Wedding Planning Timeline: How to Beat Time Pressure

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Saying ‘yes’ to your fiancé not only takes your relationship up a notch, but it also signals the start of your journey as a bride and groom-to-be. The truth is, while preparing a wedding is an exciting adventure, it is not always an easy task. Fortunately, you can always create your own wedding planning timeline so you can set expectations at an early stage. If you don’t have an idea on what to do months before the wedding, below is a sample of a timetable:

Wedding Planning Timeline: How to Beat Time Pressure

12 to 16 Months Before the Wedding

  • Set the Wedding Date: Since weddings are quite difficult to prepare, allotting about a year to make all the necessary arrangements is ideal especially if you are planning a big event.

  • Set a Definite Budget: To make sure your expenses won’t go overboard, set an appropriate budget for your wedding day.

  • Create a Guest List: Determining your head count will greatly impact your budget, so when you are creating a guest list, make columns with contact details and RSVP’s so you would be able to set definite expectations.

  • Decide on a Wedding Venue and Make Reservations: You can’t assume that all wedding venues are available on your wedding date, especially if you are planning to get married in a prominent church or hotel, so it’s important to make early reservations for your wedding day.

  • Book Your Preferred Officiant. If you would rather to have a friend or family member to do the job instead, remember to ask them ahead of time, too.

  • Look for Wedding Organizers: If you are not really running on a tight budget and you want to lighten your load, hiring a team of wedding organizers is ideal since they already know the ins and outs of the wedding preparations in your city. With the help of a reliable organizer, there’s no way that your wedding planning timeline won’t fall into place.

6 to 8 Months Before the Wedding

  • Look for Reliable Team for Your Photo and Video Coverage: If your budget allows it, it is best to hire photographers and videographers 6 to 8 months before the wedding. And of course, let’s not forget to set that pre-nuptial photo shoot too.

  • Meet Up with a Catering Team: Yes, the best part—the part when you actually get to taste free food!

  • Select a Bridal Gown: We’re not talking about the bridal gown alone. Since you want your wedding entourage to look cohesive, selecting a design and getting all the dresses and the tuxedos all prepped up is ideally done 6 to 8 months before the wedding so you can still have enough time to make the necessary adjustments.

  • Book Hotels: Book hotels for your out-of-town guests.

  • Book a Florist

  • Select Wedding Songs: You may want to leave the song choices to the people in charge with your sound system, but selecting wedding dance songs and adding your personal favorites on your wedding playlist will make your day more memorable.

  • Hire Musicians

  • Book a Venue for Your Rehearsal Dinner

  • Plan Your Honeymoon

  • Send Your Save the Date Cards

4 Months Before the Wedding

  • Book a Hair and Make-Up Stylist

  • Attend a Pre-Wedding Counseling: If you are required to attend a pre-wedding counseling, make sure that you book one about 4 months before your wedding.

  • Book Your Honeymoon

  • Shop for Formal Wear, Shoes and Other Accessories

  • Secure Your Transportation Needs: Renew your passport if you have plans of going out of the country.

  • Order a Wedding Cake: Because no wedding ceremony is complete without a cake, select your wedding cake months before the ceremony.

  • Check Out on Your Invites

2-3 Months Before the Wedding

  • Finalize Your Menu: Complete your wedding planning timeline by finalizing your food choices.

  • Send Out Your Invitations

  • Finalize Your Program: Decide on the sequence of the events and list down the names of relatives and friends who will be providing a speech or a short message on your wedding.

  • Shop for the Rings

  • Look for the Best Undergarments

  • Update on Your Wedding Suppliers and Organizers

  • Set Up a Bachelor and Bachelorette’s Party

1 Month Before the Wedding

  • Get a Marriage License

  • Dress Fitting: Don’t just fit your wedding wear, walk on your wedding shoes and try out your accessories as well.

  • Prepare a Seat Plan: Make sure the people you list under 1 table can get along well with each other.

  • Finalize Your Itinerary

  • Write Down Your Wedding Speech: And yes, let’s not forget the vows!

  • Confirm Guest Count and Relay Final Count to Wedding Suppliers

  • Process the Final Payments

  • Re-Confirm Your Appointments with Your Wedding Team

Weeks Before the Wedding

  • Designate Wedding Day Tasks: This is specifically important if you did not hire an on-the-day wedding coordinator.

  • Prepare Your Honeymoon Luggage

  • Finalize Your Appointments

  • Pamper Yourself: Now that most of the tedious tasks are done, you deserve a day out. Color your hair and book a spa treatment—do whatever you find relaxing. You deserve all the love and pampering after months of preparation.