It doesn't necessarily take more than six months to plan a wedding, but most brides say that the earlier you make your decisions, the more likely you are to be able to schedule the locations and suppliers of your choice.

• Shop with your fiancé for your wedding ring
• Announce your engagement to family and friends
• Research sites and availability for the wedding ceremony and reception
• Decide whether you will plan the wedding yourself or hire a consultant
• Meet with and confirm availability of the person who will perform the ceremony
• Set a date for the wedding
• Prepare and send your engagement announcement to your local newspaper
• Create a budget and determine who will pay for what
• Reserve locations; making deposits and returning contracts according to terms specified
• Determine the style of your wedding (formal, semiformal, informal)
• Determine the size of your guest list
• Ask both families to draw up their tentative guest lists
• Select members of your wedding party
• Meet with your stylist to discuss your best colors and wedding "look"
• Decide on your wedding color scheme
• Select your dress, headpiece and accessories
• Shop for bridesmaids' dresses
• Interview the professionals and contract for their services:
  • Photographers
  • Videographers
  • Caterers
  • Bakers
  • Florists
  • Musicians
  • Rentals
• Schedule initial fittings for you and your bridesmaids
• Check out special transportation choices such as horse and carriage or special limousines
• Choose invitations and stationery
• Discuss honeymoon plans with your fiancé. Pre-book honeymoon if possible
• Begin looking at china, silver and crystal choices

• Follow up with key professionals who will help you with your wedding and contract for their services
• Locate hotels and put a temporary hold on a block of rooms for out-of-town guests to make reservations
• Make menu selection with the caterer or chef
• Choose wedding cake and groom's cake
• Decide on song selection with musicians
• Sign up for dance lessons
• Begin flower selections for bouquet, corsages, boutonnieres and room decorations
• Proofread invitations before they are printed
• Register for gifts at your favorite stores
• Find out how to get a marriage license. Make appointments for a medical exam and blood tests, if necessary.
• Apply for passports, if needed, for your honeymoon
• Select wedding rings
• Send thank you notes for shower gifts
• Decide whether or not to hire a calligrapher to handle invitation writing
• Visit your dentist for a teeth cleening/whitening

• Address and stamp invitations
• Send out invitations
• Discuss rehearsal dinner plans with groom's family
• Schedule wedding rehearsal
• Meet with your clergy
• Double check all details with wedding vendors
• Make salon appointments for yourself and bridesmaids for the day of the wedding
• Arrange for wedding day transportation

• Shop for honeymoon wardreobe
• Meet with the wedding guild chariperson from your church if you are planning a church wedding
• Get forms for name change (Social Security and driver's license, etc.)
• Send change of address to post office if necessary
• Prepare wedding announcements to be mailed if appropriate
• Purchase gifts for the wedding party
• Purchase groom's gifts
• Record wedding gifts as they arrive, and write thank you notes
• Attend final dress fittings
• Select a guest book
• Ask a friend to handle the guest book at the wedding
• Make arrangements for flowers and gown preservation

• Call guests who have not responded
• Double check with your wedding professionals
• Try out the hairstyle and makeup for your wedding day
• Plan a seating arrangement for the reception
• Prepare reception place cards
• Discuss ceremony seating with the best man
• Prepare and send wedding announcement to the paper
• Check to be sure you have all the details
• Ring Pillow
• Cake knife and toasting goblets
• Favors for guests
• Flower petals or confetti for guests to throw
• Directions from church to reception
• Invite bridesmaids out for a luncheon
• Pack suitcase for honeymoon
• Confim logisitcs of gettings flowers to the preservation artist

• Have your hair and nails done
• Attend the rehearsal and dinner
• Get a good night's sleep

• Have your hair and makeup done for the wedding
• Enjoy the anticipation and allow yourself plenty of time
• Make and entrance and say "I do" and enjoy this wonderful occasion

• Have your gown cleaned and readied for storage
• Finish your thank you notes
• Finalize photo album choices

• Help the bride organize her attendants, getting their dresses fitted for the ceremony and reception on time
• May also assist with addressing invitations, shopping or making favors
• Pays for own attire, travel expenses and a wedding gift
• Attends all pre-wedding parties, she may throw a shower herself, often with other attendants
• Holds the groom's ring during the ceremony. She may also arrange the bride's train at the altar and hold her flowers
• Witness the marriage certificate
• Is part of the receiving line and is seated in a place of honor at reception

• Help the pre-wedding tasks such as addressing invitations or running errands
• pay for own attire, travel expenses and a wedding gift
• Attend all pre-wedding parties, she may throw one with other attendants