Wow, so you’re getting married! You’re planning to: become a Mrs, live the rest of your life with the guy of your dreams, have lots of babies, buy your dream house, own a Labrador puppy and live happily ever after… Just a small word of advice whispered in your ear, don’t leave the wedding planning to the last minute -  start planning as soon as you can and the first day of the rest of your life will be a dream.

It obviously all depends on the kind of wedding you want to have. Is it small? Imitate? Or large and lavish?  Do you want to get married on the beach or in a church?  Do you want hundreds of friends and family or just a small group of your nearest and dearest? Do you want an evening reception or an afternoon do? Then there’s the style of your dress, shoes, jewellery, catering, budget, guest list, venue, flowers, decor, bridal party, favours, hen night, stag night, transport, honeymoon, music… the list goes on and on and it can all become slightly overwhelming. But don’t worry about it, if you start slow and early enough, it will all be okay!

The first thing you need to do is to plan your budget, decide on your date, then book your wedding church and reception venue. A lot of popular wedding venues can sometimes be booked up a year to two years in advance, so most engagements tend to last approximately 1½ years to 2 years. 

Then about 12 – 8 months before the big day, you should start shaping up a few other points.  Start looking at wedding dresses and plan your wedding party attire. Announce your engagement formally and finalise your wedding theme. Then confirm your bridesmaids, maid of honour and any flower girls or ring bearers you may have in mind.   Your hubby to be should also see to it that his best man is asked and will be in attendance.  

Please remember that your maid of honour and best man will have to be reliable, trustworthy and above all else completely there for you.  They are the second most important people in the wedding as they will be running around a lot in those final weeks confirming everything and tying up any loose ends you may have. They will also be the ones stressing out on the day, running around sorting out any problems that may arise, nipping them in the bud and taking care of things, leaving you and your husband as relaxed as possible.

About 8-6 months before your big day, you should book the time you need off work for both the wedding and the honeymoon. Then book the music, sort out your wedding registry and perhaps start making honeymoon plans. 

At about 3-6 months before your wedding day, you should finalise your guest list and order your wedding stationary. Choose your menu, order the cake, make sure you have enough wedding outfit fittings for the entire wedding party, book you florist and photographer, and sort out any visas and inoculations you may need for your honeymoon.

2-3 Months before the day, you should send out your invitations and organise any legal changes that need to be made, such as your driver’s licence, joint bank accounts, credit cards, insurance policies etc. You might want to sort out any hen and stag nights you may be planning.

When you have 1 month to go, get started on writing your wedding vows and toasts, and organise your wedding favours for your wedding party. Make all you appointments, such as hair and make-up and final dress fittings for yourself and the bridal party (don’t forget the tux fittings!) You’ll also need to double check all your service providers and plan your rehearsal dinner.

With 2 weeks to go, you should be having the hen and stag nights, so enjoy those as much as possible.

Okay, with 1 week to go, you need to start wearing your wedding shoes a bit to break them in. Collect the rings and give them to the best man, finalize the seating plan, confirm any transport arrangements and confirm the numbers with your caterer.  Start packing for your honeymoon and collect all the necessary visas, tickets and passports.

Now that you have 1-2 days to go, make sure that you have everything ready. Put all the outfits and accessories neatly in one place, ensure that your out-of-town guests are properly taken care of, and attend the wedding rehearsal so make sure everyone knows the plan in terms of times and duties. Get a really good night’s rest the night before the big day…

On the day of your wedding, just relax and enjoy!  Remember to eat something because nerves and champagne can be a lethal combination and you want to be able to remember every detail and enjoy every moment of the first day of the rest of your life…!

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