• Choose a date. Allow yourself enough time to plan everything and book the venues that you want.
• Decide who is paying for what and set yourself a strict budget that will determine the number of guests and the style of the wedding.
• Arrange an appointment with your religious leader, if you are having a religious ceremony, to discuss your plans.
• Book your venues, both for the ceremony and for the reception and party. Popular venues can be booked up a year in advance.
• Draw up your guest list in conjunction with both sets of parents and decide on the catering arrangements. Decide whether you want a formal sit-down meal or a buffet, which is less expensive.
• Order your wedding cake.
• Book your photographer, video producer if using, entertainment and music.
• Order your wedding dress and think about overall colour schemes, flowers etc. If you are having a dress designed and made for you, allow at least four months. Order dresses for bridesmaids.
• Order your invitations and other stationery.
• Choose a florist and decide on your flowers for the church, reception, bouquets and buttonholes.
• Buy your lingerie and other accessories.
• Ensure groom, best man and ushers have ordered their wedding suits.
• Draw up a gift list in conjunction with a department store or specialist gift list company. Both of these often undertake to notify your guests of the gift list.
• If you receive gifts before the wedding, make a careful note of who has sent what and send out thank you cards.
• Choose your wedding rings.
• Book your honeymoon and first wedding night hotel. Arrange any necessary vaccinations and visas. If you are changing your name allow plenty of time to have your passport changed.
• Send out invitations at least six weeks before the wedding. Make a careful note of acceptances and refusals.
• Decide on your hairstyle and make-up.
• Order travellers cheques and foreign currency.
• Pack your honeymoon case and have it delivered to your hotel.
• Have the rehearsal for the wedding ceremony.
• Ask a close friend to pack up your wedding dress following the reception and store it for you until after the honeymoon.
• Consider buying some wedding day insurance in case a mishap forces you to postpone the ceremony. Otherwise it could cost you a fortune in lost deposits.
