Organising your wedding: a timeline CherryGorgeous

Organising your wedding

Its probably the first time you have ever organised a wedding, so what do you do? Where do you start? They is much more to think about than you realise and venues, photographers etc. can get booked up pretty quickly. So we’ve put together the cherrygorgeous guide to organising your big day as smoothly as possible!

Twelve to six months before…

• Hire a wedding co-ordinator, if you think you need one. This can be a bit pricey, but if you only use them for one part of the wedding (finding the venue, for example) it can be pretty cost effective.
• Decide on the wedding date, check everyone can make it and send out a save the date card. And remember, you don’t have to have your wedding on a Saturday. It can be cheaper and easier to get the venue and church you want if you have your big day during the week.
• Work out a realistic budget. If you are saving together – consider opening a joint bank account for the wedding. You can take a look at our credit crunch wedding guide for a few tips on keeping the cost down.
• Draw up a guest list – it’s advisable to involve both sets of parents and decide on guests together. Keeping everyone happy can often be a little tricky, but remember this is your big day and the final decision should be yours. And don’t forget the budget, the more guests you have, the more you’ll have to spend.
• Book your ceremony and have an appointment with your minister, priest, rabbi or registrar to arrange the wedding.
• Book your reception venue and caterer if needed.
• Book your photographer and videographer. If you are getting married in a church, check it is ok with them taking pictures or filming.
• Choose your best man, bridesmaids and ushers.
• Start looking at your wedding stationery and send out save the date cards if needed (these days people have busy schedules and so booking them up early is always a good idea).
• Book wedding transport to get you between the wedding venue and the reception.
• Book a honeymoon! If you’re lucky enough to be heading off somewhere warm and exotic, check your passports are OK. It’s also worth sorting out transport to the airport.
• Book your florist – colours and flowers can be chosen at a later date.
• Start making appointments to try on wedding dresses and when you’re happy order your wedding dress.
• Choose the bridesmaids outfits (including shoes and accessories)
• Start looking at wedding cakes.
• Book your music and entertainment.

Four to six months before…

• Buy your wedding rings. This is always a good excuse to head off somewhere special for the day, have a lovely lunch and drinking something expensive and fizzy! But remember not to break into the wedding ring budgets!
• Order your wedding stationery – invitations, place cards, order of service, seating plans etc. Have we mentioned that we do wedding stationery? We’re really very good. And affordable too!
We offer 3 different services:
Online DIY wedding stationery: Our most affordable option. Just choose your favourite design, enter the wording online, get it exactly how you want it then we’ll get it printed and sent out to you in the post. Prices start from just 69p.
Personalised wedding stationery: Our personalised wedding stationery range allows you to choose your favourite design, change the colours and wording and we’ll do all the design work, send you a pdf to check and when your completely happy, we’ll send you designs to print and then pop them in the post.
 Bespoke wedding stationery:  Our most complete wedding stationery design service. We’ll speak to you to work out exactly what you want your wedding invites to look like, then we’ll send you three designs to choose from. When you’re happy, well enter all the wording, send the to print and send them out to you.
Take a look at our full range of wedding stationery here.
• If you are having a religious ceremony, confirm arrangements with your minister for the reading of the banns and for the service (readings, music, hymns etc)
• Discuss and confirm flowers with your florist.
• Order your wedding cake and if you are planning on sending out wedding cake to absent guests, order cake boxes now.
• Consider taking out a wedding insurance policy (better to be safe than sorry).
• Organise your gift list.
• Finalise your wedding outfit for the bride including lingerie, shoes, tiaras, evening dress etc.
• Discuss both mothers’ outfits, to prevent any clashes of colour.
• Book your wedding night accommodation, if not staying at your reception venue or jetting off on honeymoon straight away.
• Choose your wedding favours and any other venue decoration needed like chair covers or balloons, for example.
• Choose the groom and best man’s outfits.

Two to four months before…

• If you are marrying in a registry office confirm details with them.
• Send out wedding invitations and evening invitations – don’t forget to include your gift list and send out wedding information cards to give your guests some info about local hotels and getting to the venue.
• Buy your going away outfit. Another excuse for a fun day out, get your bridesmaids together, go out for lunch have a few drinks and get even more excited about how close your big day is!
• Visit your hairdresser and discuss styles. And if you’re wearing a head-dresses or a tiara, have a chat about how it can fit in with your fabulous new style. Once you’re happy, book your appointment.
• Consult your beautician to practice your wedding day make-up and book an appointment for manicure, pedicure, facial etc before the wedding.
• Finalise all your honeymoon plans – organize vaccinations, visas and book foreign currency if needed.
• Organise your hen and stag do’s – for at least a week before the wedding.
• Buy a guest book.

One or two months before…

• Order your presents for your attendants, best man, bridesmaid and both mums!
• Chase up all unanswered invitations and draw up your final guest list.
• Get yourself a wedding reception seating plan, table numbers and name place cards for all your guests.
• Finalise numbers and menu with hotel/caterers as soon as possible.
• Have your final dress fitting while wearing your shoes, sexy new lingerie and jewellery to make sure it all works perfectly together.
• Remind your fiancé about writing his speech and also your Dad and best man.
• Check all travel arrangements, especially to and from the church, including timing the journey.
• If you are changing your name then inform your bank, building society etc
• Arrange for a wedding announcement in the local newspaper if required.

One week before…

• Collect or have your wedding dress delivered.
• Check bridesmaids and mums have got their outfits.
• Collect morning suits.
• Check and confirm flowers (time of delivery), photographer, videographer, transport, catering, clothes etc.
• Have your ceremony rehearsal and check that everyone knows what they’re supposed be doing.
• Wear in your wedding shoes by walking around the house. There’s nothing worse than
• Collect rings if applicable.
• Finalise honeymoon arrangements, including obtaining tickets.
• Pack for the honeymoon and check that the groom does too.
• Check the groom has a final trim at the hairdressers.

The day before the wedding…

• Relax. If that’s possible!
• Arrange for suitcases to be taken to the reception venue.
• Arrange wedding clothes ready to put on.
• Visit beautician for nails and other final beauty treatments.
• Make sure the wedding rings are in a safe place or have been handed to the best man.

On the day…

• The big day is finally here. Relax and enjoy it!

After the wedding…

• Have a nice long lay in followed by a lovely breakfast. You deserve it!
• You need to arrange for your family and friends to take care of some arrangements for you – or if you have one your wedding planner will often take care of this for you.
• After you have changed into your going away clothes your wedding dress and other clothes will need to be taken home by a friend or family member. The best man is always the best bet, if he’s not to hungover!
• Arrange for all your wedding gifts to be collected and taken home. They are best kept with family and friends until you return or check your insurance company to make sure they are covered.
• All hired items need to be returned.
• Send wedding cake to all the guests who could not attend.
• And when you return.. don’t forget to send out a few thank you cards.