Wedding Planning Timeline

If you have just become engaged and do not have the first idea about planning for your wedding do not worry this article will help you figure things out. There are a lot of things that you will be doing over course of the planning. Always remember to write down the important information. I know from personal experience that if I do not write things down they will be forgotten. You can get a wedding planning notebook and write down all of your ideas. Believe me this kind of thing just does not happen in a day. The wedding planning timeline below may help you organize your wedding a lot better and easier. If you have the help of family and friends that will also make things go smoother for you.

Between 12 to 16 months before the wedding date

1. The first thing you will want to do is choose your wedding date. Sit with your partner and try to figure a date that fits you both the best. You should go and see different halls, chapels, parks, or where ever you may be thinking about having the wedding and ceremony at. Giving yourself at least a year to plan things out will make a much easier time to book where you are going to have the ceremony and reception at and will let that place know how many people will be there and how long you will need to book this place for and things of that nature.
2. Make a wedding book and folder. Use the book to keep all of your notes, ideas, people and other lists you have in order and the folder will help keep all wedding items such as receipts, wedding documentations, and so on in one place. As things start to happen we all get scattered brain. Having these will better keep things together for you and your partner.
3. Plan a budget for your wedding. Without a budget you may find yourself with task to do in the end and not enough funding to cover it all. We do not want any kind of disasters happening right before your very big and most memorable day.
4. You may want to hire someone to help with the wedding. Some brides do this so it is less stressful on them and their spouse. You may have friends and family you can talk to about helping you with planning.
5. Time to pick the ceremony location. Some places may be booked over a year in advance. If you and your partner do find a location you should make a deposit on the place as soon as you have chosen it. Make sure you look at all the fine print before you choose your location and when things check out the way you like them then do it. Also place any documents you may get from the place such as receipt if you give a deposit on it and the other information you get into the folder for your wedding things.
6. Now it is time to choose your reception place. You and your partner have to choose where you want to have the reception at and again make sure to look around first before just going with the first spot. If the places you will be having the ceremony and reception will be different you will want to make sure that they are on the same day and fit in the time frame you are looking at. Again once you have chosen the location make a deposit on it and save all info they give you.
7. Now is the time to start looking for a gown. If you want something that is going to be custom it may take up to a year for everything to be just perfect for it. If there are final touches or altercations that need to be done then this may take some time as well. So you will want to do find a dress well in advance.

8 to 10 months before the big day!

1. You and the groom will want to start choosing the bridal and grooms party. See if any of them are willing to help plan in your wedding.
2. Start shopping for different people for the wedding if at all needed.
3. Find a wedding officiant. This is the person that will be marrying you and your partner.
4. You may want to look at different caterers, or if you just want to have others bring things you can do that if you are on a tighter budget. If you are going to hire a caterer choose the best one that will fit your needs for the day.
5. Pick the photographer and videographer. Again if you know someone that does these things save some cash and ask them if they can do it for you.
6. Of course you will be having music so either start looking for a DJ or band that best suits the type of tunes you want. Some of your friends or family may even DJ or sing and such. You can have them do this for your wedding.
7. This is a tricky thing you will want to choose on bridesmaids dresses and tuxedo colors. Call all of the people that will be part of the wedding and get all of their measurements or have them all go with you and the men go with the groom to have everything sized and picked ready to have ordered. You will want to have all of this done at the same time so the dye colors are all the same. If you are having them pay for their dresses or even if you are going to place a deposit down so you know things will be done in the time you need them to be and if there should need time to make altercations to the dresses. Do not forget place all important information into your folder and date book.
8. You and the spouse should sit down and start making a list of all the people you want to attend the wedding. You will need all of yours and his families, both his friends and your friends and the people they will be bringing with them. If you are limited on space and things like that give them a number of people that they are allowed to have in their parties.
9. Here is something that may be somewhat fun for you. Start signing up for gift registry at different places.
10. Set up your engagement party, then enjoy a nice night. This also gives both families a chance to get to know one another better.

Its getting closer 5 to 7 months before you tie the knot!

1. Make final changes if needed to the guest list. This will also help you when you need to get the invitations and thank you cards together
2. Now you can go shopping for your wedding stationary things. Either go online or to a store and find invitations, thank you cards, and anything else you may need to write on or use for the wedding such as wedding tags for small gifts for the people, or cards for seating and such.
3. Find out who needs accommodations. Out of town guests will need some place to stay before and even after the wedding. Help gather different hotel info or some may stay with you or other friends and family in the area.
4. Now you can find the perfect cake for your wedding. You could even ask some one you know if they would mind making you one. You and your spouse may want to shop around and go do some yummy cake taste testing.

What To Do The Last Four Months Before The Wedding

4 moths
1. You are going to want to shop around for a florist or ask someone you know to help set up arrangements. If you are going to hire a florist make sure you find the perfect one. Gather information, place deposit and get receipts and paper work that is necessary for it.
2. Time to go ring shopping for you and your spouse. You two can make a day of this or a few days if needed to find just that right ring for you to both wear.
3 Months
3. Here's the fun stuff,joking of course! Sending out all of the invitations to the right places and people.
4. If you have to rent anything like decorations, china, fountains, ice sculptures or so on you may want to do all of that ASAP. When doing all of this get the receipts and proper documents and place them in the date book or folder
5. You will want t make limo arrangements or other transportation ideas for yourself and any others you are going to include.
6. Get any wedding favors that may be needed or you can start to make them with others.
7. Now you and whomever you are bringing can go shopping for bridal and grooms men party gift ideas.
2 months
8. Make final choices on wedding music you and your spouse want. Take the list to the DJ or band you have chosen so they can get things set up.
9. Choosing a spot for your rehearsal dinner is next on the list of things to get done. You may have to have reservations and a deposits down before walking in.
10. Make sure you call or stop in to see if all the dresses and tuxedos are there and done right. If anything needs to be modified then do it while you still have the time to do so.
11. If you have hired a caterer, florist, decorator and so on make calls to confirm dates and information with all of them.
1 month before your married
12. It is time to sit down and design the wedding plan. Make sure that you have added everything that will be going on and what time it will be occurring.
13. You and the girls can go out for accessories for your outfits. There is so much like necklace, veil or tiara, earrings, belt, shoes, stockings and anything else you may need.
14. Pick a hair style, makeover and manicure/pedicure date for you and the girls to be pampered before the big day.

Now it is like 2 weeks till the big day. I know you may be getting nervous but all of the big things are done. Now all you do is have some fine tuning. Like calling guests that have not responded back to you to see if they are going to come or not. When you have done this then you can call the caterer or others and give them a head count of all the guests. Oh and do not forget you have to still pick up that marriage certificate. It is time to gather anything that you may need for legal documentation. Gather all rental, floral, DJ , catering and so on. Times of when all of these will be arriving. Also set up a seating plan for all the guests.

Well here it is one week to the wedding and all the way up to the big event there is almost nothing you will have to do except relax and take it easy. Things will go smooth if you just follow everything you have planned. You will want to organize your wedding attire for you and your spouse. If there are any honeymoon plans you may want to call just to confirm things are okay. Pack your bags for the honeymoon if needed and get your passports ready. Make sure you have all the proper information you need to bring with you. Set out other clothing for after the wedding you may want to change into. Here is something you may want to do with the girls. go and have a spa treatment or massage to help relax you.

Now that its the day before the wedding you may want to go and have your hair and nails done along with pedicure. make sure the best man has the rings. All of the things you will be needing are ready to go. Okay so here is the big day! First off do not be alarmed, just relax and stay calm. Eat something so you do not faint or pass out. Then you may want to go and have your makeup done and any final tweaking. Have some one check out the location to make sure everything is set up just right. Take a bunch of family photos and just have a great time. Make sure you make it to the wedding on time and say I do!