Planning Calendar
Your Wedding Planning Calendar
Here’s a calendar of things that need to happen before your wedding. They don’t always have to be done at that time but at least it gives you an idea of what’s involved. Keep in mind, though, that some reception sites are booked a up to a year in advance. If there is a specific date you want, book it early!
Helpful Suggestion: Print out this list and put it as the first page in your wedding planning notebook and check things off as you go.
10-12 Months
Before |
- Create a wedding planning notebook or date book (you’ll need it!)
- Begin discussing the wedding with your fiancé–budget, style, locations, dates, colors, themes
- Visit ceremony and reception locations- be sure to ask how many guests are allowed, if you can bring in your own caterer, are there recommended vendors, how long can you use the facility, noise restrictions, etc.
- Choose a reception location and reserve it (you might have to think about the guest list at this point because of minimum and maximum guests at various locations)
- Choose a ceremony site and reserve it
- Choose your bridesmaids, groomsmen, host/hostesses, flower girl and ring boy
- Begin interviewing other wedding vendors–florist, caterer, photographer, videographer, musicians, bridal consultant, etc. (be sure to interview at least 2-3 of each type as prices and services vary greatly)
- Begin looking at wedding dresses
- Book a photographer for your engagement pictures if you want them
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7-9 Months
Before |
- Have engagement picture taken
- Send out engagement announcements to newspapers or announce your engagement online at SanDiegoWeddings.com
- Make final decisions on the wedding vendors and make one list of just the names and contact numbers for all of your vendors and place this in your wedding planner. Keep a section designated for each vendor and keep all of the relevant info there.
- Decide on a clergymember or non-denominational reverend or justice of the peace to perform your ceremony (discuss vows–begin writing them if you are writing your own)
- Choose and order or buy a dress and accessories (you may need longer if you decide to order your dress as this takes a long time)
- Begin thinking about where you and your fiancé want to register
- Begin your guest list with your fiancé
- Shop around for a good wedding cake and select the bakery of your choice
- Start thinking about your honeymoon and where you want to go and relax after the big day
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6 Months
Before |
- Start thinking about where you want to stay on your wedding night (some couples rather stay in San Diego on their wedding night and leave for their honeymoon the next day)
- Discuss and order invitations (order more than you think you’ll need)
- Complete the planning of your honeymoon (get passports if necessary)
- Start thinking about your bridesmaid and maid of honor dresses (if you want to order them, start now)
- Book your transportation for your bridal party and yourselves
- Begin discussing rehearsal dinner–when, where, how
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3 Months
Before |
- Look at and order wedding rings
- Finish revising the guest list
- Make appointment with hairdresser to try out various wedding day hairstyles–also discuss nails and make-up and think about your bridesmaids as well
- Look for lingerie and honeymoon clothes if necessary
- Reserve a block of hotel rooms for out-of-town guests if necessary (you can sometimes get a good deal for a block of rooms)
- Pick out wedding favors and order if necessary (also buy rice, rose petals, or bubbles for when you leave the reception)
- Pick out guest book if you want one (this can look nice next to a framed picture of your invitation when guests enter the reception or ceremony area)
- Register at your favorite registries
- Get information on how to change your name
- If the two of you plan to move, start looking now
- Meet with clergymember to discuss details of the ceremony and the details of the rehearsal
- Buy wedding shoes
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6-8 Weeks
Before |
- Address, stamp, and send out your invitations
- Create a copy of your guest list where you can check off who is coming and who isn’t when you start receiving your RSVPs
- Create a copy of your guest list and leave a space for listing gift received and whether or not you’ve written a thank-you (this will be invaluable later)
- Buy each other a wedding gift
- Choose at least 1 or 2 trustworthy people to oversee the wedding details on the day of the wedding (these are the people that keep the day moving–trust me, you’ll really rely on them)
- Choose gifts for your bridal party and anyone else who is helping out
- Pick up your wedding rings
- Plan the bachelor and bachelorette parties
- Get final alterations done on wedding dress and headpiece as needed
- Make sure your bridesmaids have their dresses all ready to go- get them altered as needed
- Pick out and reserve attire for the groom, groomsmen, and fathers of the bride and groom.
- Write thank-you notes as you receive gifts and mark them off on your list
- Confirm with all of your vendors and send deposits to them as needed. Make sure you call every single one of your vendors and confirm the date, time of arrival, and extent of services.
- Create a wedding newsletter for your out-of-town guests describing San Diego and things to do, where to stay, and if you want to, mention where you are registered. This is a nice treat for out-of-town guests unfamiliar with San Diego and it gives you an opportunity to tell them about the block of rooms you’ve reserved
- Open joint checking and savings accounts (or wait until you’ve changed your name)
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2 Weeks
Before |
- Bride can get a facial at this point
- Get marriage license from the County Clerk’s office
- Call to confirm your honeymoon reservations
- Submit list of photos and music requests to photographer and musicians
- Arrange to move belongings to your new home together
- Go through your wedding planner and make sure you’ve got everything covered. Now is your last chance.
- Create placecards for the tables (if you are doing it yourself) and get table numbers for the tables if the caterer is not handling that
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1 Week
Before |
- Pack for your honeymoon (and your belongings if you are moving)
- Pick up wedding dress and bridesmaids dresses
- Give final number of guests to your caterer
- Arrange for a family member to return tuxedos and anything else that needs returning after the wedding)
- Attend bachelor/bachelorette party
- Greet out-of-town guests
- Check any final details with your wedding vendors
- Remind rehearsal dinner attendees of the details- when, where, etc.
- Purchase any traveler’s checks or visit the ATM prior to leaving on your honeymoon
- Arrange for your bridal consultant (or a family member) to give out wedding vendor checks on the day (you won’t have time to do it yourself, trust me)
- Create a schedule for the actual wedding and ceremony and review it with your 1 or 2 wedding helpers or bridal consultant.
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1-3 Days
Before |
- Bride can get a manicure and pedicure
- Relax with your fiancé and do something fun
- Attend the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner (give presents to bridal party and anyone else who is helping out)
- Pack everything you’ll need at the ceremony site when you’re getting dressed (include a kit with safety pins, tissues, sewing kit, etc. for any last minute crisis)
- Pick up all tuxedos (attire for groom, groomsmen, and fathers of the bride and groom)
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Your
Wedding
Day |
- Appointment with your hair stylist and make-up artist
- Allow two to three hours to dress and relax
- Give groom’s ring to the best man
- Make sure your bridal consultant (or appointed family member) has all of the vendor’s checks to pass out during the day
- Hand off the table numbers, placecards, etc. to your 1 or 2 friends helping during the wedding and make sure everything is going smoothly
- Relax and enjoy the day no matter what happens– it’ll be great!
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This entry was posted
on Tuesday, April 1st, 2008 at 10:09 pm and is filed under Planning Tips.
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