Wedding Timeline
Six Months to One Year Before
Bride and Groom Tasks:
- 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 and start to gather names and addresses.
- Choose a professional photographer, florist, baker, videographer, caterer, DJ or band, wedding consultant (if you choose to use one).
- Announce your engagement.
- Have professional engagement portrait taken and submit to newspaper.
Bride's Tasks:
- Select attendants, flower girl, and maid/matron of honor.
- Select bridesmaids' dresses, keep color swatch for florist and reception hall color coordination.
Groom's Tasks:
- Purchase engagement ring.
- Select groomsmen, ushers, and best man.
- Decide what financial assistance you and/or your family will provide, and discuss with fiancée.
Four Months Before
Bride & Groom Tasks:
- 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's Tasks:
- 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's Tasks:
- Make sure all groom and groomsmen attire is ordered.
Two Months Before
Bride & Groom Tasks:
- 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's Tasks:
- Plan rehearsal dinner.
One Month Before
Bride & Groom Tasks:
- 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's Tasks:
- Final fittings for bride and attendants.
- Contact your photographer for your formal bridal portrait.
- Purchase gift for fiancée.
- Finish trousseau shopping.
Groom's Tasks:
- Purchase gift for fiancée.
Two Weeks Before
Bride & Groom Tasks:
- 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's Tasks:
- Coordinate attendants' luncheon with maid/matron of honor.
Groom's Tasks:
- 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 Tasks:
- 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's Tasks:
- Contact guests who have not R.S.V.P.'d.
- Give final count to banquet hall or caterer, finalize seating arrangements
Groom's Tasks:
- Reconfirm all honeymoon reservations.
On Your Wedding Day
Bride & Groom Tasks:
- Eat something in the morning.
- Don't worry, be happy!! Enjoy!!
Bride's Tasks:
- 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's Tasks:
- Give yourself plenty of time to get dressed.
