Depending on your personal preferences and the preferences of your husband or wife-to-be, a wedding can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 2 years to plan. If one step in the planning process is missed, the whole wedding could be ruined. To prevent this from happening, we have created a wedding checklist in order to ensure everything goes according to plan on your big day.

7-12 Months Prior

• Announce Engagement and have your engagement party
  
• Decide on the wedding style and create a guest list
  
• Choose who you both want in the wedding party
  
• Set the date and time of the wedding
  
• Book your wedding officiant
  
• Choose your wedding song
  
• Decide on "extras" (cake, flowers, dj, photographers etc)
  
• Purchase your wedding dress and bridal accessories
  
• Purchase bridesmaids dresses and accessories (maid of honor as well)
  
• Start planning your honeymoon
  
• Buy (or make) your wedding favors
  
• Purchase your wedding invitations
  
• Plan your rehearsal ceremony and dinner
  

2-6 Months Prior

• Arrange accommodations for out-of-town guests
  
• Finalize the dinner menu
  
• Book your limo (or other form of transportation)
  
• Book the rehearsal dinner site
  
• Book your honeymoon
  
• Purchase your wedding rings
  
• Purchase your gifts for the wedding party
  
• Rent the tuxedos for groom and groomsmen (including bestman)
  
• Schedule a dress fitting (bride)
  
• Book hair and makeup appointment (bride)
  
• Have your bridal shower
  
• Send out the invitations to your guests
  
• Plan the wedding program
  

1 Month Prior

• Get your marriage license (and blood tests if needed)
  
• Final dress fitting (bride)
  
• Arrange seating for your guests
  
• Have your stag and doe party
  

1-2 Weeks Prior

• Pick up the wedding dress
  
• Have your bachelor and bachelorette parties
  

The Day Before

• Give the wedding party their gifts
  
• Pick up the tuxedo(s)
  
• Decorate the wedding site
  
• Have your rehearsal dinner and greet out-of-town guests
  

Follow these steps in the first step towards a lifetime of marital bliss!

About the Author

Samantha Taylor spent several years working in the weddings industry as a wedding planner. When she isn't being a mom of two wonderful children, she works as a freelance writer for http://www.yourwedding101.com - a site that offers information about everything wedding related - from wedding planning to wedding invitations and more.

Latest News:

Child sweethearts try to elope for wedding in the African sun (BBC News)
Two German children aged six and five are stopped by police on their way to Africa for a secret "wedding" in the sun.

Free wedding is offered as prize (BBC News)
A prize draw for a free wedding is being offered by a Leicestershire council to couples in the county.

Getting Ready for the Big Wedding (WSAZ NewsChannel 3 West Virginia)
As thrilling as a big wedding ceremony can be, getting there takes a lot of work and planning. During the weekend, the Bridal Expo in Charleston steered brides-to-be in the right direction. The sluggish economy, however, has impacted the bridal business.

How to announce an engagement or wedding (Journal Inquirer)
Send a request for an announcement form, along with a stamped, self-addressed envelope, to Weddings and Engagements Desk, Journal Inquirer, 306 Progress Drive, Box 510, Manchester, CT 06045-0510. The charge is $49 for standard wedding and engagement announcements, with or without photographs.

60 - year - old wedding dress damaged at local dry cleaner's (KTNV Las Vegas)
Imagine taking your wedding dress into a dry cleaner only to have it destroyed and the cleaner doesn't offer you much for the damages. That is what happened to an 84 - year-old Las Vegas woman who turned to Contact 13 to get results.