Most brides-to-be agree: when it comes to wedding planning, there simply isn’t enough time. Trying to pull off a wedding and pressed for time? Don’t worry. With a little extra help and hustle, you can still have your dream wedding. This timeline is grouped into chunks, and is based on the assumption that you have a year until your I do’s. If your wedding’s three months away you can still do it, but you’re going to have to really focus. Keep the coffee brewing, and knock out each month’s task in a week. Ready? Let’s do this!
12 Months
Whether you have a year or three months, times a ticking. The sooner you start, the less stressed you’ll be. These big determining factors are arguably the most important aspects of wedding planning, as they dictate the course of everything else:
Budget
Before you can plan anything, it’s crucial you and your fiancée determine your budget, and stick to it. Prioritize what’s important to you, and don’t be deterred if your budget is small. A little creative ingenuity is all it takes to still have the wedding of your dreams.
Guest List
Whether you want a big wedding or small, budget impacts your guest list. If your parents are contributing financially, they may also want to add their two cents to who gets an invite. Start putting your guest list together as soon as you can as it impacts the venue you choose.
Bridesmaids
Your bridal party is a collection of best friends and beloved family members. They stand beside you on your big day (and of course, you want them to look stunning, check out Bella Bridesmaids, their dresses are incredible!) and help you throughout the process of getting there.
Venue
Your venue sets the tone, the mood. If you’re undecided, tour a few. Pay attention to aesthetics, but also how the space makes you feel.
Theme
Choosing a theme is fun, and makes the decorating process a whole lot easier. A theme can be centered around an event, an iconic film, a period in history, travel…
Wedding Planner
This is the time to secure a wedding planner, if you decide to work with one.
11 Months
Start gathering inspiration and putting together your vision. Create a Pinterest board if you haven’t already. Think about the reception, the food and entertainment.
Scour your local community and begin gathering a list of potential vendors.
Your focus will be:
o Gathering Inspiration
o Hire Photographer
o Schedule Save the Date photoshoot
o Interview caterers
o Interview entertainment options
10 Months
When the big details are taken care of, you can start to take care of the smaller (yet equally important!) ones.
o Create wedding website
o Guest accommodation
o Wedding dress shop
o Bridesmaids dress shop
9 Months
Most wedding websites let you add your registry directly to them, and some even have built in ‘Save the Date’ templates.
o Create and order ‘Save the Date’ cards
o Consider shoes and accessories
o Put together your registry
8 Months
As it starts coming together, you’ll need to hire your vendors.
o Hire your florist
o Send out save the dates
o Book your caterer
o Book your entertainment
o Consider other elements you need to rent, such as tables and chairs, etc.
7 Months
You can hire a professional officiant or have a beloved friend or family member step in. Whomever you choose, they need to be ordained.
o Secure your officiant
o Book the venue for the rehearsal dinner
6 Months
Depending on where you’re tying the knot, arranging transportation is helpful, for both guests and yourself.
o Book transportation
o Get tuxes and groomsmen’s attire
o Secure the honeymoon
5 Months
Cake tasting and hair and makeup looks? There are a lot of perks to wedding planning.
Don’t forget to schedule the final fittings for the wedding party…and you!
o Choose your cake
o Book final fittings
o Hair/makeup looks
o Purchase wedding bands
4 Months
It’s coming together – it’s crunch time! Now more than ever, it’s vital you stay on top of all the details. Communicate, and don’t assume something is taken care of without receiving confirmation.
o Do final menu tastings
o Get wedding invitations
o Go over your list and make sure everything you need is booked
o Meet with your officiant
3 Months
You’re in the home stretch, it’s happening!
o Send out wedding invitations and rehearsal dinner invites
o Begin crafting DIY projects
o Write your vows
2 Months
There’s a lot to keep track of here as you make your final decisions.
o Final fittings
o Get your marriage license
o Finalize wedding day hair and makeup look
o Select menu
o Finalize floral arrangements
o Make sure band or DJ know which songs to play
1 Month
You know who’s coming, and have to plan where to seat them, as well as pay the people in charge of feeding and entertaining them.
This is also a time for you; self-care to the max. You’ll want to look and feel your best.
o Finalize reception seating chart
o Pay vendors
o Have a final venue walk through
o Make sure you have all the little things
· Your mani/pedi scheduled
· Cake topper
· Guest book
. emergency kit
Conclusion:
Not all the boxes may be relevant—skip over the ones that aren’t.
Be methodical, keep track of where you are, follow up, and voila: you’ve done it! Planned a wedding, perhaps even with time to spare.
