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The Bride's Checklist
Six to Twelve Months Before Wedding
- Select a wedding date and time
- Make a preliminary budget
- Determine your wedding theme or style
- Reserve your ceremony and reception location
- Determine who will officiate at the ceremony
- Hire a wedding consultant
- Decide on your color scheme
- Start compiling names and addresses of guests
- Select bridal attendants
- Have fiancé select his attendants
- Plan reception
- Check catering facilities, if at a club or hotel
- Select a caterer, if one is necessary
- Select a professional photographer and videographer
- Select a professional florist
- Select your dress and headpiece
- Announce your engagement in the newspaper
- Select bridesmaids' dresses
- Select engagement ring with fiancé, if he has not already done so
Four Months Before
- Make final arrangements for ceremony (deposits should be paid, contracts signed)
- Make sure all bridal attire is ordered
- Have both mothers coordinate and select their dresses
- Register at a bridal registry in the towns of both families
- Order invitations and personal stationery
- Complete the guest lists and compile them in order
- Select the men's wedding attire and reserve the right sizes
- Check the requirements for a marriage license in your state
- Make appointment for physical exam
- Shop for wedding rings
- Start planning the honeymoon
- Decide where you will live after the wedding
- Begin shopping for trousseau
Two Months Before
- Address invitations and announcements (Mail four to six weeks before wedding)
- Finalize all details with caterer, photographer, florist, reception hall manager, musicians, etc.
- Order wedding cake, if not supplied by caterer
- Finalize ceremony details with officiant
- Make rehearsal arrangements
- Plan rehearsal dinner
- Plan bridesmaids' luncheon
- Make appointments with hairdresser
- Arrange accommodations for out-of-town attendants or guests
- Finalize honeymoon plans
One Month Before
- Have a final fitting for your gown and bridal attendants' gowns
- Have a formal bridal portrait taken
- Complete all physical or dental appointments
- Get marriage license
- Make transportation arrangements for the wedding day
- Purchase gifts for attendants
- Purchase gift for fiancé, if gifts are being exchanged
- Have the bridesmaids' luncheon
- Purchase going away outfit
- Keep a careful record of all gifts received (write thank-you notes immediately)
- Make sure you have all accessories, toasting goblets, ring pillow, garter, candles, etc.
- Select responsible person to handle guest book and determine its location
Two Weeks Before
- Attend to business and legal details. Get necessary forms to change names on Social Security card, driver's license, insurance
and medical plans, bank accounts; make a will.
- Prepare wedding announcements to be sent to newspaper
- Reconfirm the accommodations for out-of-town guests
- Arrange to have possessions and gifts moved to your new home. Give a change-of-address card to the post office
- Finish addressing announcements to be mailed on the wedding day
One Week Before
- Contact guests who have not responded
- Give the final count to caterer and review details
- Go over final details with all professional services you have engaged. Inform them of any changes.
- Give photographer the list of pictures you want
- Give the videographer a list of shots you would like included in the video
- Give all musicians the lists of music for the ceremony and reception
- Plan the seating arrangements
- Arrange for someone to assist with last-minute errands and to help you dress
- Practice having you hair done to make sure it comes out properly, and determine the time it will take
- Practice using your make-up in the same type of lighting you will have on the wedding date
- Keep up with the writing of thank-you notes.
- Pack your suitcase for the honeymoon
- Make sure you have the marriage license
- Make sure you have the wedding rings and they fit
- Make sure all wedding attire is picked up and fits properly
- Have a rehearsal with all participants, reviewing their duties
- Attend rehearsal dinner party. Stay calm and enjoy yourself
- Stay with family the night before the wedding. Go to bed early to look and feel rested for the ceremony
On the Wedding Day
- Be sure to eat something
- Take a nice relaxing bath
- Style hair at least three to four hours before the ceremony
- Make sure nails are polished
- Allow plenty of time to apply make-up
- Start dressing one to one-and-a-half hours before the ceremony. If pictures are being taken before the ceremony, then
have yourself and attendants ready about two hours before the ceremony
- Have the musicians begin playing thirty minutes before the ceremony
- As guests arrive, have them seated. Seat Groom's parents five minutes before the ceremony. Immediately before procession,
the bride's mother is seated and the aisle runner is rolled out.
After the wedding
- Send announcements and wedding pictures to newspapers
- Mail announcements
- Write and mail thank-you notes
The Groom's Checklist
Six to Twelve Months Before
- Buy the engagement ring
- Discuss with fiancée the date and type of wedding
- Put together a wedding guest list and have your family make out theirs. You should note which guests you would like to
have seated in the reserved pews of the church or of the wedding ceremony site
- Choose the best man and ushers. Make an invitation to your friend to be your best man and select and invite other friends
to be ushers.
- Start planning and making necessary arrangements for the honeymoon
- Discuss and plan with your fiancée your new home together. If your fiancée is moving in with you, start cleaning out closets,
cupboards, and drawers to make room for your bride and wedding gifts.
Four Months Before
- Shop with fiancée for wedding rings
- Complete your guest list, including full names, addresses and zip codes with phone numbers
- Check requirements for marriage license in your state, or the state that you will be married
- Select and order men's wedding attire with your fiancée
- Finalize all honeymoon plans and send in deposits if required (don't delay - some resorts fill up fast in popular months)
Two Months Before
- Meet with officiant to finalize ceremony details
- Assist parents with plans for the rehearsal dinner party
- Discuss the amount and the financial arrangement for the flowers (this is the groom's responsibility)
- Arrange accommodations for out-of-town attendants
One Month Before
- See that all attendants have been fitted and wedding attire has been ordered
- Purchase gifts for the best man and ushers, present at the wedding rehearsal or the bachelor party
- Select a gift for your bride, if gifts are being exchanged. This gift should be something personal such as jewelry, a
full day at the spa, etc.
- Pick up wedding rings and verify that they fit
- Take care of business and legal affairs (add bride's name to insurance policies and medical plans, make a new will, add
her name to the joint checking account or joint credit cards). If you have both agreed to a pre-nuptial agreement, have it
drawn up and signed
Two Weeks Before
- Together with fiancée, gather necessary documents and get your marriage license
- Arrange wedding day transportation
- Reconfirm accommodations for out-of-town guests
- If moving, give change-of-address card to post office; arrange to have utilities and phone service turned on in the new
home. If not moving, finish cleaning and reorganizing your home; help your fiancée move her things
- Get your hair cut
The Week Before
- Discuss all final details with your fiancée (offer to assist if needed)
- Pick up and try on wedding attire
- Make sure that your attendants get their wedding attire
- Pack for honeymoon
- Reconfirm all honeymoon reservations
- Make sure that you have the plane tickets
- Go to the rehearsal with your attendants and let them know their responsibilities
- Go over special seating or pew cards with ushers
- Make sure luggage is in the car or the hotel where you will stay your first night.
- Attend rehearsal dinner. Relax and enjoy yourself
- Go to bed early
The Wedding Day
- Be sure to eat
- Start dressing one hour before ceremony
- Arrive to the ceremony location on time
- Give the best man the bride's wedding ring
- Place the officiant's fee in a sealed envelope and give it to the best man. He will take care of the fee after the ceremony
- Take the marriage license to the ceremony
- Have the best man and maid of honor sign the wedding certificate as witnesses
At the Reception
- Dance with your bride first, then with both mothers and the bridesmaids
- Thank the bride's parents and say good-bye to your parents before leaving the reception
After the Wedding
- Send flowers or a telegram expressing your appreciation and thanks the bride's parents the first day of your honeymoon
The Best Man's Checklist
Before the Wedding
- Arrange for the bachelor's dinner and/or party
- Select a gift for the Groom
- Act as a liaison for the Groom's friends and family
- Confirm that the Groom has taken care of the honeymoon travel arrangements
- Provide transportation for the Groom to get to the ceremony and from the ceremony to the reception
Before Leaving to the Wedding Ceremony
- Help the groom dress and finish packing
- Insure that the car is packed for the honeymoon
- Check to make sure there is gas in the Groom's car and/or the honeymoon car
- Groom should have the wedding ring.
- Travel Tickets, Passport, ID etc.
- Copy of the reception speech.
- Car Keys
- Money / Travelers Checks
- Handkerchief
- Any gifts or acknowledgments
- Checkbook or credit card for any needed payments
Before Walking Down the Aisle
- Have everyone use the restroom
- Tie shoes
- Zipper's up!
- Last minute grooming
- If vows are written, make sure Groom has his
- Best man has wedding ring
After the Ceremony
- Sign the marriage license
- Pay the clergy fee
During & After the Reception
- Musicians or DJ setup
- Speech to the groom and bride
- Offer the first toast
- Dance with the bride and her attendants
- Read telegrams or special mail for the bride and groom
The Maid of Honor's Checklist
Before the Wedding
- Arrange for a bridal shower
- Select a gift for the Bride
- Act as a liaison for the Bride's friends and family
- Help the Bride with the wedding plans, if she needs assistance
- Provide transportation for the Bride to get to the ceremony and from the ceremony to the reception
Before Leaving to the Wedding Ceremony
- Help the Bride dress and finish packing
- Bride should have the wedding ring.
- Any gifts or acknowledgments
Before Walking Down the Aisle
- Have everyone use the restroom
- Last minute primping
- If vows are written, make sure Bride has hers
After the Ceremony
- Sign the marriage license
During & After the Reception
- Speech to the groom and bride
- Offer a toast after the best man
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