First Priorities

• Select a date for your wedding.
• Determine an initial budget.
• Start your guest list early and compile names and addresses.
• Select your engagement ring with fiance.
• Announce your engagement in the local newspaper.

• Ceremony site
• Reception site
• Rehearsal dinner/wedding breakfast site

• Check catering facilities if you are using a reception center, hotel, etc.
• Determine who will officiate at the ceremony
• Determine your wedding theme and style and decide on your color scheme

• Wedding consultant, if you plan to use one.
• caterer, if necessary
• florist
• videographer
• photographer
• wedding cake
• decide on type of music and hire band, musicians, and/or disk jockey
• decorator and/or book decoration rentals
• limousine transportation or other arrangements for wedding day
• Invitations, personal stationery, and thank you cards
• videographer
• photographer
• wedding cake

• maid of honor
• bride's maids
• best man
• groom's men
• all parents
• ushers
• flower girls
• ring bearer
• guest book table attendants

• bridal dress, headpiece, veil, shoes, jewelry, and other accessories.
• men and boy's wedding attire and reserve the right sizes.
• maid of honor, bridesmaids and flower girl dresses and order the right sizes.
• groom's men
• all parents
• ushers
• flower girls
• ring bearer
• guest book table attendants

Check requirements for blood test and marriage license in your state.

Secondary Priorities

• Locations and Dinners.
• Make secondary arrangements for ceremony/reception (deposits should be paid, contracts signed).
• Plan luncheon/rehearsal dinner.
• Make rehearsal arrangements.
• Reserve block accommodations for out-of-town guests (optional)

• Make appointment to have bridal video done (videographer)
• Make appointment to have date video done (videographer)
• Make appointment to have engagement pictures taken (photographer)
• Make appointment to have bridal portraits taken (photographer)
• Make appointment for physical exam.
• Shop for wedding rings for bride and groom.

• Start planning where you want to go and make reservations.
• Finalize all honeymoon plans and send in deposits, if required. Don't delay - some resorts fill up fast in popular months)
• If you are going on an international honeymoon, make sure you take care of visas, passports, and vaccinations.

Getting Closer (approximately two months before)

• Complete guest list and compile them in order.
• Finalize all honeymoon plans and send in deposits, if required. Don't delay - some resorts fill up fast in popular months)
• If you are going on an international honeymoon, make sure you take care of visas, passports, and vaccinations.

• Address invitations and announcements. They should be mailed four weeks before the wedding.
• Keep a careful record of all gifts received (write thank-you notes immediately instead of letting them pile up).
• Finalize all details with all professionals hired.
• Finalize ceremony details.

• Hairstylist for bridal portrait sitting, bridal video, and wedding day.
• Make-up artist for bridal portrait sitting, bridal video, and wedding day.
• Any other spa treatments for your bridal party
• Choose a formal bridal portrait for display at reception.
• Register at a bridal registry in the towns of both families.
• Have a final fitting for your dress and bridal attendants' gowns.
• Give your bridesmaids a list of people to invite to your bridal shower.
• Complete all physical or dental appointments.

• Begin shopping for a trousseau.
• Gifts for all attendants.
• Gift for fiance, if gifts are being exchanged.
• Make sure you have all accessories - garter, guest book and pen, ring pillow, toasting goblets, candles, table place cards, etc.
• Prepare maps to ceremony and reception sites, if necessary.
• Prepare wedding vows and speeches to be made.

• Give a tentative count to the caterer
• Plan reception menu.
• Order favors/candies for guests at reception.
• Have bridesmaid luncheon (optional).

• have rings purchased and sized properly
• order engravings
• Give photographer the list of pictures you want.
• Give videographer a list of shots, photos, music you would like to be included in the video.
• Give list of friends/family names and addresses for showers and parties.
• Plan any bachelor and bachelorette parties.

One Month Before

• Get marriage license.
• Call any guests who have not responded to your invitation.
• Attend to various business and legal details. Get the necessary forms to:
• change name.
• social security card
• driver's license
• insurances - auto, health, etc.
• bank accounts
• Make a will.

• Prepare wedding announcements to be sent to newspaper.
• Send out wedding announcements and invitations.
• Make sure you are eating healthy and taking care of yourself with exercise and plenty of sleep.
• This is the time to experiment with self-tanners or tanning beds if having a golden tone to your skin is important.
• Reconfirm the accommodations for out-of-town guests.
• Go over final details with all professional services you have engaged, and inform them of any changes.
• Make appointment to have nails done.
• Give the musicians the list of music for the ceremony/reception.
• Prepare ceremony programs and take to a printer.
• Prepare seating arrangements for reception, and write out place cards.
• Arrange for someone to assist with last-minute errands and to help you dress.
• Practice getting your hair done and determine the time it will take, if doing it yourself.
• Practice using your make-up in the same type of lighting you will have on your wedding day, if doing it yourself.
• Keep up with thank-you notes.
• Plan bouquet preservation.
• Begin the teeth-whitening process if you plan to do so.
• Confirm all honeymoon arrangements.

Two Weeks Before

• Arrange to have possessions and gifts moved to your new home. Give a change-of-address card to the post office.
• Make sure all bridal wedding attire is picked up and fits.
• Have a final conversation with all professionals with confirmation of all time schedules and maps.
• Confirm reservations schedule for rehearsal dinner/wedding luncheon with restaurants.
• Take time to write out goals, vows, and commitments. It is important to remember the real reason you are going to all this work - your love and commitment to each other!
• Arrange babysitter for reception, if necessary.

One Week Before

• Make all final payments to professionals you have hired.
• Meet with wedding consultant for a final detailed briefing. Give consultant favors, seating chart and place cards for reception.
• Pack your suitcase for the honeymoon.
• Make sure you get a manicure and pedicure for shiny nails and toes.
• Make sure all tuxedos are picked up.
• Have a rehearsal with all participants, reviewing their duties at the ceremony, if applicable.
• Designate who will meet and help each professional vendor on the wedding day.
• Arrange for someone to take care of your bouquet preservation.
• Also arrange for someone to freeze the top layer of your wedding cake so you can enjoy it on your first wedding anniversary!

On The Wedding Day

• Eat something. You have a big day ahead, and many brides have been known to faint.
• Take a nice relaxing bath.
• Fix hair or have it done at least three to four hours before the ceremony.
• Start dressing one to one-and-a-half hours before ceremony. If pictures are being taken before ceremony, have yourself and attendants ready approximately two hours before ceremony. (Photographers and attendants should arrive 45 minutes to 1 hour prior to ceremony for pictures.)
• Have the music start 30 minutes prior to the ceremony.
• Have guests seated. Five minutes before the ceremony, have groom's parents seated.
• Immediately before processional, the bride's mother is seated and the aisle runner is rolled out.
• Attend the wedding luncheon. Allow time to relax before your reception, if possible.
• If pictures are being taken at the reception, you, your attendants and family members should be at the reception center two hours before the reception.
• Before leaving the reception, thank both sets of parents
• MOST OF ALL... ENJOY THIS DAY JUST FOR YOU!!!

After The Wedding

• Write and mail thank-you notes.