You’re Newly Engaged – How to Plan Your Wedding
With lots of newly engaged couples after Christmas and New Year and exciting proposals planned for Valentine’s Day, many will be taking their first steps into wedding planning in the coming months.
It’s an exciting time so enjoy it! Use our handy wedding planner and wedding timeline to make sure you don’t forget anything.
Choose a fabulous wedding planning gift to help you with the organisation.
Wedding Planning Checklist
The times listed may fluctuate, but they serve as a good planning tool from which to work from.
12 Months Ahead
- Announce your engagement to friends and family!
- Arrange your engagement photos
- Make a keepsake box for your engagement cards.
- Select a wedding date – choose several to be flexible
- Decide your wedding budget and style. Keep to your wedding budget while planning as it’s easy for wedding costs to spiral in the excitement.
- Select the main wedding party: bridesmaids, chief bridesmaid, best man, ushers, flower girl
- Choose a wedding insurance policy or wedding plan insurance.
- Consider a Wedding Venue and a reception venue if this is separate, ensure you can keep the number of wedding guests and venue within the budget.
- Start planning suppliers such as wedding photographers, caterers, florists, stationers.
- Send save the dates to your wedding guests
Save the Date Cards
If you’re wondering when to send save the date cards, this can be done as soon as you have a confirmed date. You may not have decided your wedding stationery style so don’t be afraid to have some fun with save the dates!
If you’re making your own save the date wedding cards, be sure to check our save the date templates and remember to include the ceremony’s date and time.
We’ve selected a few save the date ideas to get you thinking below:
10 Months Ahead
- Finalise the Venue and Wedding Vendors
- Finalise the outfits for the wedding party particularly Bridesmaids and Groomsmen
- Finalise the wedding guest list
- Post your Save the Date cards
- Choose and order your wedding outfits including ‘the’ wedding dress
- Consider booking a honeymoon
8 Months Ahead
- Arrange your wedding invitations, either plan making your own (see our tutorials for good ideas) or book a wedding stationer and choose a design
- Research accommodation for guests who will have to stay over
- Update the guest list
7 Months Ahead
- Finalise wedding hair and makeup
- Finalise suppliers and all wedding details including the wedding cake
- Buy wedding bands
- Decide the date of the hen and stag party
5 Months Ahead
- Ensure your choice of flower is detailed with the florist
- Make sure dress and outfit fittings are scheduled
- Finalise and book a honeymoon
- Finalise the wedding guest list
3 Months Ahead
- Check honeymoon plans are in order, payments are complete, passports are in date
- Finalise the wedding seating plan
- Finalise the wedding ceremony details such as service, readers, music or hymns
- Finalise the wedding breakfast details
- Post your wedding Invitations
- Finalise hairdressing and makeup artist, have a practice run
- Make purchases for the day such as keepsake wedding flutes, wedding post box and guest book if not provided by your stationer
- Organise wedding favours (especially if making DIY wedding favours) as these can often be completed in advance
2 Months Ahead
- Collate the RSVP’s as they arrive from the guests
- Liaise with venue or officiant regarding the ceremony
- Finalise the order of service or order of ceremony booklets
- Finalise the wedding reception seating plan
- Apply for a marriage license
- Arrange final dress fittings and collections
- Ensure the wedding party and wedding venue have a detailed wedding timeline
- Make sure all the little details are in place such as ‘something old, new borrowed and blue.’
- Book any spa and beauty treats for the wedding party in preparation for the big day
- Finalise and book wedding transport if not already arranged
- Choose gifts for the wedding party
- Collect or arrange some thank you cards
1 Month Ahead
- Double-check details with all the wedding suppliers including confirming the date, time and location
- Organise honeymoon packing
- Collect wedding bands
- Liaise any final details with the Venue or Officiant
- Enjoy the hen or stag do
- Collate all items for the big day including orders of service or order of ceremony, wedding favours, wrap gifts
- Start writing thank you cards for gifts already received
2 Weeks Ahead
- Chase up any guests who have not returned their RSVP
- Final numbers to wedding caterer
- ‘Wear in’ your wedding shoes
- Ensure the wedding party are ‘up to speed’ and that the Best Man and Chief Bridesmaid are organised with their tasks
- Ensure one person is returning all hired items after the day (eg hired suits etc.)
- Make sure wedding transport has the correct details
- Make final payments to all wedding suppliers
1 Week Ahead
- Ensure readers have the correct readings
- Finalise and confirm details with the wedding photographer
- Collection of any remaining items including outfits
- Plan your personal getting ready time for the day
- Ensure there’s a wedding day emergency kit with safety pins, needle and thread, tissues, plasters etc
- Enjoy some time relaxing or having some beauty treatments
The Day Before
- Final beauty treatments
- Enjoy the rehearsal dinner
- Try to get a good nights sleep!
The Wedding Day
- Don’t forget to eat breakfast
- Ensure the Best Man or Officiant has the wedding rings
- Relax and enjoy your day, savour every moment as time will go faster than you imagine
Afterwards . . . . . . . . Don't Forget!
- Remember to send thanks to everyone, especially to those who’ve sent wedding gifts.
- Return all hired items from suits to cutlery
- Enjoy the wedding photos.
