There are a hundred and one things that need to be planned for your big day, so a wedding planning checklist is essential. You should start planning well in advance – a year is not too long although that does assume that yours is not a gunshot romance! A Wedding Planning Guide can be the key to success for a smooth wedding. Planning can’t start too early! Here is a wedding planning list to get you started on your wedding day success:

1. The Budget

You need to establish early on what your wedding budget is. Ask will either set of parent be contributing financially to the wedding? Ideas of roughly how many guests will be attending need to be considered at this early stage, as the size of the event will have a big impact on the cost.

2. The Ceremony

As soon as you know what date you are aiming for, you should find out about the venue and personnel for the ceremony. For a church wedding in particular you should discuss your wedding with the priest or vicar as soon as possible. Even civil ceremony venues can have long waiting lists.

3. Wedding Insurance

This is worth considering, especially if you are planning a particularly expensive wedding. In the unfortunate event that you had to postpone, you could end up paying for everything twice! Wedding insurance can remove that worry. This isn’t a conventional need but who is to say you you shouldn’t consider it?

4. Wedding Reception Planning

Spend some time beforehand jotting down your requirements and priorities, then visit a number of venues before you make your final choice. Attending friends and families weddings can really get your creative juices flowing.

5. Flowers

These will need to be booked well in advance, especially if you are planning a wedding on a budget. You may wish to shop around and perhaps do some of the flower arrangements yourself.

6. Wedding Music

You may consider to select music for both the ceremony  and the reception venue. Many people hire a live band for the latter. But there is nothing wrong with hiring a DJ. It all comes down to personal preference.

7. Photography

If you are planning a wedding on a budget another option is to consider asking around for friends of friends who do wedding photography.

8. Invitations

Allow extra time depending on how nicely you want to personalize them. Hand written calligraphy invitations are beautiful yet time consuming, so if you have a friend or relative willing to volunteer you should jump at the offer! A detail like this can be very inexpensive to one of the most elaborate things you choose.

9. Wedding Dress

As well as the Groom’s outfits, bridesmaids, plus ushers or ring bearers if you will have them.

10. Wedding Cake

Again, book well in advance or if you are lucky enough to have one of the mothers cooking it for you make sure that you discuss the size and decoration early on.

11. Rings

Again, you may be surprised at the time it takes to both decide on the rings and potentially have them ordered in the right sizes. Visit a jewelers early on in the planning and make sure you discuss budget!

12. Wedding Gift List

Give some thought as to whether you are going to have a traditional wedding gift list, or something more modern like a note to the effect that “We want your presence not your presents,” as some couples do these days.

13. Transportation

Not only from the church to the reception venue, but also transportation arrangements for guests – and very importantly your travel plans for the honeymoon! The importance of planning ahead for your wedding can’t be over-emphasized.

The best wedding planning tip is simply: Be Organized!

Get all your wedding questions answered now at Rachael West Designs.