The Wedding Zone - From Engagement to Honeymoon
Getting Married? Start Here

Wedding Planning

Congratulations on your forthcoming marriage -
May you have many years of happiness.

Immediately you have decided when to get married -
start your wedding planning

When you are thinking about getting married - this is the time to start to visit bridal fayres to get an idea of costing etc.
Shortlist and earmark the photographer and transport style you like best particularly.

Immediately you have decided when to get married, the date, time and place of the wedding and the reception need to be booked. Bearing in mind you must set yourself an overall budget for the whole wedding with an adequate safety net.

You will probably have to pay deposits to most of the service providers you are going to use, so book the date, time and place of the wedding first! This avoids lost deposits and confusion over bookings.

Having booked the wedding and reception locations:

Book the honeymoon. (Allow a day or so between the wedding and an overseas flight, to allow for recuperation after the wedding!)

Order the Bridal Gown, shoes and accessories

Choose a best man, bridesmaid-in-chief or matron of honour, bridesmaids and ushers.

Decide jointly on the number of wedding guests and create a wedding guest list.

Book the photographer.

Book the wedding transport.

Book the entertainment.

Take out wedding insurance.

Wedding Planning - Six months before:

Order the Wedding cake.

Book Master of Ceremonies?

Book chimney sweep?

Bridal gown first fittings.

Issue the wedding present list.

Advice for the groom and wedding attendants.

Order bridesmaids dresses. (allow for some growth!)

Order Flowers for the wedding location and reception.

Order posies and buttonholes.

Order the grooms and best mans apparel - Suit hire.

Order the stationery. - Day & Evening Invitations, Order of service, Menu, Place settings, Table plan etc.

Order balloons - Table decorations - Hats

If a lot of children are likely to be attending - Consider a creche for part of the day.

If you are considering fireworks or a laser display now is the time to book.

Wedding Planning - Three months before:

Choose wedding rings

Arrange calling of the Bans.

Book hairdressers appointments.

Choose hymns and wedding music.

Send out the formal invitations.

If passports are required for the honeymoon obtain a new passport for the bride in her new name.

If visas, vaccinations or inoculations are required for the honeymoon book them now.

Wedding Planning - Two months before:

Check with service providers that everything is in order.

Particularly: Wedding cars (go and see what they are like at someone else's wedding!) Photographer, Suit hire, Wedding cake, Caterers and Reception location.

Send any last minute invitations.

Advise Bank and Building Society of new name and address.

Organise Stag and Hen parties for a week or so before the wedding?

Wedding Planning - One month before:

Check Wedding dress, shoes and accessories.

Check on entertainer, music, etc

Wedding Planning - Ten days before:

Service sheets to the church

Double check with best man and attendants

Start packing the honeymoon bags!

Wedding Planning - The day before:

Pick up the flowers.

Collect the Cake.

Finnish off the packing!

Have an early night!

Wedding Planning - On the day

An hour before the wedding ceremony begins - Ushers arrive to show guests in and hand out service sheets.

Half an hour before the wedding begins - the bells start to ring.

Twenty minutes - Groom and best man arrive taking seats on the right hand pew.

Fifteen minutes - Guests arrive. Bride's family and friends seated to the left. Groom's family and friends seated to the right.

Ten minutes - The bride's mother and bridesmaids arrive.

Five minutes - Brides mother is escorted to her seat - Traditionally she is the last to be seated, which signals to the congregation that the wedding ceremony is about to begin.

On time - The groom and best man take their position and the bride arrives (or traditionally a couple of minutes late!) The bridesmaid's arrange the brides dress and ensure her engagement ring is on her right hand! The bride begins her slow walk down the aisle on her father's arm. The groom turns to greet his bride.

The service proceeds.

After the service:

Photographs - Glass of Champagne - Confetti send off.

 

Wedding Planning -
in the days after the wedding

Return hired items.

Send "Thank you" notes to gift givers.

Send cake to those unable to attend the wedding.

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