What needs to be done?

Cost?

Done?

Get a file to keep track of all the wedding details.

If you need a wedding consultant you need to hire one now.

Select a date and time for the wedding. (It might be a good idea to see whether all the venues are available before you finalise this date.)

Decide on the type of wedding you want, e.g. classic, formal, informal, etc. This decision will be based on your budget, personalities and lifestyle.

Choose a colour scheme and wedding theme.

Determine whether it will be a religious ceremony or not.

Determine who will officiate at the ceremony.

Make an appointment with the officiant and book / hire him or her for the wedding.

Put an announcement of your engagement in the newspaper.

Determine an approximate amount of guest who will attend the wedding.

Start shopping for a wedding dress, headpiece, veil, lingerie as well as bridesmaid's dresses. If you find the perfect wedding dress then you need to order it - some dresses may take up to 5 months to be made. Often there are no refunds for wedding dresses so you need to be sure that this is the dress you want.

Establish an initial budget as well as who will be paying for what. Traditionally, the bride's family takes care of the wedding expenses while the groom's takes care of the rings, the rehearsal dinner and the honeymoon. However, these days a lot of this has changed. Rather meet with both families and come to an agreement.

Select and reserve a ceremony location. Some venues are booked a year in advance so put a security deposit down if you find one you like. (Check the cancellation / refund policies first and get it in writing.)

Select and reserve a reception venue. Some venues are booked a year in advance so put a security deposit down if you find one you like. (Check the cancellation / refund policies first and get it in writing.) Remember to make sure that both the ceremony and reception locations are booked for the same day!

Select the different suppliers - once you have decided on someone be sure to pay a security deposit and obtain a signed contract. (Check the cancellation / refund policies first and get it in writing.)

Florist.

Photographer.

Caterer.

Wedding cake baker.

Videographer.

Musicians.

Limousine service.

Additional items to remember