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arne rame Selim gricialcoupks planning and decision makny
To help you get a better understand-
ing of how to plan a wedding and
when you should be making certain
decisions, here's a timeframe you can
follow that should ensure that your
wedding goes off as smoothly as pos-
sible.
10 TO 12 MONTHS BEFORE
If you haven't done it already, this is
a good time to announce your engage-
ment and introduce your respective
families. Since most reception halls
and churches have busy wedding
schedules, it is also important to book
both as early as possible, preferably at
least a year in advance of your wed-
ding day.
It's also a good idea to start putting
together a guest list around this time
and ask your parents whom they'd like
to invite as well.
Also, since your budget will deter-
mine just about every aspect of your
wedding, sitting down and determin-
ing what you can spend, and develop-
ing a savings plan should be first and
foremost.
6 TO 9 MONTHS BEFORE.
This is the time when you want to
start booking some services, such as a
florist, caterer, a DJ/band, and a pho-
tographer. However, some of the more
experienced DJs and bands as well as
photographers might have their sched:
ules booked a year in advance, so this
might be something you'll want to
consider doing shortly after you get
engaged and choose a date.
Also, this is a good time to inform
any guests who will be traveling sig-
nificant distances of the date of your
wedding. The earlier your guests can
book a flight, the less expensive that
flight will be.
This is also a good time to order
mar
gowns for both the bride and brides-
maids, as some manufacturers require
a few months to ship to bridal shops.
You might want to ask someone such
as your priest or rabbi to be the offi-
ciant of your wedding.
And much like out-of-town guests
will save travel dollars the earlier they
learn of your wedding date, you will
likely save money, too, if you book
your honeymoon around this time.
4 TO 5 MONTHS BEFORE
This is a good time to decide on
wedding invitations, of which there are
many styles to choose from. Also, now
is ideal to start hunting for a wedding
cake by sampling a number of differ-
ent bakeries and their style of cakes
before ultimately making a decision.
Just to be sure, confirm that all of
the bridesmaids have ordered their
gowns and start looking for a tuxedo
for the groom as well as the grooms-
men.
If you haven't done so already, pur-
chase your wedding rings and let any
other people you'd like to participate
in your wedding (ushers, readers dur-
ing the ceremony, etc.) know of your
intentions.
2 TO 3 MONTHS BEFORE-
Finalize your guest list and mail out
your invitations. If your guest list
includes a considerable amount of
people who are spread out geographi-
cally, mail the invitations as close to
12 weeks in advance as possible.
This is also a good time to finalize
your menu choices for your guests,
and find all your wedding accessories
such as the ring pillow, candles, etc.
Also, since it is tradition to provide
gifts for those in the wedding party as
well as the parents of the bride and
groom, this is a good time to decide on
and purchase those gifts.
Just to be safe, confirm that all
groomsmen have ordered their tuxedos
and finalize all transportation, both to
and from the wedding and to the air-
port for your honeymoon.
1 TO 2 MONTHS BEFORE
Schedule the first bridal-gown fit-
ting. Also finalize the readings you'd
prefer during the ceremony and mail
them out to anyone who has agreed to
do a reading. If your family prefers to
host a small gathering for close family
and friends after the wedding rehears-
al, the night before the wedding, this is
a good time to order any food or drinks
you might want to serve that night, or
make a restaurant reservation.
3 TO 4 WEEKS BEFORE
Confirm your honeymoon arrange-
ments and see if your wedding rings
are ready. This is also when you
should get your marriage licence and
check the guest list to see who has and
hasn't RSVPd.
For those .who have yet to RSVP,
you might want to contact them so you
can get a closer idea of what the head
count will be. You should also prepare
and order your wedding program
around this time.
1 TO 2 WEEKS BEFORE
Get a final attendance- count and
submit it to the caterer as soon as you
know of it, while also providing a final
seating chart. Pick up the wedding
gown and tuxedo.
Make sure the wedding party picks
up their attire.
Also, finalize your vows and con-
firm all wedding-day details such as
transportation, photo schedules, and
addresses. And don't forget to pack for
your honeymoon.
THE DAY BEFORE
This is mainly when you rehearse
for the ceremony and make any final
confirmations you might have to
make. Also, make sure to get some
sleep so you'll look good in all of your
wedding-day photos.
Page 14. The Citizen. Brides and Grooms. 2006