on their wedding day.

Three Months Before The Wedding -

Menu and Flowers - The wedding reception menu and the flowers for the ceremony should be finalized at this point.

Reception Toasts - It is important, for time constraints, that bride and grooms choose the people who will be making their wedding toasts at the reception. Three months prior to the wedding is recommended for securing these toasters.

Rings - It simply wouldn't be a wedding without rings. This is the time to choose and purchase wedding rings. This allows enough time for custom engraving and resizing if necessary.

Two Months Before The Wedding -

Things are getting very close at this point and many tasks should be finalized by now. There are certain things that should be done at this point to ensure that the wedding goes off without a hitch. Placing a newspaper announcement, finalizing the music choices and enjoying bachelor and bachelorette parties are the most recommended tasks at this stage.

One Month Before The Wedding -

Guests - At this point, all guests should have sent in RSVPs. Brides should ensure that the caterer has all the information pertaining to number of guests.

Marriage License - The actual process of receiving a marriage license can take up to six days in many areas, so obtaining the license early is a good idea.

Dress - This is the time to visit the dressmaker for a final fitting.

Bridesmaids' gifts - Gifts for bridesmaids are very common and this is the perfect time to ensure that these gifts are purchased.

Vows - For brides and grooms who are planning to write their own vows, this is the time to get them finished and ready for the ceremony.

The Week Of The Wedding -

This will likely be a very hectic week as final preparations are made and the big day draws closer and closer. Hopefully, most of the more difficult and time-consuming tasks have already been completed. This is the time for brides to take care of themselves, eat right and get plenty of rest. There are however, a few details that must be attended to before the big day.

Wedding Dress - Brides should ensure that they pick up their wedding dresses no more than one week before the wedding day.

Wedding Day Task Delegation - It is a good idea to choose people to handle small tasks on the wedding day. Brides may want to delegate tasks such as handing out tips, conversing with vendors and carrying bridal dresses and other necessities to the wedding location.

Other tasks will need to be done such as breaking in new shoes, setting a time for bridesmaids to meet together and packing for the honeymoon. By this point, most brides-to-be are typically nervous and may forget smaller tasks that need to be completed. This is why it is an excellent idea to appoint people to handle smaller tasks on the day of the wedding.