WEDDING CHECKLIST

 

The first thing that needs to be considered, apart from a good wedding checklist, when planning the ultimate wedding is how much time you will give yourself for the planning. The essential start is setting the date of the wedding.

This may sound like a trivial matter, but it really is important because it will let you know what the time limit is for making your preparations and setting the timetable for your wedding checklist.

Some weddings can take up to 3-4 months to prepare for and plan. This is pretty typical; depending on how big you are planning for your wedding to be and how fancy etc.

If you are not giving yourself more than a month, then planning is naturally different. Because of the time that you are giving yourself to plan the wedding, utilize the best planning methods, a wedding checklist, using the wedding list a guide but not absolute timetable.

One of the most important factors that go with planning a wedding is determining who you will be delegating specific duties to. For example, if you are terrible at choosing flowers, who will you assign to do it for you? Be sure to jot down on your wedding checklist who you assign.

It is always best to try to delegate duties to others so that you will not be overwhelmed by them yourself. Let’s take a look at some of the various duties that you can assign:

1. Catering: Who do you believe would be the best person to handle all of the arrangements for the food and drink at your wedding?
2. Invitations and seating arrangements: This person will be addressing and mailing out invitations and making sure that people are
seated in a fashion that will ensure everyone’s mutual comfort and enjoyment
3. Decorations for wedding and reception includes center pieces
4. Rehearsal dinners etc.
5. Music and/or DJ
6. Brides maid and groomsmen gifts and favors
7. Gowns, and tuxedos
8. Bridal showers/bachelor parties etc.

All of these things are “must haves” when it comes to a wedding, unless of course, you opt not to have bridesmaids or groomsmen in the wedding. If you try to undertake all these responsiblities, you will be stressed out to the max. Delegate and put names on your wedding checklist.

That is why you have to get in touch with people who are capable of taking over some of the menial jobs for you. All of these things seem small at first, but they can quickly add up to quite a bit of your time and money when they are all combined together.

After you have delegated the responsibilities, you should next set a specific time table to have all of the tasks completed. Creating a to-do wedding list and attach a time table to your wedding checklist – its a great time saver. That way, when the tasks are finished you can easily check them off.

You should set up specific times and days to discuss the progress of things as well, just in case things are not going so well. In doing this you will be able to help make sure that all things are running smoothly. Be sure to provide updated copies of your wedding checklist for eveyone.

You might be wondering what happens when you have done all of this and are ready to get started. First of all, you have to be willing to follow the general wishes of the couple to be wed; that is unless you are the couple and are planning your own wedding.

When planning a wedding on a budget you have to lower your requirements just a bit but you still need to follow your wedding checklist. For example, you can’t try to have to filet mignon if you are throwing the wedding on a fish stick budget. I have broken down the various aspects of the wedding planning to the last details so that you will get a better idea of what I mean.

Ideally, you would want to have at least a year to plan the wedding, but that is not always possible or desired. For the purposes of this guide, I have set up a 12 month wedding checklist timeline that will certainly make it a little bit easier to host your wedding.

12 months before your Wedding day
” Announce the engagement (create your sedding checklist)
” Set your wedding date
” Create a budget
” Hire a Wedding Coordinator (optional)
” Create your guest list
” Start brainstorming ideas and themes
” Reserve your Ceremony spot
” Book an Officiate
” Make reservations for your Reception area
” Book a Photographer and Videographer
” Book Caterer, Florist and Music (Band, DJ, etc.)
” Look for a Wedding gown and Tux, allowing time for alterations and fittings
” Register for gifts
” Select and call the bridesmaids and groomsmen.
” Agree on a date to order bridesmaids’ dresses and groomsmen’s tuxes
” Choose a destination for your Honeymoon
” Apply for passports, if required

6 months before your Wedding day
” Update and revise your wedding checklist
” Finalize your guest list
” Decide on the timeline and details of Ceremony and Reception
” Order/make invitations, and thank you notes
” Make airline and hotel reservations for the Honeymoon
” Choose a caterer, a florist and place an order for the wedding cake.
” Book Transportation (Limo, Antique Car, Etc.) for wedding day
” Shop for any Party rentals

3-4 months before your Wedding day
” Update and revise your wedding checklist
” Mail out/hand deliver invitations
” Confirm wedding details and contracts with all wedding vendors
” Choose gifts for your attendants
” Set a date and time for the rehearsal dinner
” Help make travel arrangements for any out-of-town guests
” Make final alterations and fittings for the Wedding Gown and Tux
” Set time with your Photographer for the Bridal Portrait or Engagement shoot

1 month before your Wedding day
” Update and revise your wedding checklist
” Apply for the marriage license
” Buy your wedding bands
” Finalize music list and no-play list with band or DJ
” Attend showers
” Make insurance arrangements

1-2 weeks before your Wedding day
” Update and revise your wedding checklist
” Schedule the rehearsal a day or two before your wedding day
” Make an appointment with a Beauty Salon for day of wedding
” Send a wedding announcement to the local newspapers (optional)
” Make necessary arrangements for name & address change, if any.
” Discuss final details with the reception Site and the Caterer
” Pack for honeymoon
” Write out all checks needed for wedding day
” Send reminders to the rehearsal dinner attendees about the location & time
” Discuss final details of the ceremony and reception with family and bridal party

Wedding day or day before
” final check of your wedding checklist
” Visit your Beauty Salon for manicure and pedicure
” Host the rehearsal and dinner.
” Make sure the ushers have the final guest list.