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Your Wedding Twelve-Month
Countdown Planner
By E. E. Kane
A wedding can seem an
overwhelming event to coordinate, but with a well-thought-out plan, your
wedding will be enjoyable for you and your guests. It is never too early to
plan, even if you aren’t having 500 guests. Whether you decide on a small or
large wedding, take a little time to talk about what each of you thinks is the
perfect wedding for you as a couple. The groom is often neglected in planning
a wedding. You are a couple now and he should be involved. Below is a
suggested schedule of priorities.
12 months
Choose a date
Decide on the size of the
wedding
Talk with the parents if
they will be involved financially and work out a budget suitable for all
involved
Interview wedding planners
or consultants, if using one
Book a venue for the
ceremony
Discuss site for the
reception
Book an Officiant – either
clergy in a religious ceremony or a Justice of the Peace
Send engagement announcement
to the newspapers
11 months
Hire a wedding planner or
consultant, or enlist a close friend or relative gifted in coordinating events
Compile a guest list for an
approximate head count
Mail save-the-date notices
if marrying on a big holiday or in an exotic destination
Research photographers,
videographers, florists, cake decorators, caterer, DJ or band, and musicians
for the wedding and reception - book each as soon as possible
Book a site for reception
Decide on a theme for the
reception (and ceremony, if you like)
Begin to research music for
ceremony and reception
Choose wedding attendants
10 months
Shop for a wedding gown
Shop for attendants’ dresses
Choose wedding rings
Meet with clergy for
premarital counseling
Research honeymoon
destinations; decide on a honeymoon budget
Hire a photographer
9 months
Register at major department
stores or your favorite chain stores
Hire a caterer and discuss
food choices.
Decide on colors for the
wedding and reception
Hire a florist
8 months
Order the invitations and
any inserts such as RSVPs, maps, or special instructions
Hire musicians for the
ceremony and a band or DJ for the reception
7 months
Shop for bridal accessories:
shoes, veil, jewelry, etc.
Choose a photographer for
portraits, if the wedding photographer does not do portraits
Hire a cake decorator;
choose cakes and flavors
Research the requirements
for a marriage license for the state or country where you will be married
6 months
Plan the rehearsal and
rehearsal dinner, and reserve rehearsal dinner location
Hire a calligrapher for
wedding invitations
Schedule a fitting for your
wedding gown
Finalize plans for the
honeymoon; make reservations
Finalize reception
decoration plans
Reserve rental pieces for
reception, if needed
5 months
Reserve transportation for
the wedding party; reserve a limousine or other special transportation for the
wedding day
Schedule fittings for
attendants’ dresses
Finalize the guest list
Select gifts for wedding
attendants; help groom with ideas for groomsmen if needed
Make or buy wedding favors
4 months
Give calligrapher the
invitations and the guest list with complete addresses, or begin addressing the
invitations yourself
Experiment with hairstyles
and makeup for the wedding
Shop for going-away clothing
for the bride and groom
Reserve a hotel room for
wedding night, if the honeymoon destination is distant
Finalize play lists for the
ceremony and reception; discuss with musicians, DJ, and band
Decide on attire for groom
and groomsmen; reserve tuxedos if renting
Shop for a special wedding
gift for your soon-to-be spouse
3 months
Determine what you would
like for the rice-throwing tradition as you depart: birdseed, bubbles, doves,
balloons, etc.
Apply for passports if
honeymooning out of the country
Meet with the officiant to
discuss ceremony, vows, and readings
Get blood tests, if required
for the marriage license
Book a hairstylist; consider
a trial-run appointment to experiment with bride’s headpiece
Buy stamps for invitations;
determine proper postage requirements
2 months
Mail invitations
Make arrangements for moving
belongings, if necessary, after the wedding
Request name-change forms
from the social security office, the department of motor vehicles, bank, and
credit card issuers
Design and print ceremony
programs
6 weeks
Send announcement to
newspapers
Attend showers and keep up
with sending thank-you notes
Shop for honeymoon clothing
Schedule tuxedo fittings
Finalize details with the
photographer and videographer: Provide photographer with a list of pictures you
want taken
These
suggestions are aside from the standard formal shots of the wedding party and
family:
Pre-Ceremony
Bride
and bridesmaids getting ready
Mother of the
bride assisting with dress and veil
Bride at window
or looking in mirror
Groom and
groomsmen getting ready
Groom’s mother
pinning on his boutonniere
Groom with
father shaking hands
Father with
bride, kissing her forehead
Mother and bride
facing each other, with mother’s hand on bride’s cheek
Bride alone full
length
Bride close up
Flower girl:
admiring her flowers or gazing up at bride
Bridesmaids,
maid of honor with bride
Groom with best
man and groomsmen
Grandparents and
other relatives
Candid of
wedding assistant or coordinator
Guests signing
guest book
Ceremony:
Close-up of
parents’ faces
Bride’s face
over groom’s shoulder
Groom’s face
over bride’s shoulder
Guests watching
ceremony, taken from the front
Exchanging rings
Lighting unity
candle or other special traditions
First kiss as
man and wife
Bride and groom
exiting
Candid
shots of wedding party and parents congratulating the newly married couple
Reception:
Wedding cakes
Wedding party
table
Toasts
Entrance of the
married couple
First dance
Bride dancing
with father
Groom dancing
with mother
Bride and groom
feeding each other wedding cake
Candid photos of
reception guests
Bride tossing
the bouquet
Groom tossing
the garter
The getaway car
in the process of being decorated
Guests lined up,
anticipating tossing birdseed or blowing bubbles
Bride and groom
exiting to the car
Parting hugs
Bride and groom
in the car
The happy couple
driving away
Ask a friend or relative to
be a photographer’s assistant – someone who will be able to identify relatives
and friends on your photo wish list for the photographer
Finalize details with
florist:
Give a list of all who will
need corsages or boutonnieres (suggestions below)
Corsages:
Mother of Bride
Mother of Groom
Grandmothers
Hostess
Wedding
coordinator
Guest book
attendant
Wedding cake and
punch bowl attendants
Wedding gift
attendant
Boutonnieres:
Groom
Best man
Groomsmen
Father of bride
Father of groom
Grandfathers
Ushers
Ring bearer
1 month
Schedule the final dress
fitting
Stand for wedding portraits
Break in wedding shoes
Pick up wedding rings
Assign usher duties
2 weeks:
Arrange a seating plan for
reception; fill out table or placement cards
Apply for a marriage license
Send invitations for
rehearsal dinner
Confirm travel details for
the wedding party to the wedding destination
Confirm details for the
reception decorations and rentals
Alert caterer and cake
decorator of the final guest count
Arrange for locations for
the wedding party to dress
1 week
Confirm reservations for
flights and honeymoon
Pack for the honeymoon
Enlist the maid of honor and
best man with responsibility for the rings and marriage license
Use envelopes to place fees
due on the day of the wedding; designate a delivery person
Write an itinerary for the
wedding day (for photographs, etc.), and distribute among wedding attendants
and all involved.
1 day
Pick up the tuxedos
Get a manicure and pedicure
Take time to relax
Attend the rehearsal dinner
Give gifts to attendants
Your Wedding Day
Eat a healthy breakfast
Allow plenty of time for
makeup and hairstyling
Laugh and be joyful; this is
the day to celebrate your love
You will probably find that
relatives and friends are excited for you and are willing to help with the
details of planning your day. By dividing up the responsibilities and
accomplishing tasks a little at a time, your wedding day will be much more
enjoyable. Above all, do not neglect each other during this important time.
Your relationship is more important than any event, even this most important
event of your life.
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