Step-By-Step Guide to Planning Your Wedding

So you got engaged – Congratulations!!

Now that the surprise and initial celebrations?have passed and you’ve gotten used to a new weight in your left hand, it’s time to get down to business. Planning your wedding can be a stressful affair and sometimes just wondering?where to begin can give you heart palpitations. Do you start with the dress or the venue or the theme or the food??

Here we?give you the ultimate guide for wedding planning, from two years beforehand right up until Wagner’s ‘Wedding March’ guides you down the aisle, to ensure you planning process runs as smoothly as smoothly as possible.

Two Years – You’re Engaged!

Twenty-Four Months

• Set your event style (take time to think about what you really like and want to achieve with your event)
• Set a realistic Budget

Twenty-two Months

• Book the venue (this will form your planning centre point; plus, the great ones book out fast)

Twenty Months

• Send out Save the Dates (especially important for a destination wedding or if you’ll have guests coming from abroad)

Eighteen Months

• Lock in your photographer (they book out so darned fast!)

One Year – The Home Straight

Twelve Months

Book your vendors

• Florist
• Videographer
• Beauty team
• Church or celebrant
• Music
• Baker
• Caterer
• Stationer

Eleven Months

• Start the dress search

Ten Months

• Choose & inform your bridal party of their roles?throughout the event
• Consider lifestyle changes for a healthier, hotter you

Nine Months

• Finalise the menu with your venue or caterer
• Order the dress (if it’s pre-order or bespoke)

Eight Months

• Meet your celebrant to start planning the ceremony
• Book the wedding car

Seven Months

• Nail down your ceremony elements
• A timeline and visual aspects
• Order the men’s suits

Six Months – Final Countdown

Six Months

• Order the rings (if designing yourself, or going for something unusual)
• Research props & details to be sourced or made
• Start sourcing the materials

Five Months

• Create a running order of the whole event and send on to relevant participants
• Order stationery (if it’s being designed and letterpressed)

Four Months

• Decide on your cake and taste it (taste lots of it)
• Register your marriage with the Civil Registrations Office (3 months ahead is the latest you can leave this)

Three Months

• Make the final flower order (with a florist; if you’re DIYing, this can be done later)
• Send out paper or e-invites

Two Months

• Do hair & beauty trials and final dress fittings
• Tackle the reception seating plan (or decide on a free-for-all)

One Month

• Do a love-in session with your photographer, to get camera-comfy and rekindle your love amid the madness
• Busy your fingers to calm your mind with some final fun crafty touches

Psst…

this guide is intended to help those in love with organised calm – if you prefer the buzz of a last-minute dash, fly by the seat of your pants and hope for the best

This article previously appeared in the 2015 BASH Wedding Annual

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