Your ultimate 12-month wedding checklist

At Lace & Favour we know that planning a wedding can often be the most exciting yet stressful time of your life. So, to help you navigate the way to your big day, we’ve put together your ultimate, 12-month wedding checklist.

Post-Engagement:

• • Announce your engagement
  • Create a wedding Pinterest board to help consolidate your ideas (this will also help to avoid any impulse purchases over the coming months)
  • Make any important decisions regarding wedding themes, the ceremony and the location
  • Agree (and stick to) a wedding budget
  • Visit potential venues (for both the ceremony and the reception) and make a joint decision as to which one you’re going to get married in

• Book your venue(s) and place the deposit(s)
• Choose your bridesmaids, best man and groomsmen
• Choose a ‘main hen’ to plan your hen-do
• Make an initial, draft guest list and calculate prices per head
• Start looking for your dress (remember to try on a variety of different styles and keep an open mind!)
• Start to get quotes off wedding vendors (don’t be afraid to haggle or push to get the most for your money)
• Start thinking about your honeymoon

6 months before:

• • Book your florist (you don’t have to decide on your flowers straight away, but they will need to book you in in advance)
  • Book your wedding photographer

• Book your caterer
• Book reception entertainment
• Choose your bridesmaid dresses
• Finalise your guest list

• Choose your wedding dress

4 months before:

• Choose your wedding accessories, including veil, shoes and jewellery
• Choose your wedding lingerie (it’s important to do this sooner than later as you may want to wear it to your dress fittings)
• Order your stationary and invitations (and send them out!)
• Taste-test and order your wedding cake
• Book your honeymoon (remember to book your annual leave from work if necessary)
• Start thinking about your table decorations (it’s worth heading to Pinterest for some crafty, DIY ideas!)
• Put a wedding gift-list together

3 months before:

• Finalise your wedding flowers
• Choose suits for your groom and groomsmen
• Choose your wedding rings
• Buy your wedding shoes (remember you’re going to be wearing your bridal shoes all day long, so wear them in before the big day!
• Buy your veil
• Book your makeup artist and hairdresser

2 months before:

• Order your table decorations, or start making them if you’re feeling crafty
• Confirm the order of service for the ceremony with your minister

1 month before:

• Have a trial run with your make-up artist and hairdresser
• Final wedding dress fittings
• Final suit fittings
• Final bridesmaid dress fittings
• Confirm all bookings and timings with your wedding vendors
• Contact any guests who have not yet RSVP’d
• Speak to your photographer about any particular shots you’d like to get

2 weeks before:

• Finalise your seating plan (and provide a copy for the venue and caterers)
• Let your caterers know of any special dietary requirements
• Wear those wedding shoes in!
• Finalise any outstanding payments
• Advise your groom to get his wedding haircut (so it has time to grow out a little)
• Buy any wedding favours for your bridal party and groomsmen
• Buy any last-minute bits for your honeymoon
• Purchase travel insurance
• Buy a guest book
• Buy a wedding bag (to hold any essential ‘top-up’ makeup and blister plasters!)

The week of your wedding:

• Hang your veil out (preferably in a bathroom after a shower) so all of the creases fall out in time for the big day. Whatever you do, do not steam your veil as this can affect the look.
• Finalise timings with your make-up artist and hairdresser
• Ask your bridal party and groomsmen to have a final ‘try-on’ of their outfits, so there is time to make any changes that are needed
• Drop off table decorations, wedding favours and a guestbook (with pens) at the venue
• Draw cash out for any payments due on the day
• Give the wedding rings to the best man
• Speak too all groomsmen and attendants so they know the running order of the day

The Big Day:

• Eat breakfast
• Check that your best man has the rings
• ENJOY YOURSELF!

Post-Wedding:

• Return any hired outfits
• Write up any thank-you letters for your guests
• Enjoy married life!