CHECKLIST: 12-Month Planning Countdown
12 months before: The Research Stage (January)
• Set-up a wedding planner or organizer. (online website and wedsite) You'll have to keep track of the updates on your planning stage and what cheaper way to do this than to create a blog and have all pertinent details posted there.
• Draft and finalize the attendees including the entourage. Every budget-constrained couple must understand and accept the fact that they'll have to be selective in who they'll invite in their special celebration. Sure, if you have tons a gran, why not invite everyone?
• Find affordable and trustworthy suppliers online. You have 365 days to work on your wedding. If you are really pushing it forward despite budget restrictions, you will be able to succeed. You have a lot of time. All you need to do is settle which your priorities are.
• Set-up the wedding budget. Yes, exactly a year from the wedding date, the expenses should be very clear already. Talk with your fiancé regarding the budget and allocate specific percentage to your expenses. This will both keep you from floating above the clouds.
• Decide on the wedding motif and theme. It is never too early to decide on the motif and theme you wish to have on your wedding affair. Why? Finalizing these details will give you and your partner clear focus as to what you should have in the celebration (from the gown down to the decoration and flowers).
• Look for cost-efficient dresses and gowns for the bride and the entourage. It will probably take you a little more than three months to finally decide on what you'll wear on your wedding day. It's really time-consuming than you think!
• Locate church and reception areas. You will have to do this earlier than a year before your wedding. A low-budget wedding means finding the right places and resources and pulling off the correct strings!
11- 10 months before: The Major Suppliers Stage 1 (February-March)
• Attend bridal fairs. On month 11, you are to be exposed to other great wedding offers found in fairs. If you have a solid preference as to your motif and theme, it will not be frustrating on your part to let go of options that are way beyond your capacity.
• Consider the food to be served. Are you going for a garden reception with a caterer? Or do you prefer to have a hotel reception? Will you be serving Japanese food? Will Italian cuisine be your peg? Food, as some would not admit, is one of the most important items in the wedding affair (if not the most important next to the ceremony).
• Find your preferred photographer and videographer and make respective downpayments. Contrary to what other people think, photo and video services are part of the major suppliers list. Remember, you'll only get wed once and apart from your wedding ring, the photos will best serve as your time capsule of happiness. Sadly, though, rates for such are skyrocketing! Every budget-constricted bride-to-be must understand that such supplier must be prioritize as they are pricey.
• Look for hair and make-up artists. These artists do not come cheap. You'll have to spend more than four months scouting your area for affordable options. Otherwise, you'll be spending more than you've set yourself to be spending.
• Reserve the church and reception. On the last week of this period, you must be decided on where you want to be wed and on where the party will be.
• Start a healthy lifestyle. It's a horrendous situation if the bride will look plump as ever. This also goes well with the groom. Let's face it! Not every girl is metabolically fit. It's difficult to go on a diet, so do it gradually.
• Contact local caterers (if you have decided on having your celebration catered). Secure food tasting schedules with affordable caterers of your choice. This will allow you to finalize which of them you'll get for your party.
9- 8 months before: The Major Suppliers Stage 2 (April-May)
• Attend bridal fairs. If there are more bridal fairs to attend to, willfully attend them. You'll have to secure that all possible cheap options will come your way. And what better way to have them than to attend wedding conventions.
• Schedule Official Pre-Nuptial Pictorial. In the old times, engagement shoots are not that important; however, due to the advancement of photography, more and more couples have taken a penchant for this photo shoot.
• Search for the wedding cake, band, florist. These are very important remunerations of any wedding celebration. Looking for cheap finds is not easy.
• Find vehicles to rent. Equally stressful is the search for the perfect ride on your wedding day. If your friends can lend you their ride, it would be nice but you cannot count on this. You'll have to stretch your imagination and patience so as to find the right vehicle.
• Finalize the caterer. Pay necessary fees to have a lockdown on the menu among others with your chosen caterer.
7- 6 months before: The Adornment Stage (June-July)
• Announce the wedding plans to the parties. It is advisable for couples to keep the planning between them so as not to spike any unwarranted suggestions that would only prolong the planning stage and even cause havoc as to the type of wedding you'll be having. The more heads are there thinking, the more confusing it might get.
• Finalize the wedding dress and suit. On the sixth month of the planning stage, any bride-to-be must be ready with the wedding look she raves about. The look should be final so that further expenses will be limited. The groom, on the other hand, must have his equal share on the personal styling for this affair.
• Settle other payments not yet made. It is advisable that six months before the wedding all other expenses and reservations are completed. This will give you ample time to make way for your emergency funds.
• Inform the primary and secondary sponsors. During this time, the sponsors may be informed so as they can commit their availability for the said occasion.
• Sending of Save-the-Date. Six months is a very good leeway to give your respective guests. Letting them know at this point in time will allow them to commit their attendance for the said function.
• Begin with the DIY projects. You will have to look for materials and start working on dummies before subjecting yourself to having your wedding DIYed. It's enough to have six months in your clock to finish any adornment or attire you wish to craft.
5 months before: The Details Stage (August)
• Secure the invites and other paper crafts. Printing costs should be kept on a minimal. To do this, look for cheap resources online and within your area.
• Finalize the contract with the make-up artist. Set-up the payments and make sure that your terms are well-written therein.
• Shop for shoes and accessories. With a little less than your budget, try to look for cheap accessories and comfy shoes. Every bride has a different ideal wedding affair, but once you put budget into context, everything will fall in the same equation.
• Look for support groups. Other than your friends and relatives, you may look for conventions and couple seminars to further strengthen your and your partner's bond. Support groups will allow you to pull through the difficult times of the wedding planning.
4-3 months before: The Final Adjustments Stage (September-October)
• Complete the necessary church and legal documents. Most legal papers for weddings expire in about 140 days; hence, spending the fourth month prior to the big day is actually wise.
• Finalize the invites and print all other paper crafts. Print them and ready for distribution.
• Arrange meet-ups with florists, emcees, and soloists. After scouting for cheap resources, reserve them four months prior to the wedding function.
• Dinner with the families. Filipinos have the pamamanhikan custom, wherein both parties meet and gather regarding the wedding function. For budget-constrained couples, though, having the pamamanhikan can be a source of problem should the couple not be ready with the entire plan. Booking everything prior to the meet-up will leave nothing to chance.
2 months before: The DIY Project Stage (November)
• Complete the DIY projects. With two more months before your wedding, your decoration and projects ought to have been completed. Otherwise, you'll be having a very troublesome scenario, wherein you're trying to squeeze in everything at the littlest of time available.
• Create/purchase the giveaways. Complete the necessary number of giveaways you are to share with your guests.
• Wedding gown adjustment. A lot of people do not really find this important but this is very pertinent. With a year's time you may gain or lose weight.
• Recheck if there are other documents needed to be provided. After scouting for cheap resources, reserve them four months prior to the wedding function.
• Honeymoon brainstorming. It's actually easy to settle where to go. The problematic part is funding the sufficient amount of funds needed for your escapade.
• Distributing the invites. The guests are expected to RSVP at the soonest time possible and reserve the date with the remaining two months.
1 months before: The Last Few Details Stage (December)
• Honeymoon booking. After a month of checking affordable deals, finalize the booking for your honeymoon.
• Contact all suppliers. The last month of the preparation spells pressure with a capital "P." You ought to be ready with what may happen wrong along the way and think of possible mishaps.
• Confirm guests' attendance. Contact each attendee and confirm if they'll be present in the function.
• Stag party and bridal shower. The groomsmen and maids of honor are to host these separately. Have your friends know the timeline you are following.
• Confirm details with the church and reception. One month before your celebration, you have to contact the admin offices of the church and reception. The representatives must confirm the details with you so as to avoid problems in the long run.
Two weeks before: The Recreation Stage (January 2013)
• Relaxation. Two weeks before the wedding, both the bride and groom must pamper themselves by going to a spa and having a beauty makeover.
Posted on 1/26/12 at 3:42 AM
