If you were one of the lucky people that got engaged at Christmas or New Year, congratulations from us!
This is such an exciting time for you and you will have so much fun planning venues, food, dates, photographers and of course dresses your, your bridesmaids and your flowers girls.
If you’re not sure where to start or how far in advance you need to start booking, we’ve put together this simple to follow checklist to help keep you on track and remove the stress for the process.
We have years of experience in helping organise flower girls dresses, page boy outfits and wedding accessories so we know what we’re talking about.
Book mark this page so you can tick off the items as you complete them.
Once you are engaged.
- Share your good news with you friends, family and social media pages.
- Put a plan in place for both sets of parents to meet.
- Choose your witnesses, bridesmaids and groomsmen.
- Set a wedding budget
- Decide what tasks need completing and who is responsible for what - get your bridal party involved now you have picked them.
- Arrange a meeting at your church to set the date for your big day or If you are having a civil ceremony, then book the registry office or civil venue
- Start looking at venues
12 months before your wedding day
- Think about the size of of wedding you'd like and draft a guest list
- Book appointments with bridal boutiques
- Choose and book your venues
- Think about wedding styles, themes and colours - remember to take into account the time of year and your venue.
- Book your registrar or cleric
- Purchase wedding insurance
- Set up a Personal Website to keep your friends up to date about your wedding
- Book photographer (and videographer)
8 months before your wedding day
- Order your wedding dress and accessories
- Book a wedding caterer, florist, transport, wedding cake and honeymoon
- Contact rental companies to hire cars, furniture or linen
6 months before your wedding day
- Book accommodation for your wedding night and any rooms needed for out of town guests
- Pick someone for your hair and make up
- Buy wedding favours
- Set up a gift list
- Order stationery, groom's clothing
- Choose your rings
- Give notice of marriage/or arrange for your banns to be read in church and pay any necessary fees
- Pick a honeymoon destination and make sure you have a valid passport.
3 months before your wedding day
- Buy gifts for each other, your parents and anyone else in the wedding party you'd like to treat
- Purchase or make your decorations to go with you theme an colours
- Arrange for your initial wedding dress fitting
- Decide on your flower girls dresses
- Meet with your photographer and together create a 'shot list' of the must-take photographs for you wedding. They will have some great idea.
- Plan the wedding menu with your caterer and have a tasting session
- Post your wedding invitations
- Select hymns and music and decide on order of service.
- Write your wedding vows (if you are writing your own)
1 month before your wedding day
- Have your final gown fitting and arrange to pick up your wedding dress
- Check with your suppliers that they know what they're delivering, where they're delivering it to and when it should arrive
- Write and print an order of service
- Enjoy your hen and stag parties
- Write thank you cards as your receive wedding gifts
- Buy a guest book. These are lovely to look back on.
- Finalise seating plan and write place cards
- Confirm head count with caterer
- Break in your wedding shoes around the house
- Give your DJ or wedding musician your song list and wedding party names
2 days before your wedding day
- Check everyone in the wedding party knows what responsibilities they have (e.g. greeting and seating guests, checking suppliers)
- Confirm wedding day transport
- Indulge some pampering - you deserve it - in a manicure and pedicure
- Make sure all wedding day items are packed or laid out
- Get some sleep.
On your wedding day
- Allow plenty of time to get ready
- Enjoy yourself and relax
After your wedding/honeymoon
- Send thank you cards
- Have your wedding dress cleaned and preserved
- Keep in touch with your photographer and/or videographer as they work on your photographs, album and/or DVD
- Arrange to change the surname on your driving licence, with your bank and so on, if necessary