So you’ve made the decision and named the date. Now the real planning begins. A leading panel of wedding experts and registrars helped me put together an extensive checklist to help you plan during your wedding day countdown.
Having named the day
- Work out a rough budget and guest list
- Provisionally book the venue, then immediately contact the Registrars to ensure they have staff and your preferred time available. Once this is done, confirm the date and time back to the venue.
- Arrange a Notice of Marriage appointment with the registrars
- Book the caterers and entertainment
- Choose your bridesmaids, best man or woman and ushers
- Book the photographer and/or videographer
- Book the toastmaster
- Book cars for the ceremony and for going away
- Plan and book your honeymoon
- Start shopping for wedding outfits, including bridesmaids’ dresses
Four months before
- Pay your fees to the Registrars
Three months before
- Plan the guest list and order invitations, menu cards and place cards
- Order the wedding cake
- Choose the rings
- Choose flowers for the reception, bridal party, buttonholes and corsages
- Decide on your wedding gift list
- Have a first fitting of the bridal dress
- If you are having a honeymoon abroad, arrange necessary visas and vaccinations
- Book a hotel for the wedding night
- Plan the hen and stag nights
Two months before
- Send out the invitations
- Choose gifts for the bridesmaids, best man or woman and mothers
- Order gift boxes to send out wedding cake
- Complete the online ceremony options form for your registrars
Four weeks before
- Finalise the guestlist
- Have final fittings for the wedding outfits
- Take your headdress and veil to the hairdressers for a practice run
- Confirm with the caterers and arrange the seating plan
Two weeks before
- Work out a timetable for the reception and run through it with the best man or woman and the bridesmaids
- Write out place cards for the reception
- Wear in your wedding dress a little, around the home
- Order your foreign currency if going abroad for your honeymoon
On the Day of Your Wedding
- Make sure the cases for your honeymoon are sent on to your overnight hotel
- Make arrangements for the wedding outfits to be packed away after the wedding and any hired items are returned as soon as possible
- Ask friends and family to make sure the wedding presents are packed up and taken home
- And wedding cake to be parcelled up and sent to people who cannot attend
