Welcome to my complete wedding planning guide! As a long time wedding planner, I have compiled the basic steps to plan your wedding without the extra stress and overwhelm.
How to plan a wedding in the right steps 12 months+ out:
1 Year + Out from wedding date
- Find your Wedding planner
- Knowing what theme or ambiance you want to create as well as color scheme
- Determine your budget
- Search for your dream venue and book it
- Research vendors that book quickly such as Catering company, photographer, videographer and DJ.
- Get organized with a wedding binder that will hold quotes, brochures and your notes
- Start your wedding guest list
- After careful research, hire a catering company, wedding photographer, videographer and DJ
10 months Out
- Choose your bridal party
- Purchase bridal dress
8-9 Month out
- Take engagement photos
- Book your officiant
- Create a wedding website and start to register for items
- Finalize your guest list, request addresses and send out save the dates
- Reserve any rentals you may need – chairs, tent, linens, portable toilets, décor, lighting, etc
- Research and book your florist
- Choose bridesmaid dresses
5-6 Months Out
- Arrange limo transportation and possibly shuttle transportation
- Design and order wedding invitations and all other stationary such as place cards, ceremony programs, signage, seating chart, etc
- Book any specialty services – Ice sculpture, photo booths, etc
- Send out bridal shower guest list to host
- Schedule and book hair and makeup artists
- Choose your processional music and book instrumentalists if doing that
- Go to your dress fitting
- Pick groom and groomsmen attire
- Book accommodations for your wedding night/ block off hotel rooms
- Book your honeymoon
4 Months out
- Book the rehearsal dinner venue
- Go cake tasting and order cake and desserts
- Work with your caterer to finalize menu for reception
- Meet with your florist to finalize the florals for the event
- Purchase rings
- Order wedding favors and any gifts for wedding party
2-3 Months Out
- Finalize event schedule and create day of timeline
- Have your wedding shower
- Create your seating chart and finalize any signage
- Meet with your photographer to discuss must have shots and timeline
- Meet with DJ to go over song list, discuss pronunciation of names in wedding party, announcements being made and timeline of day
- Send out invitations (ideally 8 weeks)
- Send out final payments
- Apply and pick up marriage license
1 Month Out
- Write wedding vows
- Contact your caterer and venue with final guest count
- Final dress fitting
- Have a spa day
As you can see, there are many important details to review when planning a wedding. Some of these steps require a lot of planning! If you need help planning your wedding, take a look at my wedding packages to see if we would be the perfect team together!
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