The Ultimate Wedding Planning Guide

Planning a wedding can be overwhelming, especially if you have a large family and lots of guests. There are so many details that go into planning the perfect wedding that there are bound to be a few hiccups along the way. Whether it’s the cake being the wrong flavor or the flowers being delivered to the wrong address, things going wrong isn’t something you want to deal with on your wedding day. The key to getting things right is preparation. Most people take at least a year to plan their wedding. With that in mind, here’s The Ultimate Wedding Planning Guide

One Year Before

Now is the time to sit down with your soon to be spouse and talk about what you want your wedding to be like. Big wedding or small wedding? Indoor or outdoor venue? Themed or themed? Colours? Flowers? There’s a lot to talk about – you may need some wine. You may find that your groom isn’t as enthusiastic about the details as you. In which case, it might be wise to appoint your bridesmaids and maid of honour now. You’ll need all the help you can get in the coming months. One thing your groom will have to help you decide upon now is the venue. The sooner you book your venue, the better.

11 Months

Do some taster sessions. Most brides and grooms think they know what they want until they see other options. It’s essential to know your options before making any decisions. Use this month to explore all that’s on offer. Go cake tasting. Go dress shopping. Ask your venue if you can taste the food for your menu. Buy magazines and look through florist’s websites to find what kind of flowers you want. Have a look if there are any wedding fayres near you and attend with everyone that’s allowed to have an opinion. They’re great places to see examples of wedding favours, wedding invitations, and entertainment.

10 Months

The dress! Most bridal boutiques take, on average, eight months to get a dress back to you. You’ll want the dress at least a month in advance just in case you need any additional alterations. This may be because you’ve gained or lost weight since buying the dress. Try on a variety of different styles when you go shopping. You may think you want a slim fitted mermaid tail dress until you try on the glitzy princess dress that makes you feel like a million dollars. When all else fails, trust your mother. If she’s got tears in her eyes, that’s the dress.

9 Months

It’s time to think about your guest list. If you end up in an argument with your partner about the guest list, don’t worry. You won’t be the first, and you certainly won’t be the last. The guest list can depend on who’s paying for the wedding. If your parents are paying for everything, they may want a say on who attends. If you’re the one paying for everything, you may want to be a bit more cut throat with your selections.

8 Months

It’s time to make your bookings. Most of the important stuff for a wedding requires deposits early on. For example, you’ll need to book your photographer, your florist, your cake maker, and your entertainment. Once you’ve locked them in, you can forget about them for a few months and move onto the fun things. You won’t have to make any final decisions for a while.

7 Months

Get your bridesmaids together because it’s time to go shopping. Now is the time to get your bridesmaid dresses sorted out. Remember, they don’t all have to be the same colour, and they don’t all have to be the same style either. Your bridesmaids will be able to serve you better on your wedding day if they feel beautiful and comfortable. Tensions may be high during dress fittings, so try to have fun with the day.

6 Months

Get fit time! If you’re planning on losing weight for your wedding or just getting fit so you can survive the day, now’s the time to start.  Just remember, your partner loves you just the way you are, so make sure you’re doing this for yourself and not anyone else.

5 Months

Figure out where you’ll be staying on the night before the wedding. If you’ve booked a lavish venue with rooms, you may want to get ready there the morning of the wedding. If you’re going to get ready at home, you’ll need to book transportation for you and anyone else in the wedding party travelling to the venue. You also need to decide where the flowers need to be delivered – to your home or to the venue. The venue is always the safest bet. MonthsYour bakery will need to know the specifics of your wedding cake now. What flavour have you chosen for each tier? What decorations would you like? You can buy your own decorations online and ask the bakery to use them instead. Eventually, your venue will need to know whether you would like them to cut the cake for your guests and how much of it to cut. Let them know if you want to save the top tier for yourself.

3 Months

It’s vital that you get your wedding invites out now. Guests like at least three months to plan for a wedding. It gives them time to find appropriate clothing and buy any gifts. You’ll also need to book your hairdresser and beautician now.

2 Months

You’ll need to buy the wedding rings now and keep them somewhere safe. You’ll also want to nominate someone reliable to look after the rings on the wedding day. That isn’t always the best man!

1 Month

The month before can be hectic! You’ll need to sort out your seating plan and put together wedding favours. It’s also time for the hen and stag nights! Organise everything you’ll need for the day a few days before, so you don’t have to rush on the day.

Day of the Wedding

Get pampered and enjoy yourself!

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