One Year to Ten Months Prior

• Speak to her parents about marrying their daughter (if appropriate)
• Purchase the engagement ring
• Ask her to marry you
• Announce your engagement to friends and family
• Decide on the type of ceremony you want and discuss this with both sets of parents to confirm who will be able to contribute what
• Accompany your fiancé to various ceremony and reception venues and help to decide on one of each
• Approach those that you would like to have as your best man and groomsmen

Nine Months Prior

• Start to attend pre-marriage classes, if appropriate or desired
• Visit the official presiding over the wedding and discuss any issues or concerns with him
• Sit down with your fiancé and decide on your guest list
• Visit a travel agent with your fiancé and start planning possible honeymoon destinations
• Go along with your fiancé to choose wedding gifts for your registry

Six Months Prior

• Start making all of the bookings for your honeymoon, whether your fiancé knows about it or it is a surprise
• Organise your passports, if necessary

Three Months Prior

• Decide on who you definitely would like to invite and present this list to your partner
• Starting making enquiries regarding the legal requirements of issuing a wedding licence, if necessary in your country
• Start arranging for the transport for the big day and inform your groomsmen or best man so that they can take over the responsibility of this aspect
• Choose the clothing for you, your entourage and your father, as well as your fiancé’s father. Ensure that everyone arranges a fitting for themselves
• Get your birth certificate, if this is required for a marriage licence

Two Months Prior

• Choose and purchase gifts for your groomsmen, best man and, most importantly, your beautiful bride
• Collect the rings from the jeweller
• Book accommodation for guests coming from out-of-town
• Help your fiancé to make the final plans for the rehearsal dinner
• Organise your VISAS if you will be leaving the country for your honeymoon

Two to Three Weeks Prior

• As a couple, get your marriage licence (which will likely require your birth certificate and may need you to have certain blood tests), if applicable
• Finalise transport to and from the ceremony and reception venues.
• Confirm all honeymoon accommodation, activities and transport. Have a meeting with all of your attendants and make sure everyone is clear on times and places, including the rehearsal dinner details
• Help your partner in organising the seating of your guests for the reception

One Week Prior

• Reconfirm all times, dates and places with your groomsmen, ring bearer, best man and father
• Sort out any payments that will be due on or before the big day, setting the cash aside or writing out the cheques
• Start packing for your honeymoon
• Purchase traveller’s cheques or exchange money for the correct currency if you will be leaving the country
• Discuss the reception seating with your groomsmen so that they can assist guests in finding their tables

The Day Before

• Finish all of your honeymoon packing
• Get an early night and have sweet dreams about the fabulous life that awaits you

Photo Courtesy of Celebration Depot

Immediately:

• Work out your budget.
• Open a bank account specifically for your wedding and put a certain amount of savings into this account every month.
• Decide on what sort of ceremony you want (in a church, courthouse, home, etc…).
• Book the officiant and church, if applicable.
• Start looking at reception venues. Availability may determine your wedding date. Book your venue as soon as possible.
• Ask your friends and family members whether they will be willing to be your bridesmaids, maid of honour, best man and groomsmen.

12 months to go:

• Book your photographer and / or videographer.
• Consult with different caterers (if different suppliers to the venue).
• Book the civil ceremony venue and Registrar now, if applicable.

10 months to go:

• Book your caterers.
• Confirm honeymoon arrangements and organise your travel insurance.
• Visit wedding gown boutiques and start trying on a range of styles.

9 months to go:

• Decide on a colour theme for your wedding (this may depend on the dress you choose).
• Order your dress.
• Book the entertainment (band or DJ) for your wedding reception.
• Book or arrange your wedding transport (remember to ensure that your bridal party also has transport from the ceremony venue to the reception venue).

6 months to go:

• Start to think about the sorts of wedding gifts you want and need and look around for places at which to have your registry.
• Consult with and book the florist that will be responsible for your bouquets as well as the flowers at the ceremony and reception.
• Decide upon and organise the dresses and suits for the bridal party.

5 months to go:

• Try on and purchase your underwear for the wedding and the wedding night.
• Consult with cake makers and decide on a design and a supplier.
• Confirm the menu with your caterers.
• Finalise your guest list.

4 months to go:

• Decide on the music to which you want to walk down the aisle, exit the ceremony venue and arrive at the wedding reception. Also decide on hymns and provide the marriage official with these.
• Choose readings or poems for the ceremony and confirm these with the marriage official.
• Print your wedding invitations.
• Decide on your veil, tiara or fascinator.
• Decide on what vaccinations and medications you will need for your honeymoon and begin plans to start these as some are required some time before the event.
• Book guest accommodation, if necessary.
• Organise your fiancé’s suit if he has not already.

3 months to go:

• Print the programmes and menus.
• Send out the invitations.
• Ensure that your passports are still valid if you are honeymooning abroad. If not, do this immediately. Keep in mind that you will need to change your passport to your married surname if you want to travel as Mrs …
• Book your make-up artist, hair dresser and beautician.
• Hire crockery and cutlery, if necessary.
• Organise your table plan.
• Decide on a hairstyle and experiment with colours now, if you are planning to dye your hair for the big day.
• Buy your wedding favours.

2 months to go:

• Write your vows and confirm with your wedding official that they are appropriate.
• Write or print the place cards.
• Choose your wedding rings and plan to have them made or customised.

1 month to go:

• Have a make-up and hair trial. Take photographs and include any accessories you want for the day (clips, veil, etc…) so that you have a good idea of the final effect.
• Collect the wedding rings.
• Write your speech.
• Book your final dress fitting.
• Ensure that you have bought gratitude gifts for your bridal party.
• Call all suppliers to confirm dates.

2 weeks to go:

• Confirm the final guest numbers and let the caterers know.
• Trim and colour your hair one last time before the wedding.
• Organise your rehearsal for the ceremony.
• Get any foreign currency that you may need for your honeymoon.
• Buy the refreshments, if you are responsible for arranging this yourself.
• This is around the time that Hen Parties and Stag Parties should be organised and held.

1 week to go:

• Visit the beautician for your eyebrow, bikini, upper lip and leg waxes so that you do not have any redness or rashes on the day.

2 days to go:

• Pack your bags for your honeymoon.

The day before:

• Wash your hair and use a light conditioner on it.
• Focus on relaxing and pampering yourself. Take long baths and make sure that you feel as relaxed as possible.

On the day:

• Organise for someone to pick your flowers up from the florist and deliver them to the ceremony and reception venues, as well as to get your bouquets to you.

To download this checklist click here.

• Gown, veil, shoes, hosiery, undergarments
• Something old, new, borrowed, and something blue
• Jewellery
• Gloves (if required)
• Makeup
• Perfume
• Nail polish and manicure kit
• Emergency kit (incl. aspirin, needle and thread)
• Hair necessities: dryer, curling iron, spray, pins, other hair accessories
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, breath mints
• Handkerchief
• Copies of timeline of the day’s events for attendants and service providers
• Wedding programs
• If desired, toasting goblets, cake knife etc
• Written toasts
• Marriage license
• Wedding rings & ring pillow (if required)
• A copy of the vows or readings to be recited at the ceremony
• Flower basket (if not delivered by florist)
• Suitcases packed and ready
• Travel tickets and passports

** Print a copy for yourself, your future husband / wife and bridesmaid / groomsmen

Find below a list of bouquets / arrangements / flower related items to keep in mind when getting ready to finalise what flowers are needed for your upcoming wedding.

Bridal Party

• Brides Bouquet
• Flowers for Bride’s hair
• Bridesmaids Bouquets
• Maid of Honour Bouquet (if different from the Bridesmaid’s bouquet)
• Flower girl bouquet (if applicable) or Flower girl petals to throw / toss while walking down the aisle
• Flowers for Flower girl’s hair
• Corsage / Boutonniere for the Groom
• Corsage / Boutonniere for the Groomsmen
• Corsage / Boutonniere for the Bride and Groom’s Parents and Grand Parents

Ceremony

The ceremony typically includes a few flower arrangements. Consider the following places / areas where you may want to include your selected arrangements / flowers:

• At the alter
• At the entrance
• A the signing table
• Chair and / Aisle flowers and décor

Another item to consider for the Ceremony would be candles – remember to ask your florist if they can help you arrange this.

• Candles

Reception

As with the ceremony, the reception area also includes a few flower arrangements. Consider the following places / areas where you may want to include your selected arrangements / flowers:

• At the entrance to the reception area
• Center of the table or throughout the center of the table
• At the Bar
• At the buffet table
• On your Wedding Cake
• Around the area where speeches are made

1.    BLESS YOU – First, speak to her parents to make sure that you show the proper respect, and that you can have some advice and feedback from their side.

2.    THE RING – If you are absolutely confident that you know your fiancé well enough to choose the perfect ring, then go ahead.  Otherwise, ask her family or friends for advice, or take note of the comments she makes when seeing certain styles in shop windows. If she would prefer to design the ring, give her some other small piece of jewellery, or simply present the diamond in a box. Importantly, insure the goods as soon as you have purchased them.

3.    PERFECT PLANNING – When it comes to the timing, location and manner of your proposal, it is essential that you have prepared in advance. First, ensure that she is in the right frame of mind, and do not pop the question the day before her last exam or while her great aunt is in hospital. Plan an original location, what you will say and how you will say it. Part of your planning process must be an alternative in case of the unexpected (e.g. rain, the limo not pitching, and so on). Planning also involves making sure that the flowers she likes are available at that time of year and at an outlet close to you, that the venue is open and, if you need to reserve a table, you have done so, that she will definitely be available and knows that there is a date she can’t miss.

4.   SHUT YOUR TRAP – Do not tell anyone. After you receive the parents’ blessing, do not tell them when and where you will propose. It is so easy to let this slip unintentionally, so try to be the only person that knows. If you do need to tell someone else, swear them to secrecy.

5.   THE AFTER PARTY – Once she has accepted your proposal, you will both likely want to share the exciting news. Make sure that you bring your charged mobile phone with so that she can at least tell her parents and other close family and friends. Also, bring a camera to capture this important occasion. Remember too that she has probably been dreaming of her wedding day since she was a little girl. She will already have some ideas of what she wants. Share in her joy and excitement and be sincere about your participation.

While these steps will not guarantee that she squeals delightedly at every aspect of your proposal, they will prepare you for the big day. This will calm your nerves and help you to relax and enjoy the excitement with her.