This is a brief overview
of the timeline and some of the steps you may want to take leading up to
your wedding. This is by no means a definitive list. It's intended as a
guide to make your life easier and your planning process less stressful.
6 - 12 months prior to
your wedding:
- Decide on your wedding budget. This
can be a bit tricky, as you may not be familiar with prices at this
early stage, but it's important that you don't end up paying more
than you can afford.
- Decide on your wedding date.
- Decide who you want in the bridal
party
- Set the date with the church or
marriage celebrant.
- Start putting together the guest
list.
- Talk to as many venues as you can in
your area and reserve it. The wedding season in Sydney/Australia
is typically between Easter and September. If you don't mind getting
married outside these dates, you will likely receive significant
discounts.
- If the wedding reception does not
provide catering, choose a caterer and bear in mind dietary needs of
your guests.
- Interview as many photographers as
you are able and set the date with your chosen
wedding photographer.
- If you would like video, choose you
wedding videographer.
- Book your florist.
- Decide on wether you want a live
band and set a date with the band or DJ. You may want to do it
yourself, in which case you might want to
hire your audio visual
equipment.
- Establish a colour theme for your
wedding.
- Select the bride's dress and
accessories and the bride's maids dresses.
4 - 6 months prior to the
wedding day:
- Establish a bridal registry with
your favourite store(s)
- Decide and reserve groom and
groomsmen tuxedos.
- Determine the dress for the parents
of the bride and groom.
- Design invitations and have them
printed. There are some excellent online design/printing websites
for wedding invitations. They offer fast delivery too.
- If you will be going on a honeymoon,
decide the destination and book it early.
- Go to your favourite cake shop and
order the wedding cake.
- Buy the wedding rings.
- If you intend having a bridal
shower, this is the time to start planning.
- Consider putting up a wedding
website. You can publish invitations and later your wedding photos
and video for all the guests to see.
2 - 4 months before
wedding:
- Send out the wedding invitations.
- Plan the wedding rehearsal. Too many
couples leave this till late, adding to the stress.
- If you have created a wedding
website, put your wedding invitations up there.
1 - 2 months before
wedding:
- Send out the wedding invitations.
- Have the final wedding and bride's
maids dress fittings and alterations.
- If it's part of the agreement with
your photographer, take the formal wedding portrait.
- Set up appointments with the
hairdresser and makeup artist. Decide wether you will be going to
them or they will be coming to you.
- Finalize the order for your wedding
cake.
- If you are hiring a
DJ, decide on the song list.
- Make a detailed list list for your
wedding photographer of "must take" photos.
2 weeks prior to your
wedding:
- Finalize the seating arrangement for
the wedding reception.
- Confirm the final number of guests
with wedding venue and caterers.
1 week before wedding:
- Double check that the caterer is
ready for the wedding.
- Confirm that the photographer and/or
videographer are ready for the wedding.
- Confirm that your chosen floral
arrangements will be ready for the wedding.
- Have a final chat to your
wedding DJ and make any last
minute song list changes.
- If you are using a wedding
coordinator, go over the details.
On your wedding day.
- Put lipstick on mom's purse.
- Attend pre-wedding photography
portrait (revealing time) if applicable.
- Deliver favors, place cards, guest
book, flutes, etc. to ceremony/reception site.
- Remember to greet every guest.
- All the hard work has been done.
Relax and enjoy. After all, it's your wedding!
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