What comes first in wedding planning?

A timeline of your wedding planning

There are several online wedding planning tables, and you can buy notebooks that have them in there as well. We have a listing below too. But use whatever will help you keep organized. You don’t want to leave anything out or be frantic the month before your wedding. That’s a time you’d like to be able to sit back and relax and enjoy the friends and family coming in, opening the gifts that’ll be arriving and generally, getting ready to enjoy your big day.

Now, no wedding is perfect. Remember that. But there will be little mistakes that you will notice but no one else will. So don’t sweat that. The important thing is that you’re married and you’re there with family and friends and it’s an event to be celebrated.

By keeping organized, you can have more time to enjoy the day instead of worrying about what else you might have missed. And it also is a way to make sure you are doing the things that are important to you.

Your list of what you want at your wedding won’t be like anyone else’s. Something might be very important to you and someone else won’t care at all about it. What do you want to remember from your wedding?

Is it the party itself?

Is it how you and your partner looked when you saw each other?

Is it gifts to your wedding party or family?

Is it the photos?

What about a video?

So why is a bridal shop helping you with your whole wedding planning? Because we can and we want you to look and feel great on your wedding day. If you’re stressed and forgot things and are harried, you won’t enjoy how you look and feel in that gown.

Besides, we know a lot of wedding vendors and can help with recommendations to get things off your list. Also, we do a lot more than helping you with your dress. We also have tuxes and mother-of-the-bride dresses, bridesmaids (limited selection) and services we can provide for all the wedding attire. We do steaming and alterations and have accessories. So, we can help, beyond you buying your dress with us.

So, this list is a starting point if you have plenty of time. Adjust it to fit your schedule. You've already checked one thing off your list - choosing your gown. That will set the tone for the wedding.

A few hints to help you stay organized:

1. Create a new email account to give to all of the vendors you talk to about your wedding. This keeps all of your wedding information in one place and won't get in the way of your usual email.

2. When you go to wedding shows or other bridal events, take some return address labels to save you time when signing up for things.

3. Get organized—keep a notebook or folder with all of your wedding information in one place.

Six to twelve months:

• Decide budget

• Decide type of wedding - formal / informal

• Choose location of ceremony

• Select officiant

• Choose attendants

• Select veil & accessories

• Select attendants’ gowns

• Compile invitation list. # for Bride __________ # for Groom ____________

• Select reception site

• Select men’s formal wear

• Select photographer

• Select videographer

• Select florist

• Select caterer

• Select bridal registry

• Select music for ceremony / reception

• Discuss honeymoon plans ________________________

• Order wedding favors

Four to six months:

• Order invitations, stationery, napkins

• Order flowers

• Shop for wedding bands

• Send for, or renew, passport if necessary. Immunizations needed?

Two months:

• Address wedding invitations and/or announcements

• Select attendants’ gifts

• Try out new hair styles

• Set date to get marriage license

• Gown alterations, appointments for attendants’ fittings

• Reserve rental items for ceremony or reception

• Order wedding and groom’s cake

• Mail invitations to arrive six weeks before wedding

One month:

• Arrange for final gown fitting

• Remind attendants of final gown fittings

• Make reservations for rehearsal dinner

• Have formal wedding portrait taken - Date/Time ______________________

• Arrange lodging for out-of-town guests

• Buy groom’s wedding gift, attendants’ gifts

• Confirm honeymoon trip reservations.

Two weeks:

• Record wedding gifts as they arrive. Write thank-you notes as you open them.

• Double check attire and accessories for all members of the wedding party

• Confirm time & date of rehearsal with members of wedding party

• Review reception seating plans & make place cards if necessary

• Arrange to move your belongings to new home

• Schedule hair & manicure appointments - Date/Time ________________

• Arrange for name / address changes on accounts

One week:

• Have final consultations with wedding pros

• Give final guest count to reception venue & caterer

• Begin packing for honeymoon

• Relax & get plenty of rest... Let the celebration begin!

For the wedding day, again, please remember that no wedding is perfect. But something that you notice will never be remembered by the guests. Think back to the last wedding you went to. What do you remember about it? The details fade and all that matters in the end is that the couple were married, and you were there to show your support for them. Right? Did you notice a salad with too little dressing? What about the ring bearer’s pants being a little too short? Does that really matter? If anything, those are the moments that make it a real event – one full of other excited and grateful onlookers who are celebrating the event with you. Things happen and people are very forgiving of that. They get it. And most will never even see that it didn’t happen the way you scripted it!

Don’t sweat the small stuff. After all, you’ll be married, and all the rest is small stuff.

And don’t forget that we’re there to help you with your last-minute needs. Need steaming for your dress? Need a quick gift for a bridesmaid? Need another bag for your dress? We can help. Try us.

Just let us know what you need, and we’ll try to connect you with someone who can help, if it’s not us! You can reach us by emailing info@UptownBrideABQ.com.