First Priorities Upon Becoming Engaged
| Select a wedding date and time | |
| Make a preliminary budget | |
| Start compiling names and addresses of guests and determine the size of the guest list | |
| Select engagement ring with fiancé, if he has not already done so | |
| Announce your engagement in the newspaper | |
| Reserve your locations | |
| ceremony site | |
| reception site | |
| rehearsal dinner/wedding breakfast site | |
| Check catering facilities if you are using a reception center, hotel, etc. | |
| Determine your wedding theme and style and decide on your color scheme. | |
| Hire your professionals | |
| Determine who will officiate your ceremony | |
| wedding consultant, if you plan to use one | |
| caterer, if necessary | |
| florist | |
| videographer | |
| photographer | |
| wedding cake | |
| decide on type of music and hire band, musicians, and/or disc jockey | |
| decorator and/or book decoration rentals | |
| limousine transportation or other arrangements for wedding day | |
| Invitations, personal stationery, and thank you cards | |
| Choose your bridal party | |
| maid of honor | |
| bride's maids | |
| best man | |
| groom's men | |
| all parents | |
| ushers | |
| flower girls | |
| ring bearer | |
| guest book table attendants | |
| Select all bridal party attire | |
| bridal dress, headpiece, veil, shoes, jewelry, and other accessories | |
| men and boy's wedding attire and reserve the right sizes | |
| maid of honor, bridesmaids and flower girl dresses and order the right sizes | |
Second Priorities
| Locations and dinners | |
| Make secondary arrangements for ceremony/reception (deposits should be paid, contracts signed) | |
| Plan luncheon/rehearsal dinner | |
| Make rehearsal arrangements | |
| Reserve block accommodations for out-of-town guests (optional) | |
| Attire | |
| Have fittings for wedding gown and bridesmaid attire. Make sure all bridal attire is ordered. | |
| Have both mothers coordinate and select their dresses. (The dresses don't need to match.) | |
| Bridal sittings | |
| Make appointment to have bridal video done (videographer) | |
| Make appointment to have date video done (videographer) | |
| Make appointment to have engagement pictures taken (photographer) | |
| Make appointment to have bridal portraits taken (photographer) | |
| Make appointment for physical exam. | |
| Shop for wedding rings for bride and groom. | |
| Honeymoon plans | |
| Start planning where you want to go and make reservations. | |
| Finalize all honeymoon plans and send in deposits, if required. Don't delay - some resorts fill up fast in popular months | |
| If you are going on an international honeymoon, make sure you take care of visas, passports, and vaccinations. | |
| Decide where you will live after the wedding. | |
Third Priorities (approximately two months before)
| Complete guest list and compile them in order | |
| Invitations, stationary, etc. | |
| Address invitations and announcements. They should be mailed four weeks before the wedding. | |
| Keep a careful record of all gifts received (write thank-you notes immediately instead of letting them pile up). | |
| Finalize all details with all professionals hired. | |
| Finalize ceremony details. | |
| Make beauty appointments | |
| Hairstylist for bridal portrait sitting, bridal video, and wedding day. | |
| Make-up artist for bridal portrait sitting, bridal video, and wedding day. | |
| Any other spa treatments for your bridal party | |
| Choose a formal bridal portrait for display at reception. | |
| Register at a bridal registry in the towns of both families. | |
| Have a final fitting for your dress and bridal attendants' gowns. | |
| Give your bridesmaids a list of people to invite to your bridal shower. | |
| Complete all physical or dental appointments. | |
| Purchases | |
| Begin shopping for a trousseau. | |
| Gifts for all attendants. | |
| Gift for fiancé, if gifts are being exchanged. | |
| Make sure you have all accessories - garter, guest book and pen, ring pillow, toasting goblets, candles, table place cards, etc. | |
| Prepare maps to ceremony and reception sites, if necessary. | |
| Prepare wedding vows and speeches to be made. | |
| Caterer | |
| Give a tentative count to the caterer | |
| Plan reception menu | |
| Order favors/candies for guests at reception | |
| Have bridesmaid luncheon (optional) | |
| Wedding rings | |
| Have rings purchased and sized properly | |
| Order engravings | |
| Give photographer the list of pictures you want | |
| Give videographer a list of shots, photos, music you would like to be included in the video | |
| Give list of friends/family names and addresses for showers and parties. | |
| Plan any bachelor and bachelorette parties | |
One Month Before
| Get marriage license | |
| Call any guests who have not responded to your invitation | |
| Attend to various business and legal details. Get the necessary forms to | |
| change name. | |
| social security card | |
| driver's license | |
| insurances - auto, health, etc. | |
| bank accounts | |
| credit cards | |
| Make a will | |
| Sign any other legal documents necessary | |
| Prepare wedding announcements to be sent to newspaper | |
| Sent out wedding announcements and invitations | |
| Make sure you are eating healthy and taking care of yourself with exercise and plenty of sleep. | |
| This is the time to experiment with self-tanners or tanning beds if having a golden tone to your skin is important. | |
| Reconfirm the accommodations for out-of-town guests. | |
| Go over final details with all professional services you have engaged, and inform them of any changes. | |
| Make appointment to have nails done. | |
| Give the musicians the list of music for the ceremony/reception. | |
| Prepare ceremony programs and take to a printer. | |
| Prepare seating arrangements for reception, and write out place cards. | |
| Arrange for someone to assist with last-minute errands and to help you dress. | |
| Practice getting your hair done and determine the time it will take, if doing it yourself. | |
| Practice using your make-up in the same type of lighting you will have on your wedding day, if doing it yourself. | |
| Keep up with thank-you notes. | |
| Plan bouquet preservation. | |
| Begin the teeth-whitening process if you plan to do so. | |
| Confirm all honeymoon arrangements. | |
Two Weeks Before
| Arrange to have possessions and gifts moved to your new home. Give a change-of-address card to the post office. | |
| Make sure all bridal wedding attire is picked up and fits. | |
| Have a final conversation with all professionals with confirmation of all time schedules and maps. | |
| Confirm reservations schedule for rehearsal dinner/wedding luncheon with restaurants. | |
| Take time to write out goals, vows, and commitments. It is important to remember the real reason you are going to all this work - your love and commitment to each other! | |
| Arrange babysitter for reception, if necessary. | |
One Week Before
| Make all final payments to professionals you have hired. |
| Meet with wedding consultant for a final detailed briefing. Give consultant favors, seating chart and place cards for reception. |
| Pack your suitcase for the honeymoon. |
| Attend rehearsal dinner party. Stay calm and enjoy yourself. |
| Make sure you get a manicure and pedicure for shiny nails and toes. |
| Make sure all tuxedos are picked up. |
| Have a rehearsal with all participants, reviewing their duties at the ceremony, if applicable. |
| Designate who will meet and help each professional vendor on the wedding day. |
| Arrange for someone to take care of your bouquet preservation. |
| Also arrange for someone to freeze the top layer of your wedding cake so you can enjoy it on your first wedding anniversary! |
One Day Before Your Wedding
| - Put everything you need together. | |
| Wedding dress and all associated accessories. | |
| Rings | |
| Marriage license | |
| Emergency kit - make up, hair spray & pick, extra panty hose, pain reliever, breath mints, safety pins, tissues, etc. | |
| That night, go to bed early. | |
On Your Wedding Day
| Eat something. You have a big day ahead, and many brides have been known to faint. | |
| Take a nice relaxing bath. | |
| Fix hair or have it done at least three to four hours before the ceremony. | |
| Make sure your nails are done. Allow plenty of time for make-up. | |
| Start dressing one to one-and-a-half hours before ceremony. If pictures are being taken before ceremony, have yourself and attendants ready approximately two hours before ceremony. (Photographers and attendants should arrive 45 minutes to 1 hour prior to ceremony for pictures.) | |
| Have the music start 30 minutes prior to the ceremony. | |
| Have guests seated. Five minutes before the ceremony, have groom's parents seated. | |
| Immediately before processional, the bride's mother is seated and the aisle runner is rolled out. | |
| Attend the wedding luncheon. Allow time to relax before your reception, if possible. | |
| If pictures are being taken at the reception, you, your attendants and family members should be at the reception center two hours before the reception. | |
| Before leaving the reception, thank both sets of parents | |
| MOST OF ALL... ENJOY THIS DAY JUST FOR YOU!!! | |
After The Wedding