UK Wedding Directory. When you're ready to say I do, we do.

Wedding Checklist

Our wedding checklist will ensure you don't miss out any part from your wedding, with a countdown starting 12 months before the big day, this will certainly give you everything you need from booking the venue to sorting the men out! On a budget? Use our budget planner for easy financial planning for your wedding.

 

12 months to go

• Download our idowedo.co.uk budget planner.
• Set a wedding date.
• Find a church or civil ceremony venue.
• Make an appointment to see your minister, priest, rabbi or registrar to agree the date and any legal documents required.
• Find a venue for your reception, pay deposit.
• Draw up a day and evening guest list.
• Start looking for a wedding dress.
• If you want to lose weight for your wedding start looking for a reasonable gym membership. or way of exercising and eating healthily.

11 months to go

• Start booking appointments with the following professionals:
• Florist – Discuss your flowers for buttonholes, bouquets and arrangements for the church and reception and ask for a sample to be made with your chosen flowers.
• Entertainment – Ask for a tape/CD
• Baker – Taste samples for your cake

10 months to go

• Once you have chosen the professionals you are hiring send in your deposits (make sure you receive an invoice/receipt).
• Order your wedding gown, it usually takes six months to come in and around one month to alter so that leaves you three months.
  This way, you have plenty of time in case something goes wrong.
• Select your bridesmaids/flower girl.
• Select your best man/ushers/pageboy.
• Start looking at honeymoon brochures. Consider booking early for a discount or if you are getting married in high season.

9 months to go

• Confirm your food and drink orders with your cater or venue. You should be able to get a sample of this on request.
• Find a gift list service you wish to use and start planning what to ask for from your guests.
• Send out ‘save the date’ cards.

8 months to go

• If you’re getting married in a church, talk to the organist about the music and discuss your choice of readings with the minister. If you’re having a civil ceremony ask the registrar what music and readings are permitted.
• Order the bridesmaid dresses and accessories. Bridesmaid dresses usually takes 12 weeks to come in and one month to alter. Order these now to so this isn’t something to worry about nearer the time.
• Remind your fiancé to look at tuxedos/suit hire.
• Consult a travel agent about your honeymoon if you haven’t done so already.
• Plan accommodation for out-of-town guests with a hotel. If your reception is at a hotel they will usually block a number of rooms off available for your guests.
• Order your invitations and envelopes. Allow one invitation for couple or family.
• Arrange your place cards, menus and a seating plan.

7 months to go

• Finalise your guest list for the day and evening.
• Book your transport to take you, your parents and attendants to the wedding venue, as well as transport to take you to your first-night hotel or the airport.
• Order a ketubah for Jewish weddings.

6 months to go

• Choose your wedding rings.
• Have orders of service printed, making sure everyone involved in the ceremony receives one.
• Choose presents for your bridesmaids, best man, fiancé etc.
• For Jewish weddings, order yarmulkes.

5 months to go

• Double check your fiancé has ordered the tuxedos/suits for him and his best man/ushers.
• If you are changing your name, allow plenty of time to have your passport renewed. Ask the minister or registrar to sign the application form for you.

4 months to go

• Finalise your floral arrangements.
• Buy clothes for your honeymoon. Find out if you need any visas or inoculations for your destination. Ask your fiancé to book your first-night hotel.

3 months to go

• Make an appointment with a make-up artist and hairdresser to try out different looks.
• Finalise cake arrangements.
• View your vows.
• Book a wedding rehearsal. This usually takes place a couple of days before the wedding.

2 months to go

• Send out your invitations six weeks before the wedding and keep a list of acceptances and refusals.
• Purchase guest book.
• Get forms for all your important items such as driving licence, credit cards, loans etc to change your surname.
• Try on your wedding dress including headdress, shoes and lingerie along with your bridesmaids to make sure they have everything they need.

1 month to go

• Have your hair trailed with your veil and tiara.
• Inform the caterers of the final number of guests.
• Create a seating plan.
• Final check to make sure your fiancé, best man, ushers etc have ordered their tuxedos/suits.
• Order honeymoon currency and traveller’s cheques.
• Have your hen and stag nights. After all this planning it’s time to party!

3 weeks to go

• Call guests who have not responded to your invitation.
• Prepare wedding announcement for the local newspaper if desired.

2 weeks to go

• Confirm directions, pick-up and drop-off points with transportation service.
• Call caterer to confirm final number of guests.
• Confirm all other professionals.

1 week to go

• Pack your suitcase.
• Create a detailed schedule of your wedding day.
• Pick up your wedding rings if you haven’t already.

1 day to go

• Have your nails done.
• Attend wedding rehearsal.
• Confirm honeymoon reservations.
• Pack an emergency kit for your wedding day, including safety pins, thread and needle, steamer, brush and make-up.

Your Wedding Day

• Eat a good breakfast.
• Have your make-up done.
• Have your hair done.
• Give yourself plenty of time to get ready and for photographs before the car picks you up.
• Enjoy your wedding day!

         
 

Click here to download the idowedo.co.uk wedding checklist for a printable version.