A Wedding Countdown Planner

 
A Wedding Countdown Planner

12 months before the wedding

• Select a Wedding Date and Time (and possibly a backup date)
• Announce your engagement in the local newspaper and online.
• Select what type of wedding (formal, informal, etc.) and time of day
  (size, formality, and setting)
• Set a wedding budget with fiancé and family
• Decide who will pay for what and how expenses will be shared
• Consider hiring a professional wedding consultant
• Draw up your guest list
• Select friends and family to serve as wedding attendants
• Get your ideas for themes and color schemes, for your reception and decorating plans.
• Start health and fitness plan if you're not already on one!
• Register with your favorite bridal registry
• Plan an engagement party with family and friends
• Set appointment with ceremony site representative
• Select and contract your officiate
• Select and contract the wedding and reception sites
• Select a Photographer and/or Videographer
• Select a Caterer
• Select your DJ and or Musicians and plan a song list
• Select your Florist and flowers
• Shop together for your wedding rings
• Select wedding dress, headpiece, and accessories
• Select your bridesmaids dresses and accessories with bridesmaids
• Start thinking about a honeymoon location

6 months before the wedding

• Assist your mothers with shopping for their dresses
• Order your wedding invitations
• Select and order the groom's and ushers' attire
• Meet with travel agent and plan honeymoon
• Order passports if needed for honeymoon
• Order your attendants’ gowns and accessories
• Select bakery and order wedding cake
• Call county administration or courthouse for information on obtaining marriage license
• Book your wedding transportation
• Shop for your trousseau and wedding shoes
• Reserve restaurant for wedding rehearsal dinner
• Finalize reception menu and music selections
• Check out Lodging arrangements for out-of-town guests

2 months before the wedding

• Obtain marriage license
• Finalize and send remaining announcements
• Finalize guest list and mail invitations
• Purchase wedding gifts for groom and attendants
• Open joint checking and savings account
• Have consultation with hair stylist and makeup artist
• Order your bridal lingerie for the honeymoon
• Plan bridesmaids' party
• Have engagement portraits taken
• Finalize what your wedding day accessories
• Arrange attendants parties
• Finalize accommodations for out-of-town attendants and guests
• Set appointments for a hairdresser and/or makeup artist
• Check your Bridal and Honeymoon Registries Finalize all honeymoon plans

1 month before the wedding

• Final wedding dress fitting
• Final fitting for your wedding attendants
• Have your attendants parties
• Purchase your going-away outfit
• Create a calendar of events for the wedding day.
• Make sure your accessories are in order (rings, pillow, garter, etc.)
• Select shop to preserve your wedding gown
• Make seating plan for reception and write up place cards
• Contact credit card companies, Social Security, bank, and DMV if you will be changing your name and/or address.

2 weeks before the wedding

• Confirm final details with your wedding site, as well as with your officiant, florist, photographer, videographer, DJ, musicians, reception site, caterer, limo company, and travel agent etc.
• Provide a list of music you would like played (or not played)
• Finalize music during special events such as first dance, with dad
• Shop for any needed trousseau items & pack for the honeymoon
• Pick up your rings and check that the engravings are what you requested
• Make sure your rings fit!
• Contact the guests who have not responded to your invite.

The week before the wedding

• If you can, take part of the week off from work!
• Make sure your marriage license is in order
• Purchase travelers checks, confirm honeymoon reservations
• Pack your baggage for your honeymoon
• Have your wedding ceremony rehearsal
• Instruct your wedding party on what they will be doing on the day of the wedding
• Have your rehearsal dinner
• Make sure all wedding attire fits properly
• Give the best man the amounts your vendors are to be paid on the day of the wedding
• Inform your caterer of the total guest count
• Confirm out-of-town guests have transportation and sleeping accommodations.

The day before your wedding

• Take a deep breath
• Have a day of pampering at your favorite beauty spa with your bridesmaids
• Final packing for church, reception and honeymoon
• Attend Wedding rehearsal and dinner if not done previously
• Keep alcohol intake to a minimum
• Try to get a good night's sleep

The Big day!

• Have fun! --Your primary goal today is to get married!
• Forget about everything above!
• Relax, enjoy yourself, and remain calm!
• Allow at least two hours for dressing
• Allow plenty of time to apply your makeup and style your hair
• If professionals are doing your hair and/or makeup, determine the time they will need
• If photographs are to be taken before the ceremony, allow plenty of time for that!
• Remember to bring the rings and marriage license
• Have ushers seat guests as they arrive
• The groom's parents should be seated about 5 minutes before start time
• Mother of the bride is normally seated last
• Take a deep breath, don't worry, BE HAPPY and SMILE!

After the Big Day

• Go on your honeymoon!
• Have mother or bridesmaid take your wedding gown in to be cleaned and preserved.
• Have the best man return the groom's wedding attire
• Live happily ever after!

Brookside Farm is operated by Family Care Foundation.

All proceeds from weddings support the charity work of Family Care Foundation, as do car donations. Click here to make a car donation, truck donation, RV donation or boat donation to Donate Car to Charity