Since we won’t know for sure if our venue will be available on our desired November 2011 date until late May, I wanted to develop a planning schedule. This schedule will help us ensure that, when we can confirm the date, we can have everything ready to go and ready to book. I don’t want to still be researching potential vendors at that point. The idea is that we can identify our top 3 choices in each vendor category in case one or more is already booked when we contact them again in May or June.
January:
- Interview photographers
- Compile addresses for invitations and save-the-dates
- Identify top three photographers
- Firm up wedding budget calculations
February:
- Research hair and makeup artists
- Interview videographers
- Research marriage license requirements
March:
- Submit application for venue
- Design Save-the-dates, test-print
- Interview officiants
- Research local restaurants for catering accompaniments
- Take some intro dance lessons
- Develop content and design for wedding website
April:
- Develop potential wedding songs and playlists
- Start wedding dress shopping
- Interview DJ’s
- Have engagement photo shoot
- Research cake bakeries
May:
- Begin to obtain decor items
— special table for bride and groom
— layouts for ceremony and reception
— lots of jars and candles - Purchase wedding dress
- Identify items for registry
- Interview wedding coordinators
- Finalize website
- Research calligraphers
- Follow up with venue if date has not been confirmed
June:
- Begin to design invitations
- Finalize menu items
- Finalize list for Out of Towner bags
- Print and mail save-the-dates
- Start shopping for wedding rings
- Book photographer
- Book DJ
- Book Hair and Makeup
- Book Officiant
- Book Videographer
- Book coordinator
July
- Purchase wedding accessories and shoes
- Take more dance lessons
- Book lessons for choreographed first dance
So that’s now through July. What else am I missing?
