Wedding Tips & Tools

Wedding Planner Check List

Sixteen to Nine Months Before

[  ] Start a wedding folder or binder. Begin leafing through bridal, lifestyle, fashion, gardening, design, and food magazines for inspiration.

[  ] Work out your budget. Determine how much you have to spend, based on your families’ contributions and your own.

[  ] Pick your wedding party. As soon as you’re engaged, people will start wondering who’s in.

[  ] Start the guest list. Make a head count database to use throughout your planning process, with columns for contact info, RSVPs, gifts, and any other relevant information. (Want to keep costs low? It may be brutal, but the best way to do it is to reduce your guest list.)

[  ] Hire a planner, if desired. A planner will have relationships with—and insights about—vendors.

[  ] Reserve your date and venues. Decide whether to have separate locations for the ceremony and the reception, factoring in travel time between the two places.

[  ] Book Pastor Tom.

[  ] Research photographers, bands, florists, and caterers. Keep their contact information in your binder.

[  ] Throw an engagement party, if you wish. But remember that your invitees should be on your wedding guest list as well.

Eight Months Before

[  ] Hire the photographer and the videographer. No need to talk specifics yet, but be sure that the people you hire are open to doing the shots that you want.

[  ] Book the entertainment. Attend gigs of potential acts to see how they perform in front of audiences, then reserve your favorite.

[  ] Meet caterers. If your wedding venue doesn’t offer its own catering service, look for one now and hire the service this month or early next.

[  ] Purchase a dress. You’ll need to schedule time for at least three fittings. Veil shopping can be postponed for another two to three months.

[  ] Reserve a block of hotel rooms for out-of-town guests. Pick three hotels at different price points close to the reception venue.

[  ] Register. Sign up at a minimum of three retailers.

[  ] Launch a wedding website. Create your personal page. Note the date of the wedding, travel information, and accommodations. Then send the link to invitees.

Seven to Six Months Before

[  ] Select and purchase invitations. Hire a calligrapher, if desired. Addressing cards is time-consuming, so you need to budget accordingly.

[  ] Start planning a honeymoon. Make sure that your passports are up-to-date, and schedule doctors’ appointments for any shots you may need.

[  ] Shop for bridesmaids’ dresses. Allow at least six months for the dresses to be ordered and sized.

[  ] Meet with Pastor Tom. Map out the ceremony and confirm that you have all the official documents for the wedding.

[  ] Send save-the-date cards.

[  ] Reserve structural and electrical necessities. Book portable toilets for outdoor events, extra chairs if you need them, lighting components, and so on.

[  ] Book a florist. Florists can serve multiple clients on one day, which is why you can wait a little longer to engage one. Plus, at this point, you’ll be firm on what your wedding palette will be.

[  ] Arrange transportation. Consider limos, minibuses, trolleys, and town cars. (But know that low-to-the-ground limos can make entries and exists dicey if you’re wearing a fitted gown.)

[  ] Start composing a day-of timeline. Draw up a schedule of the event and slot in each component (the cake-cutting, the first dance).

Five to Four Months Before

[  ] Book the rehearsal and rehearsal-dinner venues. Negotiate the cost and the menu. If you’re planning to host a day-after brunch for guests, book that place as well.

[  ] Check on the wedding invitations. Ask the stationer for samples of the finished invitations and revise them to suit your needs.

[  ] Select and order the cake. Some bakers require a long lead time. Attend several tastings before committing to any baker.

[  ] Send your guest list to the host of your shower. Provided you, ahem, know about the shower.

[  ] Purchase wedding shoes and start dress fittings. Bring the shoes along to your first fitting so the tailor can choose the appropriate length for your gown.

[  ] Schedule hair and makeup artists. Make a few appointments with local experts to try them out. Snap a photo at each so you can compare results.

[  ] Choose your music. What should be playing when the wedding party is announced? During dinner? To kick off the dancing? Keep a running list of what you want—and do not want—played.

Three Months Before

[  ] Finalize the menu and flowers. You’ll want to wait until now to see what will be available, since food and flowers are affected by season.

[  ] Order favors, if desired. Some safe bets: monogrammed cookies or a treat that represents your city or region. If you’re planning to have welcome baskets for out-of-town guests, plan those now too.

[  ] Make a list of the people giving toasts. Which loved ones would you like to have speak at the reception? Ask them now.

[  ] Finalize the readings. Determine what you would like to have read at the ceremony—and whom you wish to do the readings.

[  ] Purchase your undergarments. And schedule your second fitting.

[  ] Finalize the order of the ceremony and the reception.

[  ] Print menu cards, if you like, as well as programs. No need to go to a printer, if that’s not in your budget: You can easily create these on your computer.

[  ] Purchase the rings. This will give you time for resizing and engraving.

[  ] Send your event schedule to the vendors. Giving them a first draft now allows ample time for tweaks and feedback.

Two Months Before

[  ] Touch base again with all the vendors. Make sure any questions you or they had on your first draft have been answered.

[  ] Meet with the photographer. Discuss specific shots, and walk through the locations to note spots that appeal to you.

[  ] Send out the invitations. The rule of thumb: Mail invitations six to eight weeks before the ceremony, setting the RSVP cutoff at three weeks after the postmark date.

[  ] Submit a newspaper wedding announcement. If you’re planning to include a photograph, check the publication’s website: Some have strict rules about how the photo should look.

[  ] Enjoy a bachelorette party. Arranging a night out with your girlfriends generally falls to the maid of honor. But if she hasn’t mentioned one to you by now, feel free to ask—for scheduling purposes, of course!—if a celebration is in the works.

One Month Before

[  ] Enter RSVPs into your guest-list database. Phone people who have not yet responded.

[  ] Get your marriage license. The process can take up to six days, but it’s good to give yourself some leeway. If you are changing your name, order several copies.

[  ] Mail the rehearsal-dinner invitations.

[  ] Visit the dressmaker for (with luck!) your last dress fitting. For peace of mind, you may want to schedule a fitting the week of your wedding. You can always cancel the appointment if you try on the dress then and it fits perfectly.

[  ] Stock the bar. Now that you have a firm head count you can order accordingly.

[  ] Send out as many final payments as you can.

[  ] Confirm times for hair and makeup and all vendors.

[  ] E-mail and print directions for drivers of transport vehicles. This gives the chauffeurs ample time to navigate a route.

[  ] Assign seating. Draw out table shapes on a layout of the room to help plan place settings. Write the names of female guests on pink sticky notes and the names of male guests on blue sticky notes so you can move people about without re-sketching the entire setting.

[  ] Purchase bridesmaids’ gifts. You’ll present them at the rehearsal dinner.

[  ] Write vows, if necessary.

[  ] Get your hair cut and colored, if desired.

Week of the Wedding

[  ] Reconfirm arrival times with vendors.

[  ] Delegate small wedding-day tasks. Choose someone to bustle your dress, someone to carry your things, someone to be in charge of gifts (especially the enveloped sort), someone to hand out tips, and someone to be the point person for each vendor.

[  ] Send a timeline to the bridal party. Include every member’s contact information, along with the point people you’ve asked to deal with the vendors, if problems arise.

[  ] Pick up your dress. Or make arrangements for a delivery.

[  ] Check in one last time with the photographer. Supply him or her with a list of moments you want captured on film.

[  ] Set aside checks for the vendors. And put tips in envelopes to be handed out at the event.

[  ] Book a spa treatment. Make an appointment for a manicure and a pedicure the day before the wedding. (You might want to get a stress-relieving massage, too.)

[  ] Send the final guest list to the caterer and all venues hosting your wedding-related events. Typically, companies close their lists 72 hours in advance.

[  ] Break in your shoes.

[  ] Assemble and distribute the welcome baskets.

[  ] Pack for your honeymoon.  View the checklist

Say "I Do"  & Enjoy your day to the fullest.

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Check it off as you do the items.

God will truly bless your lives, if you follow Him!

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US Marriage Laws

Fresno License Info

Engagement Party Check  List

Ten to Eight Weeks Before the Party

[  ]  Agree on a host. Traditionally, the bride’s family throws the engagement party, but often the groom’s family likes to share in the festivities by co-hosting the affair or holding one of its own. Part of the fun of an engagement party is letting your two families get to know each other.

[  ]  Pick a date. Generally, the engagement party is held three to four months after the proposal.

[  ]  Compile a guest list. Make sure your invitees are also on the guest list for the wedding ceremony and reception.

[  ]  Register . . . or not. Decide if you want to register (preferably for gifts in the low to middle range of prices—don’t forget, the wedding is still to come), or if you’ll include a note in the invitation kindly requesting no gifts. If guests do bring presents, wait until after the party to open them.

Four to Six Weeks Before the Party

[  ]  Send invitations. The tone of the party should be in keeping with that of your upcoming wedding. But remember, this is a time for two families to get to know one another in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. So if your future in-laws prefer fine dining to your family’s penchant for backyard cookouts, consider a sit-down dinner at a local barbecue joint, or cocktails and appetizers at the host’s home.

[  ]  Decide on decorations and centerpieces. If you wish, choose a theme that reflects you as a couple or something that reflects your two families. No need to go overboard, though—the point is to celebrate your engagement.

[  ]  Plan a menu. Whether your party will be held at a restaurant or a private home, you should be mindful of any allergies or food specifications of your guests.

[  ]  Prepare a few games to play. Consider a “team scavenger hunt” to get your families acquainted. But whatever the game, make sure it’s fun, simple, and involves everyone.

The Week of the Party

[  ]  Go shopping, if necessary. If the party will be in a home, give yourself a comfortable margin of time to buy the food, drinks, party goods, or anything else you may be contributing.

[  ]  Prepare the venue. Make sure there are plenty of places for guests to sit and eat, and an area to store gifts. For a party at someone’s home, arrange to have the lawn cut and the house cleaned, and be sure the AC/heat works. Let the neighbors know you will be having a party.

[  ]  Line up your help. Need some extra hands to get everything done? Involve the members of your wedding party (if you’ve already chosen them).

Download this checklist in a free word document.

You can save it, edit it & print it as you wish.

Check it off as you do the items.

Wedding Guest Worksheet

Download Guest Worksheet

You can save, edit, print copy on your computer in Word.

Wedding Registry Checklist

For a fully-stocked home, register for at least the following:

Bath Room Items

[  ]  2 Bathrobes

[  ]  2 Bath Sheets

[  ]  4 or 6 Hand Towels

[  ]  1 Shower Curtain & Liner

[  ]  1 Toothbrush Holder

[  ]  1 Wastebasket

[  ]  1 Bath Mat

[  ]  4 or 6 Bath Towels

[  ]  4 or 6 Hand Towels

[  ]  1 Soap Dish

[  ]  1 Hamper

[  ]  Decor Items

Bed Room Items

[  ]  1 Bed Skirt

[  ]  1 Duvet Cover

[  ]  1 Mattress Pad

[  ]  2 or 4 Pillow Cases

[  ]  2 Sets of Flat Sheets

[  ]  1 Summer Duvet

[  ]  2 Blankets

[  ]  1 Mattress & Bedspring Set

[  ]  2 or 4 Pillows

[  ]  2 or 4 Sets of Pillow Shams

[  ]  2 Sets of Fitted Sheets

[  ]  1 Winter Duvet

Dinning Room Fixings

[  ]  1 large salad bowl and serving utensils

[  ]  8 to 12 drinking glasses

[  ]  8 to 12 wineglasses

[  ]  8 to 12 napkin rings

[  ]  8 to 12 place settings (formal, casual, or both), including bowls, bread-and-butter plates, dinner plates, and salad/dessert plates

[  ]  1 set of salt and pepper shakers

[  ]  1 set of serving dishes or bowls

[  ]  8 to 12 sets of silverware including forks, main-course knives, and spoons

[  ]  8 to 12 cups and saucers

[  ]  8 to 12 mugs

[  ]  8 to 12 cloth napkins

[  ]  8 to 12 place mats

[  ]  2 to 4 serving platters or trays

[  ]  1 set of covered dishes or bowls

[  ]  1 set of serving utensils

[  ]  8 to 12 steak knives

[  ]  2 tablecloths

[  ]  1 teapot

[  ]  2 baking sheets

[  ]  1 coffeemaker

[  ]  1 Dutch oven

[  ]  1 knife set (including serrated knife, chef’s knife, and paring knife)

[  ]  2 oven mitts

[  ]  2 round cake pans

[  ]  2 multipurpose pots

[  ]  1 2-quart saucepan

[  ]  1 set measuring cups

[  ]  1 set measuring bowls

[  ]  1 standing mixer

[  ]  1 whisk

[  ]   1 blender

[  ]  1 cutting board

[  ]  1 food processor

[  ]  1 saltshaker and 1 pepper grinder

[  ]  1 teakettle

[  ]  1 round pie pan

[  ]  1 2-quart saucepan

[  ]  1 6-quart stockpot

[  ]  1 set measuring spoons

[  ]  2 serving spoons

[  ]  1 toaster or toaster oven

[  ]  2 wooden spoons

[  ]  2 to 6 candlesticks

[  ]  2 to 4 decorative bowls

[  ]  4 to 10 picture frames

[  ]  2 large duffel bags

[  ]  2 26-inch wheeled upright suitcases

[  ]  1 couch or love seat

[  ]  2 to 4 vases

[  ]  2 small duffel bags

[  ]  2 22-inch wheeled upright suitcases

[   ]  2 50-inch wheeled garment bags

Wedding Menu Planner

Sit Down Dinner

Appetizer

Choice of:

• Seafood salad: shrimp, calamari, scungilli, octopus, and mussels with lemon and extra-virgin olive oil
• Fresh figs: draped with prosciutto di Parma 
• Tuscan garden salad: romaine lettuce, Bibb lettuce, radicchio, tomatoes, and radishes with balsamic vinaigrette

Main Course
Choice of:

• Salmon: broiled and seasoned with bread crumbs, garlic, lemon, and butter
• Baby rack of lamb: three double cuts of rack of lamb coated in an aromatic blend of fresh herbs and spices
• Served with: Bouquet of fresh seasonal vegetables and golden fried potato croquette

Buffett Dinner

• Stuffed endive with Roquefort cheese, topped with chopped walnuts
• Roasted new potatoes with dill cream and golden caviar
• Spinach dip with toasted pita triangles
• Wild mushroom tartlets
• Artichoke mousse puffs
• Melon wrapped in prosciutto
• Miniature Reuben sandwiches
• Spanakopita (spinach and Feta in phyllo pastry)
• Smoked salmon canapés topped with capers and fresh dill
• Seafood dip with sliced French bread
• Miniature crab cakes
• Antipasti display (buffalo mozzarella, grilled eggplant, marinated mushrooms, artichokes, vine-ripened tomatoes, kalamata olives, and bread sticks)
• Smoked salmon display (sliced salmon served with chopped onion, lemon slices, capers, cucumber-dill sauce, and assorted dark breads)
• Pasta station (ravioli with roasted red-pepper sauce; bow tie pasta with Gorgonzola cream sauce)
• Carving station (Asian flank steak and Cajun-rubbed turkey breast served with cranberry-mango chutney and assorted rolls)

Backyard Barbecue

Main Courses

• Barbecue beef brisket
• Pork spareribs
• Smoked sausages
• Barbecue chicken

Sides

• Barbecue beans
• Barbecue beans
• Potato salad
• Tossed green salad
• Toasted garlic bread
• Corn bread
• Corn on the cob

Download Menu Planner

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Carry-on Bag: All Destinations

[  ]  Airline boarding passes and other travel tickets

[  ]  Passport, visas

[  ]  Driver’s license

[  ]  Credit, ATM, auto-club, and telephone calling cards

[  ]  Money and traveler’s checks

[  ]  Hotel, theater, restaurant, or other reservation confirmations

[  ]  Photocopies of all cards, travel and traveler’s check documents, vaccination document, prescriptions, health-insurance card(s), and medical or trip insurance documents detailing coverage and contacts. Also photograph your luggage contents in case of loss. At the hotel, store all this in the main or in-room safe. Leave copies—and your itinerary, contact numbers, and a sealed envelope with copies of your wills and life insurance information—with someone back home.

[  ]  Phone numbers for your doctor, other emergency contacts, and credit card companies

[  ]  Prescription medicine (in the original bottle)

[  ]  Contraception

[  ]  Aspirin or ibuprofen and travel-sickness pills

[  ]  Toothbrush and toothpaste

[  ]  Small bag of makeup

[  ]  Brush and comb

[  ]  Camera

[  ]  Any valuable jewelry

[  ]  In-flight reading

[  ]  Light sweater

[  ]  One change of clothing, including underwear

[  ]  Headphones for in-flight movies

[  ]  Travel pillow and blanket

[  ]  Sewing kit

Checked Bag: All Destinations

[  ]  2 to 3 pairs of shoes or sandals (stick with ones you’ve worn before and have broken in)

[  ]  3 pairs of light cotton socks

[  ]  2 pairs of shorts (for warm destinations)

[  ]  2 pairs of pants

[  ]  2 to 3 skirts or dresses

[  ]  4 T-shirts or casual tops

[  ]  2 blouses or shirts

[  ]  Lingerie

[  ]  Slippers

[  ]  3 to 7 pairs of underwear, 2 to 3 bras

[  ]  Evening wrap or jacket

[  ]  Evening bag

[  ]  Swimsuit (if appropriate for destination)

[  ]  Shampoo and conditioner

[  ]  Soap and face cleanser

[  ]  Deodorant

[  ]  Hand and body lotion

[  ]  Lip balm

[  ]  Personal-hygiene items

[  ]  Dental floss

[  ]  Cotton balls or swabs

[  ]  Tweezers

[  ]  Nail file or clippers

[  ]  Razors and shaving cream

[  ]  Hair dryer (if your hotel does not provide one)

[  ]  Insect repellent (if appropriate for destination)

[  ]  Sunscreen and sunglasses

[  ]  Contact-lens solution and extra contact lenses or eyeglasses (if needed)

[  ]  Chargers for cell phones, iPods, and digital cameras (leave home with everything fully charged)

[  ]  Electrical adapter for destinations outside the U.S. (if needed)

[  ]  Camera film or memory cards and tripod.

[  ]  Video camera

[  ]  Extra camera batteries

[  ]  Various sizes of re-sealable plastic bags

[  ]  Maps, guidebooks, and a translation dictionary (if needed)

[  ]  Antibacterial wipes

[  ]  Travel alarm clock

[  ]  Addresses of friends and family for postcards

[  ]  Comfortable daypack for carrying guidebooks, snacks, and essentials

[  ]  Swiss Army knife (for picnics or emergencies)

[  ]  Travel umbrella or rain poncho

[  ]  Travel medical kit (Band-Aids, antacids, antihistamines, diarrhea medicine, antibacterial cream)

[  ]  Foldable, lightweight tote for bringing home souvenirs

[  ]  iPod (loaded with romantic music) and iPod dock or CDs (if hotel room is equipped with a player)

[  ]  Travel candle with a romantic scent, matches

[  ]  Bubble bath

[  ]  Scented massage oil

Add-ons for Beach Honeymoon

[  ]  Paperback books

[  ]  Aloe Vera gel or after-sun cream

[  ]  Beach bag (can double as tote to bring home souvenirs)

[  ]  Sun hat

[  ]  Second swimsuit and cover-up

[  ]  Flip-flops or day-to-night sandals

[  ]  Water shoes

Add-ons for Skiing Honeymoon

[  ]  Waterproof ski pants and jacket or snowsuit

[  ]  Turtlenecks

[  ]  Heavy sweaters

[  ]  Under layers (such as long underwear)

[  ]  Gloves or mittens

[  ]  Warm hat or headband

[  ]  Neck warmer or scarf

[  ]  Goggles

[  ]  Skis, poles, ski boots (consider express-mailing ahead to your hotel)

[  ]  Waterproof socks

[  ]  Hand and foot warmers

[  ]  Waterproof boots

[  ]  Ski lock

[  ]  Ski bag

Add-ons for Sightseeing or Safari Honeymoon

[  ]  Comfortable walking shoes or hiking boots

[  ]  Small compass

[  ]  Mosquito netting (if needed)

[  ]  Binoculars

[  ]  Clothing in neutral colors (include long- and short-sleeve shirts, long pants, and shorts; avoid bright and white clothing, which can distract wildlife)

[  ]  Safari or sun hat

[  ]  Wildlife guides

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