Twelve months in advance

• Set the date for the wedding (but still have backup dates in mind)
• Define the type of ceremony and reception you want to have: religious or civil, formal or informal, by day or by night, big or small?
• Start looking for the reception venue
• Arrange for your families to meet, if they haven't already
• Define the global budget and who will contribute for this budget
• Define the initial guest lis

Eight months in advance

• If you are having a religious wedding, make the initial preparations for it, such as speaking to the priest
• Invite the best man and the bridesmaids
• Invite the ring bearer and the flower girl
• Choose the reception venue
• Make reservations for the catering and all that you eventually need to rent, like tables, chairs, towels, tableware or even a tent
• Start looking for the photographer
• Start looking for potential destinations for your honeymoon
• Think about the type of invitations and favors that you want for for your wedding (see some examples in Ideas)
• The bride should start the search for the bridal gown (see some examples in Ideas
• Shop for and order your bridesmaid dresses

Six months in advance

• Think about the bride's bouquet and the flowers for the decoration of the church and the reception venue (see some examples in Ideas)
• Define the final guest list and gather all the address and contacts you'll need for sending the invitations
• Order (or start to make your own) favors and stationery (invitations, menus, thank you notes)
• The bride should choose the bridal gown and all the accessories

Four months in advance

• Start mailing the invitations
• Start planning your rehearsal dinner. Give the hosts your guest list.
• Select and confirm the photographer and the videographer and tell them the kind of work you are looking for
• Select and confirm the musicians for the reception
• In case you opt for a religious ceremony define if you want a choir or music of any kind in the ceremony
• Book the florist for the bride's bouquet and the floral arrangements
• Choose the store(s) where you'll have your wedding registry and start to choose what you want in it
• Think about where you want to spend the wedding night
• Make all the reservations for the honeymoon
• The groom should look for his tuxedo or suit and the accessories, namely the shoes, necktie and vest
• The bride should choose the hairdo and makeup
• The bride should buy stockings and lingerie that goes well with her bridal gown
• If you're planning on using "going away outfits" shop for those now

Three months in advance

• Order the wedding cake
• Finalize your wedding registry
• Define the car (or other transport mean) you'll use on the day of the wedding
• Buy the wedding rings
• Help your parents choose what they'll be wearing

Two months in advance

• All invitations should have been mailed by now
• Take care of the seating plan
• Choose the menu and discuss all the details with the catering or the reception venue
• Confirm: photographer, animation, florist, guests, reservations, honeymoon, hairdresser and esthetician
• Choose the music/songs you want for the ceremony and reception
• Confirm if all the documents for the trip are ready
• Book the rehearsal dinner

One month in advance

• Apply for your marriage license.
• Confirm everything once more: reception, catering, photographer, animation, florist, guests who still have not confirmed, reservations, honeymoon, hairdresser and esthetician
• Write thank you cards as you receive wedding gifts
• Start to buy what you will take with you on honeymoon, namely the luggage, clothes adequate for the weather you expect to find and lingerie . Make a list of what you need to take with you.
• The bride should do a hairstyle and the makeup test

Fifteen days in advance

• Confirm everything once more
• Inform the reception venue or the catering of the final guests count
• Arrange the seating plan for the reception
• The bride should make the final test of the bridal gown, with the shoes, lingerie and all the accessories that she intends to use
• The bride should start using the shoes indoors. If the groom also will be using brand new shoes the same suggestion apllies.

One week in advance

• Pack the luggage for the honeymoon
• Confirm the transport for the church and ceremony
• The bride should fetch the bridal gown
• The bride should confirm the hairdresser appointment for the wedding day
• The bride should have a manicure and a pedicure (and eventually also some pre-wedding spa pampering!)
• Hold rehearsal dinner

On the wedding day

• Relax and enjoy... this is your day!

• Wedding List
• Invitations
• Invitations Models