Wedding Planner for Couples

Planning a wedding is a huge undertaking. Use this planner to be sure you haven't forgotten anything as your special day approaches...

Six months or more before the wedding ~
* Choose your engagement ring. You may go together to pick this out. Or he may want to surprise you with a traditional drop-to-one-knee proposal. How ever you do it, get it done! The next six months are going to fly by, and you want time to show off the engagement before the wedding day is upon you.
* Announce your engagement. Tell family and friends, and contact your local newspaper about a published announcement. Consider having a nice picture of the two of you made, which some newspapers will include with the announcement.
* Decide what time of the year you want to get married. Come up with a few dates to consider, so that you can start checking with attendants and guests for any schedule conflicts.
* Talk with your prospective spouse, and both sets of parents if appropriate, about a budget for you wedding. Decide what sort of wedding you want and want you're willing/able to pay.
* Discuss how many attendants you want to have. Best man, Maid or Matron of Honor, Bridesmaids, Ushers, Ringbearer, Flowergirl; you could have any or all of these. Get in contact with the people that you want to be part of the wedding, so you can be sure they're available on the date your planning for the wedding.
* Make your guest list. Remember that some people who won't have any intention of traveling to your wedding will still appreciate receiving an invitation.
* Decide on and reserve a location for the wedding and the reception. Remember that popular sights fill up months, (and sometimes years!) in advance.
* Decide who will perform your ceremony, and reserve his or her time. Again, some seasons are very busy for officials, so get in touch with someone as soon as possible.

Three to six months before the wedding ~
* Book your photographer.
* Book the DJ or band for your reception, and an organist or other music for the ceremony.
* Plan and book your honeymoon trip. The further in advance you make these reservations, the better deal you're likely to get on prices.
* Decide on the bridal gown, groom's wedding clothes, and outfits for the attendants. Get a preliminary list together of sizes.
* Register for gifts. Many registries are online now. Take advantage of the convenience.
* Choose your florist and decide on the floral arrangements.
* Arrange your transportation. Who's delivering the wedding party to the location? How will they get from the ceremony to the reception? Are there out of town guests that will need to be collected from the airport?
* Order invitations and thank-you stationery.
* Consider purchasing or reserving the groom's wedding clothing now. Guys are less likely to change sizes, so you may be able to get this detail out of the way early.
* Purchase wedding rings, if you haven't done this yet. Remember that they may need to be sized, and allow time for that.
* If you're planning on buying a going-away out fit to travel after the reception, or clothing for the wedding night, get it selected and purchased during this time.
* If you're planning on giving gifts to your attendants, select them and if applicable arrange for engraving.

One to three months before the wedding ~
* Mail the invitations!
* Do final gown fittings for the bride and female attendants.
* Send announcements to newspaper with the wedding date and reception info. (This is different from the engagement announcement you sent in earlier.)
* Make sure that lodging arrangements or hotel reservations have been made for out of town guests.

One month before the wedding ~
* Finalize the cake order, and make sure you've arranged for delivery, or designated someone responsible to pick it up.
* Pick up the bride's dress and accessories. Try them on one last time to be sure everything is fitted properly.
* If the bride is having her hair done professionally before the wedding, make the appointment for the hairdresser.
* Practice hairstyle with veil. Do you hair as close as you can to how you'll be wearing it on the wedding day, and practice pinning the veil in place to be sure you know how to fasten in securely.
* Collect forms that the bride will need to change her name on legal documents, so you'll have these ready as soon as the marriage certificate arrives..
* If you're planning to use traveler's check on the honeymoon. Order them now, and arrange to pick them up in the next week or so. (You may be able to have them mailed to you.)
* Fill out change of address forms for the post office, so that your mail will catch up with you in your new married home. Make sure the post office understands that the bride's name will be changing soon.
* Get a final tally of how many guests you're expecting, and notify the caterer.

Two weeks before the wedding ~
* Make sure all the forms are in order with your local registrar for the marriage license

One week before the wedding ~
* Pack your luggage for the honeymoon.
* If you're wearing new shoes to the wedding, start wearing them around the house to break them in, so you don't get blisters on the wedding day.

One day before the wedding ~
* Send your luggage ahead to the hotel, so you don't have worry about it after the ceremony.
* Contact all your attendants, and last minute review any details or changes.
* Double-check that everyone involved in the wedding has transportation arranged

On the wedding day ~
* Relax! If you've done everything else on this list, enjoy the day knowing that everything has been taken care of.

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