6-7 Months Before Wedding
* Select and purchase invitations.
Addressing cards is time consuming so you need to budget accordingly.
* Start planning a honeymoon. Make sure that your passports are up-to-date.
* Shop for bridesmaid dresses. Allow at least six months for the dresses to be ordered and size.
* Send your guest list to the host of your shower.
* Meet with the officiant. Map out the ceremony and confirm that you have all the official documents for the wedding.
* Book a florist. Florist can serve multiple couples on one day, which is why you can wait a little longer to engage one. Plus, at this point you’ll be firm on what you’re what wedding color palette is.
* Arrange transportation. Shuttle service, bus or limo.
Is this a service you want to provide? If so, start talking with the hotels that you’ve contacted and see if they have any relationships or deals set up for those services.
* Start composing a day of timeline. Drop a schedule of the events and slots in each component (1st look photos, ceremony, reception, cake -cutting, 1st dance)
4-5 Months Before Wedding
* Book the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner venues. If not on location of ceremony.
Negotiate the cost in the menu.
* If you’re planning to host a date-after brunch for the guests reserve that venue.
* Check on the wedding invitations.
* Select in order the cake. Some bakers require a long lead time. Attend several tastings before committing to any baker (Because, why not?)
* Purchase wedding shoes and start dress fittings. Bring the shoes along to your first fitting so the tailor can choose the appropriate length for your gown.
* Schedule hair and make up artist. Make a few appointments with local experts to try them out. Snap a photo of each so you can compare results.
* Choose your music. Are there any must-have songs? What about songs not to play?
Start ceremony playlist. Pre-ceremony songs, Grandparents to walking into songs, prelude music for wedding party. Specialty ceremony ceremony songs.
Listing all these items out can you give the DJ great direction in your music preference. Also think about the first dance, father/daughter dance, mother/son dance, anniversary’s dance and bridal party dance songs.