Wedding Timelines

Six Months to One Year Before

Bride & Groom

• Set your date and time for ceremony and reception.
• Make up your budget.
• Reserve locations for your ceremony and reception; select the officiate.
• Decide on size and type of wedding.
• Decide on guest list, start gathering names and addresses.
• Choose a professional photographer, florist, baker, videographer, caterer, band or DJ, wedding consultant (if you choose to use one).
• Announce your engagement.
• Have professional engagement portrait taken and submit to newspaper.

Bride

• Select attendants, flower girl, maid/matron of honor.
• Select bridesmaids' dresses, keep color swatch for florist and reception hall color coordination.

Groom

• Purchase engagement ring.
• Select groomsmen, ushers, best man.
• Decide what financial assistance you and/or your family will provide, and discuss with fiancée.

Four Months Before:

Bride & Groom

• Finish your guest list.
• Finalize honeymoon plans.
• Complete necessary requirements for marriage license.
• Continue work on ceremony plans.
• Make plans for where you'll live after the wedding.

Bride

• Make sure all bridal attire is ordered.
• Arrange for both mothers to coordinate attire.
• Register for gifts at a bridal registry.
• Order personal stationery and invitations.
• Shop for your trousseau.

Groom

• Make sure all groom and groomsmen attire is ordered.

Two Months Before:

Bride & Groom

• Mail out invitations five weeks prior to wedding.
• Finalize ceremony plans.
• Finalize plans with photographer, videographer, baker, florist, DJ or band, caterer.
• Finalize music selections for ceremony and reception.

Groom

• Plan rehearsal dinner.

One Month Before:

Bride & Groom

• Get marriage license and/or take care of any other legal requirements.
• Attend to transportation requirements for your wedding day.
• Purchase gifts for attendants and bridal party.
• Start your record of gifts received.

Bride

• Final fittings for bride and attendants.
• Contact your photographer for your formal bridal portrait.
• Purchase gift for fiancée.
• Finish trousseau shopping.

Groom

• Purchase gift for fiancée.

Two Weeks Before:

Bride & Groom

• Attend to miscellaneous business and legal details.
• Check on accommodations for out of town guests.
• Make future housekeeping arrangements as necessary.
• Confirm all honeymoon arrangements.

Bride

• Coordinate attendants' luncheon with maid/matron of honor.

Groom

• Get haircut/styling now, so that it looks natural on your wedding day.
• Coordinate bachelor party arrangements with best man.

One Week Before:

Bride & Groom

• Designate an emergency coordinator from your wedding party and equip them with any and all emergency phone numbers for all suppliers and vendors. Give them a three ring binder with copies of all your wedding day contracts.
• Insure that the wedding party picks up their attire.
• Write thank you notes for parents, close friends, or relatives who will receive them on your wedding day.
• Attend rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, distribute wedding party gifts.
• Make sure you have marriage license and rings.

Bride

• Contact guests who have not R.S.V.P.'d.
• Give final count to banquet hall or caterer, finalize seating arrangements

Groom

• Reconfirm all honeymoon reservations.

On Your Wedding Day:

Bride & Groom

• Eat something in the morning.
• Don't worry, be happy!! Enjoy!!

Bride

• Allow ample time for makeup, nails, getting dressed, and other details.
• If there are going to be preparation photos by the professional photographer, start them two hours before the ceremony.

Groom

• Give yourself plenty of time to get dressed.

After The Wedding:

Bride & Groom

• The day after the wedding, send thank you cards to the bride's parents and the groom's parents with a personal note expressing your gratitude for the wedding and reception.