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!
About the Author
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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