12 Months and Counting

So you’ve been asked the big question and you said yes! Congratulations! Take time out and enjoy the moment. Once you’re ready to start planning here’s some advice on how to plan, and what to do, to make your journey to your wedding day as stress-free as possible.

Theme

If you’re a bride who wants a theme, now is the time to settle on it. Fairy tale, romantic, contemporary, boho, woodland, Art Deco. I could go on. Once you know, you can create a Pinterest board with all the little bits and pieces that inspire you, and all the must haves that you can’t be without.

Budget

This is an important thing to set straight right at the start; your budget. This is going to dictate what dreams you can make true and what are going to stay as fantasies. And whatever you do, don’t be tempted to sway from your budget based on what other people think you need. You’re the one footing the bill.

Church or Registry Office

Another decision to make straight away. Maybe you both want a church wedding which makes life easy. If you don’t agree then you’ll need time to discuss, investigate both options and make a decision you can both live with. You don’t want to start your married life wishing you’d done your wedding differently.

Venue

Then start looking at locations for your wedding breakfast and evening party. The best venues get booked up early, and while it is possible you could get a cancellation spot, it’s not a good idea to bank on that happening. Book early to make sure you get the date and location you want.

Wedding Party

Work out who your key people are going to be for the day. Your bridesmaids, flower girls and page boys, if you want them, best man, ushers, witnesses. While it’s good to sort these people out soon so that way they can start helping you plan, don’t rush into anything. Ask yourself what you expect of your maid of honour and be realistic about who can meet your expectations. Don’t ask someone because you think you have to. You don’t have to do anything. This is your wedding, your rules.

Save the Date

People have busy lives. To make sure you have the people you want in attendance sending out save the date cards once you’ve booked the venue. This will help you avoid the disappointment of having key people RSVP they can’t attend.

Wedding Fairs

It’s never too early to start going to wedding fairs. You’ll meet suppliers, see what they offer, maybe get some ideas. You can also get good deals at wedding fairs, something to remember if you’re on a tight budget.

Dress

Depending on the sort of dress you want, it can take up to six months to make, so get looking. Book yourself into some bridal shops with the women in your life that you trust and try some dresses on. Try everything and anything and, once you’ve picked the one, agree with your supplier your fitting dates and the day you want to take it home.

This might seem like a lot but if you aim to have all this within twelve to nine months of your wedding date then you’re on a roll and the biggest things are already organised.