If planning a wedding within the next few months or so, it is advisable that you start to prepare and plan early. Whether one prefers to have a grand ceremony or a private intimate affair, you will still need to sort out your wedding checklist in order to make that special day absolutely satisfying and perfect. The following is a sample of the activities to carry out throughout the course of the period before the actual ceremony.
Within the first twelve months prior to a wedding, you should be considering what type of ceremony you would like to have. This means that the you should decide on the theme, style as well as the formality that will be involved in their wedding ceremony. This is also where they decide if they will have a garden wedding or in a hall. Secondly, fix the priorities so that one is familiar with which attributes of the ceremony come first. This will also help with setting the budget. Set the wedding date with a second option in mind in case the first does not fit well into your preferred vendors as well as with the bridal party or the clergy involved, if any. Think about hiring a wedding planner to help with the plans. This makes the process less tedious and can save a lot of stress (let them stress out).
Eleven months before the actual nuptials, you will need to start interviewing the vendors:
- wedding photographers,
- the caterer,
- florist,
- the band or DJ or wedding performer.
Begin identifying banquet halls, some fantastic reception sites as well as the site where the actual ceremony will take place. By the time the calendar is hitting ten months to the ceremony, you should have identified the people who you want to grace as wedding attendants or members of the bridal party. It is also the time to start working on the guest list. In the ninth month of preparations the bride should identify a wedding gown and prepare the engagement party as well as create and send any local announcements of the wedding in the local daily.
During the next three months that follow, the bride will have to narrow down their wedding gown choices as well as deciding on the bridesmaids’ and flower girls dresses. Do the ring shopping at this time as well as getting any legal requirements such as pre-nuptial agreements completed. This is also when rehearsal dinner plans are to be put into gear.
Within the fourth month you should have located someone responsible enough to take care of any hiccups on the actual wedding date, making sure it is someone you trust. Confirm with all the vendors and put down your agreements in contracts. At the same time start on your honeymoon getaway, sorting out passport and visa requirements if making a trip abroad.
After this the last few months and weeks are to be spent finalizing on the actual wedding ceremony. The person should meet with the minister who will officiate over the marriage and go through the ceremony details with them. Last minute fittings, appointments with the vendors, transport for the day and sending out the wedding invitations at least eight weeks prior to the day.