Wedding planning made easy
Firstly, congratulations on your engagement! You've probably already started thinking about your wedding, but how do you plan one? In our guide we will give you detailed information on how to plan your wedding. We will also show you how to keep track of everything. You can download our free wedding checklist to tick off each step:
Wedding planning: 9 – 12 months before your wedding
It is best to plan and organise your big day about 12 months in advance or as early as possible. Make sure to follow the steps below for a successful special day. Here are some of the things that need to be planned a year in advance.
Finding a date
Start off by discussing a possible date. Do you already have a specific date in mind, for example, would you like to get married in the summer? When choosing your wedding date, also consider bank holidays or the festive season. It is a good idea to discuss the date with family and friends so that they can attend your special day at the chosen time.
Make an appointment at the registry office or church
Once you have decided on a date, you can already start getting everything together you will need to get married. However, you will need to give notice at least 6 months before the date.
Sending save-the-date cards
As soon as you have a fixed date, you should send your save-the-date cards so that all your guests can make sure that they can pencil in your chosen date. Make enough cards and draw up a guest list so that you can keep track of everything.
Make a diary
It is a good idea to create a wedding folder and a diary. In the folder you can keep all the important documents you will need for your wedding. This is where you can keep everything important in one place, such as reservations, confirmations and contracts, as well as invoices and dates.
Think about how you would like to organise everything so that you can stay on top of things. In your wedding folder you can make a note of which tasks family members or friends are in charge of.
Agreeing on a budget for your wedding
To make planning a wedding easier, you will need to discuss and agree on a budget in advance. The costs of a wedding can vary. The decisive factor is what you as the bride and groom have in mind for your special day. In order to keep an overview of the wedding costs, you should calculate everything you will need in advance.
Choosing a theme for your wedding
Now it's time to decide on the theme or style as well as the location for your wedding reception. Choose a style that suits you, such as simple or something a bit more over the top.
Finding the perfect location
Once you have agreed on the style of wedding you would like to have. You will need to start thinking about the wedding venue. It is also important to know how many guests you would like to invite. Keep in mind how many guests you are expecting. The size of the wedding venue depends on the number of guests.
If you have already chosen a particularly popular location, you should request your desired date as soon as possible and make a reservation. Popular wedding venues include castles and old manor houses. These can be sometimes fully booked and the next available date may be in a year or two years time. Don’t forget to double check the availability of your preferred location for your wedding ceremony.
When choosing a location, don't just take the number of guests into account, but also think about whether there will be enough space for a gift table or an area for children's activities. This is also important, for example, if you are planning on having a buffet. You will need a dance floor that is large enough, depending on how many guests will be attending your wedding. Generally, as a rule each guest needs at least one square metre of free space. When choosing a suitable venue make sure that there is enough space for a buffet and the other things you would like to have at your wedding reception.
Wedding planning: 7 – 9 months before your wedding
After the first few weeks of being engaged, you can already start to think about planning your wedding:
Putting in annual leave
Put in any annual leave for your wedding in good time. You will probably need a few days off before and after your wedding. Find out from your employer if you are entitled to any special leave due to getting married. Make sure to put in annual leave for your honeymoon if you want to go after your wedding.
Planning your honeymoon
Plan the time, destination and duration of your honeymoon well in advance to save money and to take advantage of any sales. Don't forget to include the honeymoon in your budget when planning everything. Before booking your honeymoon find out whether you will need a passport or a visa and any recommended vaccinations.
Visiting your wedding venue
After you have shortlisted locations for your wedding, you should visit them and book your favourite one. Ask the venue owner for recommendations on where it would be best to put the tables and chairs, buffet table, gift table, children's activities, bar, dance floor, etc.
Getting quotes from wedding suppliers
Get quotes from your chosen wedding suppliers and discuss any ideas and reserve your planned wedding date:
Catering: create a menu or decide on a buffet, include any food preferences and allergies, and make sure to try the food before your big day.
Photographer: think about whether you would like a photoshoot after the wedding ceremony or photos that are taken throughout your special day.
Flowers: think about flower arrangements for the church or registry office, flower girl baskets, flower decorations for the wedding car, a bouquet for the bride and bridal toss, flower arrangements for the wedding reception and table decorations.
Music/entertainment: discuss the type of music and entertainment you would like to have at your wedding reception, such as a DJ musician, band, singer or something similar.
Wedding cake: decide on what type of wedding cake you would like to have and arrange a wedding cake tasting session.
Transport: organise transport for your wedding guests from the registry office to the wedding reception and your own transport for the day, such as a wedding car, carriage, etc.
Accommodation: book overnight accommodation for guests and organise overnight accommodation for yourself.
Hair & make-up: organise a hair and make-up trial and book any final appointments at the hairdressers for the wedding day.
Any other wedding suppliers or services: if needed, for example, entertainers, fireworks, bouncy castle hire, etc.
Book your wedding car
Make sure you choose the right wedding car for your wedding. Whether it's an elegant limousine, a nostalgic vintage car or a fairytale carriage, the vehicle should match the style or theme of your wedding. Find out about the different options and book your wedding cars in advance.
Choosing the perfect wedding dress & suit
Now it's time to start thinking about your wedding outfits. For a lot of women choosing a wedding dress is one of the most important things when planning a wedding.
In the following article we will explain in detail what you should consider when choosing a wedding dress: The perfect wedding dress
In the following article we have put together some helpful tips and information on finding the perfect suit for the groom: A guide to suits for grooms
When planning your wedding, allow enough time for changes and adjustments. You will also need comfortable shoes and matching accessories.
Having a checklist with space for making notes is a good idea in case you need to jot anything down. Our wedding planning checklist will help you every step of the way so that you can stay organised and keep track of everything.
Wedding planning: 3 – 6 months before your wedding
After getting some quotes, sampling some food and cakes and visiting possible wedding venues, you will need to plan some of the other important details:
Make an appointment at the registry office or church
You can register your marriage at the registry office six months before your desired wedding date. It is a good idea to find out in advance what documentation you will need for a civil or church service.
You can already make the first arrangements with the registrar regarding any speeches or readings as well as the music for the wedding ceremony. If you would like to have a church service, you will need to discuss with the priest what hymns, readings and prayers you would like to have.
Choose your wedding rings
Wedding rings come in all different sizes and designs with precious stones, engravings and so much more. Take your time to have a look at and choose one that you both like. If you are on a tight budget, but you would like to have a diamond in your wedding ring you can choose to add one at a later date. You can also have your wedding rings engraved at a later date.
A ring making experience is a new trend where you can make your own wedding rings. There will be a member of staff present who will show you how to do it. This is a lovely experience and something you can both enjoy looking back on. Moreover, making your own wedding rings can be cheaper than buying them from a jeweller.
Draw up a wedding gift wish list
You should inform your guests about any special wedding gift wishes. One option is to create a wedding gift wish list online with different price categories. This way, your guests can choose a suitable gift.
You can also include information about what you would like as a gift on your wedding invitations.
Sending your wedding invitations
Wedding invitations are usually sent out 3 to 5 months before your wedding date. If you like to get creative and you would also like to save some money, you can design your own invitations. In the following article you can find ideas and tips about making your own wedding invitations: "Making your own wedding invitations".
Organising and making wedding decorations
Your wedding decorations will need to match your chosen theme or style of wedding. It is entirely up to you which decorative elements you would like to have at your wedding. Online you can find lots of inspiration for wedding decorations, for example, for flower arrangements, menus and guest favours.
Make sure that you design printed materials such as place cards, menus or programme booklets in good time and allow sufficient time for printing. Make sure to ask someone to proofread the texts before sending them out. You can either buy a guest book for the wedding or design one yourself using colours that match your wedding. Alternatively, you could hire someone to take care of the guest favours for your special day.
In the following article you will find some fantastic ideas for place cards, flower arrangements and so much more: Making your own wedding decorations.
Making a seating plan
A few months before the big day, you can discuss the seating plan and also how you would like to arrange the tables. Think about where the tables will be and who will sit next to whom.
Make sure that you as the bride and groom are in the middle of the room so that the guests can see you. How many seats and tables you will need depends on the number of guests you have invited. You can either discuss with the owner of the venue how the tables should be arranged or, when visiting the venue you can have a think about the layout.
Discuss the seating plan with family and friends. This will ensure that friends and relatives can sit together and that each guest will have someone to talk to.
Finalising any arrangements with the wedding suppliers
Contact your wedding suppliers 3 months before your wedding to discuss and confirm orders and any details. By then you will know who can attend your wedding, therefore, you can start to plan meals and accommodation. Unfortunately, you will always have to reckon with last-minute cancellations, which unfortunately cannot be planned in advance and you will need to let the suppliers know.
In addition to the individual arrangements, you should definitely have a schedule for the wedding with you. This should include some of the most important parts of your special day such as the time of your wedding, champagne reception, any photo shoots, the arrival times at the venue and more. For example, the DJ can plan the set-up of their equipment or the caterer can already deliver the food.
2 Months before your big day: last-minute preparations
By this stage almost everything will have been organised, there may just be a couple of bits and bobs on your wedding checklist that still need to be done:
Don’t forget to try on your outfits in advance and check that everything fits. If you need to have something altered there will still be adequate time to do this.
The bride should make an appointment for a trial run of her chosen hairstyle and make-up.
Get started with making your own wedding decorations or organise them so that they are finished for your special day.
You have already planned and organised most things for your wedding several months in advance. Double check your wedding checklist and tick off anything that has already been completed.
Wedding planning: 2 weeks before your big day
The big day is getting closer and closer and now there is not much left to do:
Find out how to get to the registry office or church and wedding reception. Find out if there are any road works or road closures on the route. Inform your guests about diversions and, if necessary, send them any up-to-date directions on how to get there.
Take some time out for yourself to relax!
It is a good idea to pack a bag with any essentials that you may need. This could include tissues, spare tights, make-up, hairspray, comb, deodorant, facewipes, sewing kit, safety pins, spare change, bottle of water, mints, etc.
Conclusion: making wedding planning less stressful with a wedding checklist
Planning a wedding is not always easy and it does require a lot of time. If you don't hire a wedding planner, you will need to be well organised so that you can plan your own wedding. A wedding checklist is a good idea so that you can keep track of everything. On your wedding checklist you can tick off anything that has already been done and make notes about anything that still needs to be arranged. Being well organised and using a wedding checklist will help you to feel stress-free so that you can enjoy your big day to the fullest!
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References and further information
https://www.brides.com/gallery/how-to-plan-your-own-wedding
(Last accessed on 17/10/2023)
https://onefabday.com/wedding-checklist/
(Last accessed on 17/10/2023)
https://www.theknot.com/content/how-to-plan-a-wedding
(Last accessed on 17/10/2023)
The image sources in this text are in chronological order
Cover photo: C&A
Image in text: C&A
Image in text: iStock.com/Halfpoint
Image in text: iStock.com/Neustockimages
Image in text: iStock.com/eli77
