You're engaged! Cheers to you and cheers to finding your ultimate wedding
planning checklist, the only one you're gonna need. Stay to the end and I'll
get you an electronic copy that is an easy reference. But, I do recommend that
you watch this all the way through because you need to understand the why
behind when you're supposed to do everything. One big mistake I see couples
make is to sort of get lost in the details without having a big picture
understanding of how the wedding process actually unfolds. I'm Adrienne, Wedding
Coordinator and Founder of Uncommon Camellia Weddings. This is your place to
guide you through planning your wedding subscribe and hit the notification
button right now and let's get planning. Now let's get to your checklist,
immediately after you're engaged: First, I hope you took the evening to celebrate
whether that's just the two of you or with your closest friends and family.
Don't worry about how grand or romantic the actual engagement was just worry
about cherishing this moment. Take lots of pictures but do not post anything on
social media (YET!) Be sure to tell your parents first and if possible in person
If not, FaceTime or call them, then go ahead and tell your closest family and
your friends. Only after that should you post it on social media. Next it's time
to dream. Start your Pinterest Board, have some dreaming dates with your fiance and
just imagine what this wedding day will be like. This is fun y'all be sure to
enjoy this part. Then it's time to set up some sort of organizational system at
the beginning I'd really encourage you to go all electronic perhaps a folder on
Google Drive and then within that folder you're gonna have some subfolders for
just about anything but for now definitely have something for dreaming
for your venue for your wedding party for your budget then as you go you can
add more folders also get like an actual folder for hard copies of items that you
get along the way and y'all make sure you subscribe because a very detailed
video on this topic is coming up let's start with the twelve months prior to
your wedding if you have less than twelve months to your wedding then get
started on these items ASAP depending on where you live many venues are booked
more than twelve months in advance and so to get the best choices you need book
early but before you book anyone set your wedding bud
yes before you choose a venue or set a date set your budget I absolutely
recommend our video on setting your wedding budget this is the best video
for realistic budget setting plus there's a free download available and
it's an Excel spreadsheet that will calculate everything for you next choose
the time of year not the date necessarily just the time of year that
gives you some flexibility with your next step choosing your venue booked
them as soon as you were certain and get a rehearsal date and a time on the books
too if you're choosing a public space go ahead and get those permits now you also
use choose your officiant and see if there are any requirements for marriage
like premarital counseling think about your photographer especially if you have
certain people already in mind photographers booked up fast since most
of them can only work one wedding a day or one wedding a weekend closer to nine
months out start researching all of your wedding professionals your
caterer your floors coordinator bakery hair makeup all of them and go ahead and
book them in the coming month start making your guest list and asked her
families to start making theirs choose your wedding party and send them an
invitation to be part of your wedding build your wedding website but don't pay
for it there's a lot of free options out there and you don't really want to put
money towards that dress shopping and make a thing of it schedule a lunch or
margaritas after these moments are what your engagements made of and then after
those margaritas set up some good health routines if you haven't already joined a
gym consult a personal trainer join a yoga studio and then start dreaming
about your honeymoon and research places you could go make a date night out of
that too so now we're at eight months prior booked your florist with a fairly
accurate estimate of what you want though you can make changes later look
your ceremony musicians your caterer your bartenders band DJ videographer
coordinator hair and makeup and any other professional that can only work
one wedding per evening all right now we're at the six-month mark go ahead and
create that wedding registry send out your save the dates set up your hotel
blog because you're gonna put that on your save the day so you want to do is
that about the same time order your gowns scheduled fittings pick up your
shoes and your jewelry your lingerie your veil choose your bridesmaids
dresses and give direction as to how to purchase them how
much they are and when they need them by order your invitation suite finalize
your honeymoon plans and get a passport if you don't have one reserved a hotel
for your wedding night ok at 4 months you need to meet with
your officiant and discuss the ceremony and any choices that you have to make
you should plan your rehearsal dinner finalize your guest list at this point
you're arranging transportation for yourself and your parents and your
wedding party and your guests especially this is a destination wedding you want
to schedule a hair and makeup trial and this is also a good time to go ahead and
take your engagement pictures maybe you can use your child for that also
schedule a tasting with your bakery and order your cake at two months prior
choose your getting ready locations and booked rooms make sure that you're
checking in at a time that allows you to get your hair and makeup done and then
like goes throughout the whole day so that usually takes the booking a hotel
room for two nights you can always use that hotel for your wedding night
location you just want to make sure that your request turndown service once you
guys leave for the ceremony so that you're not coming back to a room that
all your bridesmaids have been tearing apart all day if your coordinator is
delivering anything to your getting ready locations put her on your
reservation kids get deactivated and cause panic when you're really just
learned to be able to help you at this point you need to find out what
documents you need to get your marriage license you should purchase wedding
liability and cancellation insurance send follow-up details to your vendors
select an order attire for the groom and the groom's then also you might want to
order your rings at this point and reserve any rental items this is a good
time to order gifts for your wedding party for your welcome baskets and also
something for your fiance and a little tip on that don't wait to the last
minute and keep telling yourself oh I'm gonna find the perfect gift so I'm just
gonna wait till it comes up this turns out to be such a source of stress for
people pick something that's thoughtful but don't overthink it you know you're
just gonna want to have something and the closer you get to the wedding day
the more limited your choices are gonna be right like you're not going to get
anything personalized or anything special you're gonna like only go to buy
something off Amazon Prime and you don't want to be in that situation this is
also around the time that you're gonna start addressing your wedding
patience you need to choose your ceremony music finalize your readings
invite people to be readers at your wedding
now what six weeks prior send all of your contracts all of your wedding
details to your wedding coordinator mail your invitations for both the wedding
and the rehearsal dinner keep up with thank you notes for showers and parties
as you go don't let that build finalize your menu of the caterer check in with
your wedding party make sure everyone has their attire ready to go and go
ahead and update your wedding registry for anybody who's buying gifts for the
wedding right now we're getting closer four weeks prior confirm all your
wedding professional details create your wedding day timeline check out our video
on how to do that start mapping out your seating chart don't worry about
finalizing it yet but getting going so it won't be overwhelming to you in the
coming weeks write your vows write your toes finalize your shot list with your
photographer and your videographer and then start shopping for your honeymoon
do not wait to do that to the week your wedding okay two weeks go two weeks
prior finalize and print your programs have your final dress fitting finalize
your seating chart turn in your guest count and make table cards or seating
chart get one less haircut and/or color just before the wedding and then clear
the next week from any unnecessary distractions also start thinking about
what's everyone gonna eat at the getting ready locations on wedding day are you
ordering food trays are you ordering out are you getting hotel room service just
make a plan alright one week to the wedding drop off any items that need to
be set up at your venue get your marriage license complete a final
walkthrough at your venue and share your timeline and any necessary details with
the coordinator and with the venue representative pick up your dress and
make one last contact with all of your vendors to make sure they are on board
and share the latest timeline with them organize all your tips check out this
video on how to organize your tips and how much you're supposed to tip everyone
deliver your welcome baskets deliver welcome notes have a spa day your
manicure pedicure facial waxing all of that and pack for your honeymoon
alright the day before your wedding gather any details you want photographed
set them aside for the photographer have your rehearsal and your rehearsal dinner
give gifts to party and your parents assign someone to
be the emergency contact in preparation for the fact that you're
gonna ditch your phone on your wedding day give the marriage license to the
officiant now we are on the day of your wedding turn your phone off this is the
number one way to reduce your anxiety today just decide and commit to not
having it eat your meals eat snacks get your hair
and makeup done switch your engagement ring to your right hand for the ceremony
and make sure you have a plan that ensures the best man has the rings at
the ceremony now relax mm-hmm walk down that aisle
say I do and make a memory that you will hold forever if you like this and an
easy to read checklist just go ahead and shoot us an email at info at uncommon
camellia comm and our team will send over a word document that you can use to
edit and fit your wedding perfectly thank you for watching and happy wedding