If you're one of those people who have been planning their wedding since you were little, you may already know what kind of dress you want, the cost, and exactly where to get it. For those of us who have put very little thought into their wedding, we may have no idea and are struggling to find a good starting point. My recommendation? Grab your bridal party, parents..etc, and start the search early. You've probably already determined your budget so now is the time to look up designs for inspiration, different body types, or even themes of the wedding. Know your budget, look up designs for inspiration, grab your accessories and book in an appointment with a stylist from a bridal gown boutique. Down the road you will need to make accommodations for your wedding party so also keep that in mind.
Theme of a lifetime:
Like mentioned above, if you're one of those people who have been planning their wedding since you were little, you probably already know what theme you want your wedding to be. Whether or not you have an idea of the theme, communicate that good stuff to your vendors! Allow them to work with you to achieve the look you envision. Plus! They may have some really good ideas to help you out!
Wedding Planner:
Ladies and gents this is the moment we've been waiting for! The one thing I've continuously touched base on throughout this series. If you want to hire a wedding planner, now is the time to finally hire one!
6+ Months Prior:
Hair & Makeup:
You've probably spent hours on Pinterest searching for hair styles and makeup looks for the special day and now you need to finally buckle down and get your beauty squad! Experiment with trials and test-runs to give you an idea of how long your hair and makeup will last and allow for changes.
ORDER the Wedding Dress:
You've said yes to the dress but did you order it? Be sure you order your attire and your partner's attire in time for customizations and alterations.
4+ Months Prior:
Wedding Party Attire:
Hopefully you've followed this checklist and are well aware that it's now time to purchase the wedding party's attire. If you are a future thinker such as myself, you've probably already priced everything out, taken into consideration everyone's body types, and made sure that the attire coincides with the theme of the wedding. If not, no worries! Ask your wedding party what their thoughts are but keep in mind it is ultimately your wedding and you will want to be entirely happy with the end result.
Wedding Bands:
Sit down with your partner and settle on whether or not you want your bands to match and what material you're interested in. Things such as sizing can come at a later date.
Save the Date / Invitations:
Whether or not you send a save the date is a personal choice. Some weddings I've been to, save money by only sending invitations, and others do the whole shebang. Regardless of your choice, start sending them out as you're going to need to allow your guests time to respond, arrange for baby / pet sitters, and order their menu choice (if you have multiple options). This will also give you and your partner time to adjust your seating chart and guest list.
Honeymoon baby!
To me, the honeymoon is what I look forward to most at my own wedding. I'm a beach girl so I will definitely be going somewhere warm and beachy! Not everyone can afford to or wants to go on a honeymoon, but if you plan on going; take some time with your partner to research and book your honeymoon. Sometimes planning a vacation of any kind can be stressful, especially if it's around the same time as your wedding. Therefore, as mentioned above, I recommend checking out the Chamber's membership directory for a list of travel agents.
2+ Months Prior:
Thank you cards:
A lot of wedding blogs recommend that around the 2 month mark, you order your invitations and thank you cards. I feel that if you're going to order your invitations, your better off doing it at the 4+ month mark so that you can not only get them out in an orderly fashion, but also give your guests time to respond. I've found through my work at the Chamber that people tend to need more than 2 months to respond to an event. Some people will respond right away and others will wait until the last minute. Regardless of whether or not you order them around 4+ months or now, you should have either already sent them out, or be prepared to send them out. This also includes Thank You cards. Order them all at once and be done with it.
Wedding Favors:
Some weddings I've been involved with provide gifts for their guests, others don't and that's okay. This is a personal choice and if it's something you're interested in doing, now is the time to start thinking about what you want to give out. Pinterest is a great place for (literally) everything, but especially DIY gifts!
Vows:
Some couples are more traditional and recite the typical vows. Whether or not you and your partner are more traditional or choose to go a different direction, speak with your officiant or celebrant as they may need you to cover an important part of the ceremony.
Wedding Party Gifts:
As mentioned before, some couples like to give their wedding party gifts and other's don't. Gifts can be simple and elegant or unique and sentimental. It is a personal choice and is entirely up to you and your partner.
Transportation:
Depending on the venue you and your partner choose, you may have to arrange for transportation for you, your partner, and the wedding party.
6+ Weeks Prior:
Marriage License:
Make the union official with a marriage license. Most states, and especially Wyoming provide a website with information on what documentation is required to obtain a license, and the amount of time it will take to acquire said license.
CONFIRMATION:
I cannot stress this enough! Check in with all of your vendors and the venue to make sure they have the correct date, time, and expectations. Double check to ensure all the details are in line so that there is no miscommunication and everything runs smoothly.
Mailers:
If you haven't already, mail out your invitations.
3 Weeks Prior:
Pre-Wedding Celebration:
The countdown to the wedding is on! Gather all of your closest friends and family for your pre-wedding celebration!
Finalize details:
This is the last chance to get any kind of final alterations to everyone's attire, chase down RSVP's, and get all of the last minute items before the big day!
Week of:
Finalization of Finalization:
At this point everything needs to be completely and utterly finalized. Headcounts and the seating chart will need to be passed on to the venue / caterer, wedding party gifts will need to prepared and ready to go, wedding bands will need to be picked up and cleaned, and I recommend making a wedding day emergency kit. If an incident were to happen, only you would know and would be able to act accordingly. You can easily search Pinterest for Bridal Emergency Kits but the general kit includes mints, tweezers, bobby pins, sewing kit, baby wipes, and all contact information for every vendor.
I hope this checklist helps you conquer the planning and coordination of your wedding day! Now you've earned it! Put your feet up and take a deep breath. You are ready to get married!
Wishing you a happily ever after XO
