Wedding Planning

Depending on your personal preferences and the preferences of your husband or wife-to-be, a wedding can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 2 years to plan. If one step in the planning process is missed, the whole wedding could be ruined. To prevent this from happening, we have created a wedding checklist in order to ensure everything goes according to plan on your big day.

7-12 Months Prior

Announce Engagement and have your engagement party
Decide on the wedding style and create a guest list
Choose who you both want in the wedding party
Set the date and time of the wedding
Book your wedding officiant
Choose your wedding song
Decide on "extras" (cake, flowers, dj, photographers etc)
Purchase your wedding dress and bridal accessories
Purchase bridesmaids dresses and accessories (maid of honor as well)
Start planning your honeymoon
Buy (or make) your wedding favors
Purchase your wedding invitations
Plan your rehearsal ceremony and dinner

2-6 Months Prior

Arrange accommodations for out-of-town guests
Finalize the dinner menu
Book your limo (or other form of transportation)
Book the rehearsal dinner site
Book your honeymoon
Purchase your wedding rings
Purchase your gifts for the wedding party
Rent the tuxedos for groom and groomsmen (including bestman)
Schedule a dress fitting (bride)
Book hair and makeup appointment (bride)
Have your bridal shower
Send out the invitations to your guests
Plan the wedding program

1 Month Prior

Get your marriage license (and blood tests if needed)
Final dress fitting (bride)
Arrange seating for your guests
Have your stag and doe party

1-2 Weeks Prior

Pick up the wedding dress
Have your bachelor and bachelorette parties

The Day Before

Give the wedding party their gifts
Pick up the tuxedo(s)
Decorate the wedding site
Have your rehearsal dinner and greet out-of-town guests

Follow these steps in the first step towards a lifetime of marital bliss!

Samantha Taylor spent several years working in the weddings industry as a wedding planner. When she isn't being a mom of two wonderful children, she works as a freelance writer for http://www.yourwedding101.com - a site that offers information about everything wedding related - from wedding planning to wedding invitations and more.

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