Wedding

10-12 Months Before

• Introduce both families and officially announce your engagement.
• Find out who pays for what and start a budget.
• Create a guest list.
• Compare calendars and select a tentative date.
• Choose your wedding party.
• Create a wedding website to share your engagement.
• Consider whitening your teeth for your engagement parties and photographs.
• Conduct interviews and hire a wedding coordinator if applicable.
• Decide if you want premarital counseling.
• Start looking at photos of wedding dresses for inspiration.
• Send your engagement photo to the local paper.
• Begin thinking about where you want to honeymoon.
• Visit and book your reception site, and arrange for parking.
• Visit and book your ceremony location, including rehearsal time.
• Create a save-the-date guest list.

6-9 Months Before

• Alert out-of-town guests of wedding date by sending out save-the-date cards.
• Find a salon for hair and makeup and begin trying on wedding attire.
• Get in shape for your wedding gown by starting an exercise routine.
• Get ideas for honeymoon locations and research pricing.
• Start looking at floral designs and interview florists for style and cost.
• Search for menu ideas and start meeting with caterers.
• Research wedding photography and interview wedding photographers & videographers.
• Get ideas for music and interview bands or DJs.
• Finalize flower and décor ideas, and select a florist.
• Sign a caterer.
• If wearing a wedding dress, order your gown and wedding veil.
• Shop for and select the perfect wedding party attire.
• Book your honeymoon!
• Find out if your ceremony location requires liability insurance.
• Finalize contracts with your wedding photographer and videographer.
• Book your DJ or band.
• Browse and purchase wedding accessories, shoes, lingerie, purse, and gloves.
• Choose your officiant and discuss ceremony ideas.
• Start thinking about all of your gift registry options.
• Select three hotels in varying price ranges and reserve rooms for out-of-town guests.

4-5 Months Before

• Start thinking about cultural traditions for your wedding.
• View wedding invitation styles and proper research wording.
• Look at photos to get ideas for wedding cake designs, and meet with bakers to taste samples.
• Discuss menu ideas with your catering manager.
• Shop for wedding rings.
• Confirm your wedding party has ordered their gowns/tuxes and decide on accessories.
• Have your mother and future mother-in-law coordinate and select their dresses.
• Compare pricing, place your wedding invitation order, and book your calligrapher.
• Purchase your wedding rings and send for engraving if applicable.
• Get ideas for wedding favors.
• Confirm dates for wedding showers and bachelorette parties.
• Make sure you’ve started your registries before wedding shower invitations are sent.
• Choose your baker and finalize the wedding cake.
• Reserve rental equipment such as chairs, tables, linens, tents, etc.
• Research and book your rehearsal dinner location.
• Get ideas for wedding hair and makeup.
• Notify any family or friends whom you would like to give readings, sing solos, serve as guest book attendants, etc.
• Interview and hire any additional management staff and babysitters if needed.
• Give your guest list to shower hostesses and check that your registry has enough items.
• Update wedding website.
• Consider getting wedding insurance.

2-3 Months Before

• Finalize guest list and submit invitations to the calligrapher.
• Book makeup artist and hairstylist.
• Order your wedding favors.
• Candles, baskets, ring pillow… it’s time to start browsing and purchasing wedding accessories!
• Consider signing up for dance classes.
• Schedule your last tasting and finalize the menu.
• Find gifts for each other, your attendants, your shower hostess, and your parents.
• Prep for your honeymoon.
• Choose your getaway. Finalize wedding transportation.
• Look into joint bank accounts, insurance, and merging your money.
• Select your music for the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception, and review it with musicians and singers.
• Check that there are enough options left on your registry, and update your wedding website.
• Finalize dinner plans and order rehearsal invitations, menus, table numbers, escort cards, and other stationery accessories.
• Mail invitations eight weeks before your wedding day.

1-2 Months Before

• Have your first gown fitting. Remember to bring shoes, the appropriate underwear, hair accessories, jewelry, a camera, and your mom or best friend.
• Finalize ceremony readings and songs, and review with performers.
• Order liquor and beverages not handled by the caterer.
• Meet with your officiant to finalize the ceremony, including attendant formations.
• Begin writing your vows if applicable.
• Begin writing thank-you notes for the wedding shower and early wedding gifts. Also, update your registry.
• Research where to get your marriage license.
• Prepare a photo and video shot list, naming essential family members and guests.
• Schedule the bridesmaids’ luncheon and buy attendant gifts if you haven’t already.
• Begin whitening your teeth for your wedding day.
• Consider liability insurance for your reception location.

3-4 Weeks Before

• Finalize your jewelry, which may include something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.
• Prepare a must-have shot list for your wedding photographer and videographer.
• Finalize your “must play” and “don’t play” music lists and review with musicians.
• Practice your first dance wearing your bridal shoes.
• Design and order your wedding program.
• Confirm honeymoon and travel arrangements, and give loved ones your itinerary in an emergency.
• Call guests who haven’t RSVP’d.
• Pick up your wedding rings.
• Get your marriage license, typically no earlier than 30 days before the wedding.
• Research how to change your name.
• Mail your rehearsal-dinner invitations.
• Purchase small candles, candies, and mints for your guest powder room.
• Then, meet your stylist to discuss and test the perfect makeup and hair for your
• bridal style.

1-2 Weeks Before

• Have your final wedding gown fitting.
• Finalize your wedding-day schedule and share it with attendants, parents, and all vendors.
• Confirm all of your beauty appointments.
• Confirm pick-up times, schedules, and addresses with your wedding-day transportation.
• Pick up your wedding dress and ensure all of your accessories are together.
• Please pick up the groom’s outfit, ensure it fits, and gather all his accessories together.
• Finalize your vows for the ceremony.
• Get your hair colored and trimmed.
• Confirm final headcount.
• Give final attendance numbers to vendors and confirm the last date and time for deliverables and pick-ups after the wedding.
• Pack for your wedding night and honeymoon.
• Create a “wedding box” to gather your ceremony accessories (marriage license, candles, ring pillow, basket, guest book) and assign someone to transport them.
• Prepare a “reception box” for accessories such as guest books, cameras, toasting goblets, cake toppers, etc., and assign someone to transport them.
• Prepare all of your wedding favors for transportation to the reception venue and assign someone to move them.
• Finalize your seating arrangements and submit them to the caterer.
• Prepare place cards.
• Confirm dates, times, and locations for all photo and video sessions on the wedding day.
• Confirm dates, times, and locations with all vendors.

The Day Before

• Prepare a list of payment envelopes – including tips – earmarking who is responsible for distributing to vendors.
• Hand out assignment lists and checklists to ensure everyone knows their tasks, including those responsible for transporting gifts.
• Hand out ceremony box to appropriate person.
• Hand out reception box to appropriate person.
• Hand out favor box to appropriate person.
• Assign someone to mail your announcement cards.
• Gather together your wedding dress, accessories, and bridal emergency kit.
• Get a manicure, pedicure, and massage.
• Rehearse ceremony with officiant and wedding party.

The Wedding Day

• Your day has arrived! You may be nervous, but try to eat breakfast and drink plenty of fluids.
• Take a lavender bath – it’s very relaxing.
• Be sure to wear a button-down shirt for your hair and makeup appointments.

After The Wedding

• Get your wedding dress cleaned and preserved.
• Preserve your bouquet.
• Write and mail your thank-you notes.
• Complete your name-change kit.
• Check into your store’s bridal registry completion program.
• Meet with photographer and videographer to finalize albums and video.