Newly engaged? Got a wedding date in mind? Want to know how to plan a wedding in just 12 months? Not a problem! We at Guides For Brides know that planning a wedding is stressful with all the wedmin tasks, arrangements and budgets to think about. So, to stop you from turning into an absolute bridezilla, here’s a simple wedding planning checklist, covering exactly what you need to check off over the next 12 months.
12 Months To Go…
With 12 months to go it may seem like you have forever until your big day arrives, but now is when you need to be setting your financial budget and making the bulk of the important decisions - especially if you’re working full-time too. This is when you should be announcing your engagement, setting the date, sending ‘Save The Date’ cards to your guests, booking the venue and bridal boutique appointments and the beginning to try on wedding dresses! You will also need to be booking the wedding photographer - the good ones get booked quickly!. It’s also not a bad idea to enlist wedding help through a wedding planner.
Guides for Brides Top Tip: Start looking at Pinterest and Instagram to get a good idea of what wedding theme you want, the kind of wedding dresses you want to try on and to get further tips on wedding planning.
11 Months To Go…
Now that you’ve got the most important aspects sorted and booked, it’s time for the next step in getting the ball rolling. You need to be thinking about your wedding party and who you will ask to be your maid of honour, bridesmaids, best man and groomsmen. Use our simple search tool to find wedding suppliers near you.
You also need to be thinking about:
- Planning your wedding music
- Floristry
- Wedding decorations
- Caterers
10 Months To Go...
You might think it’s a bit too early to be selecting your wedding dress with 10 months to go, but you will be undergoing so many fittings and alterations of your bridal dress in the months leading up to the wedding. It takes approximately 4 months for the manufacturer to make the wedding gown and it takes another 2 months for any alterations to be made, so you must leave plenty of time for this!
9 Months To Go…
- Decide on your wedding playlist.
- Register for wedding gifts.
- Decide on catering - planning your wedding meal means that you need to try before you buy. Don’t forget dietary requirements, vegetarian options, and the children’s menu.
8 Months To Go…
With 8 months to go, the anticipation for your big day will be starting to build up - now is when you need to go shopping with your bridal party and get bridesmaid outfits chosen and sort out the alterations if necessary. You should also start researching wedding rings and bridal accessories - exciting times!
7 Months To Go…
- Select your wedding rings.
- Purchase bridal accessories - for yourself and your bridesmaids.
- Consider the design, wording and font of your wedding invitations and table cards - keep them in line with your wedding theme.
6 Months To Go…
In the run up to the wedding, you’re likely to be thinking about toning up and getting into shape - with 6 months to go, it’s the perfect time to kick-start a beauty and fitness regime!
You should also be:
- Creating wedding invitations.
- Discussing your honeymoon.
- Sorting out wedding dress alterations
5 Months To Go…
This is another exciting part of the wedding planning process - the tasting of wedding cakes! Spending a couple of hours just eating cake - what’s not to love?! Search for wedding cake businesses in your area to get a good variety.
You also need to consider:
- Finalising wedding decorations.
- Finalising wedding floristry.
- Reservations for the rehearsal dinner.
- The order of ceremony.
- Booking your honeymoon.
4 Months To Go…
With roughly 16 emotionally-charged weeks to go, now is the time for:
- Choosing your wedding vows.
- Sending out your wedding invitations.
- The groom and groomsmen to be trying on tuxedos
3 Months To Go…
Not long to go until your wedding day… You should make an appointment with a stylist for your bridal hair and bridal make-up. Get an idea of the kind of look you are going for for your wedding makeup - there are so many wedding looks to play around with; from champagne lids, nude lips and rosy cheeks, to feline cat eyes, dewy skin and warm metallics. Bridal hair is just as varied; from sexy curls and braids to classy buns and stylish twisted up-dos, you have unlimited options when it comes to head-turning wedding hairstyles.
2 Months To Go…
With time slowly running out, here’s a list of your ‘To-Do’s’, before you say ‘I Do!’.
- Final gown fitting.
- Practice hairstyle and makeup.
- The groom to be picking out his accessories such as the cuff-links, tie and shoes.
- Shop for wedding favours.
- Confirm the music playlist.
1 Month To Go…
This is one of the more busier months for you and your fiancé, where you’re getting everything finalised and in place, whilst juggling the hen do and stag do (which you luckily have your maid of honour and best man organising!).
Now is also when you need to finalise all the details with your photographer and the wedding venue - exciting times! Remember to provide photographer with a list of essential shots!
3 Weeks To Go…
At this stage, you thankfully won’t have too much left to organise and think about, but you still need to finalise your amazing wedding favours and confirm the final numbers for the catering.
2 Weeks To Go…
With only a fortnight to go, anticipation will be at an all-time high! Don’t forget to finalise your honeymoon details, seating plan and place cards for the reception, and wear your wedding shoes around the house to break them in! You’re going to be on your feet morning to night on your wedding day, so it would be wise to ensure that you won’t have sore feet!
1 Week To Go…
7 days to go…. The final countdown! The wedding rehearsal typically takes place around now and the wedding dress and the groom’s suit should also be picked up. The wedding decorations also need to be transported to the venue.
The very last thing that you should do is…. Relax! After 12 months of wedding planning, we say that you deserve a spa day with your bridal party! Get yourself in for a well-deserved manicure, pedicure and some waxing.
Guides For Brides Top Tip: - Leave your wedding dress in the bathroom hanging up on the bathroom door so that the steam from the shower reduces the creases in the dress.
Now you’ve had a simple wedding checklist on planning your wedding 101, here are our final words of advice!
#1 Don’t be afraid to enlist the help of a wedding planner - they are a great resource in planning your wedding day and knowing what wedding things to do, to ensure that you most definitely get the wedding of your dreams.
#2 Have fun!