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Planning Information
| The information in this area of the
Valley Wedding Guide is provided to guide you through the process of planning
your wedding. When planning a wedding, time and organization are your most
valuable assets. The timetable to start planning your wedding differs on a few
different factors. Size and extravagance will always be an issue. The larger
the wedding, the more time you will need. Another key factor is the time of the
year. Weddings in the summer are more popular, so more time is need. Typically
a year to 18 months is a good time to start. |
18
Months
Start a preliminary count on the number of
anticipated guest
Start a preliminary
budget
Set a Date
Decided if you plan to use a
wedding coordinator
Select a site for the Ceremony
Select a site for the Reception
Preliminary
Count
Setting a preliminary count on the number of
anticipated guests is a good place to start planning your wedding. This step
does not necessarily mean making a guest list, but deciding a rough limit on
how many people you would like at your wedding. This will help you plan your
budget as well as sites for your Ceremony and
Reception.
Preliminary Budget
It is
important to start deciding how much you anticipate spending on each aspect of
your wedding.
Set A Date
Try to
remain flexible when setting a wedding date. Try to have alternate dates
because of scheduling conflicts with ceremony and reception sites.
Wedding Coordinator
A Wedding
Coordinator can help plan every aspect of your wedding. They can be helpful for
large elaborate wedding, or if your planning a wedding within 6-8
months.
Ceremony Site
Remember to
choose a site that will accommodate the number of guests you plan on having at
your ceremony. Be sure to check our Religious
Information page for listing of churches in the Valley. This page includes
church capacities, requirements, as well as contact
information.
Reception Site
Like
the ceremony site, be sure to choose a site that will accommodate the number of
guests you plan on having at your reception. Also, be sure to consider if you
will need a large stage, dance floor, or kitchen for you reception. Check our
Ballrooms & Halls page for Valley reception
sites.
12-15
Months
Plan for Engagement party
Start
Choosing Wedding party
Start looking for Reception
Music
Start looking at Photographers
Start
looking at Videographers
Start looking at
Florists
Start looking at
Caterers
Engagement party
An
engagement party is your chance to announce to your family and close friends
your plans for getting married. This is also a time for your families to start
getting to know each other. This party can be given by the bride and groom or a
friend or family, and is usually held 9-12 months before the
wedding.
Wedding party
The wedding
party are all the people who will have a role in your wedding. Check the
Valley Traditions page for some of the roles in a
wedding.
Reception Music
When you
chose whether you will have a reception, dance, or both, you will need to
decide the type of music you would like at your wedding. Check our
Band or Mariachi guide for Valley
music.
Photographers
Photographers
offer many different packages and different rates. Be sure to secure a
photographer early to insure you have the right one for your wedding. Check
with our Photographer guide for top Valley
Photographers.
Videographers
Like
photographers, videographers offer different rates and packages, so be sure to
compare. Again deciding early is always an advantage. Be sure to check our
Videographer
guide.
Florists
When choosing a
florist, remember that a florist can handle everything from your wedding
bouquet and corsages to decorating your church and hall. Florists can handle
only so much work in one date, so choosing early can be important. Check our
Florist Guide to find the florists that is right for
you.
Caterers
When looking for
caterers, have an idea how many people will need to be served. Again choosing
early will help insure that you get a caterer that is best suited to serve you.
Our Caterer guide lists top Valley
caterers.
9-12
Months
Start looking for a wedding
cake
Start thinking about wedding colors and bridesmaids dress
pattern.
Start finalizing wedding party
Begin
making honeymoon plans
Wedding
Cake
When you are looking for a cake, again you must have
an idea how many people will need to be served. Don't forget to order a grooms
cake as well. Most bakers can also help with other pastries for the wedding .
Check our Cakes & Bakeries guide for a lists of Valley
Bakeries.
Wedding Colors & Bridesmaids
Dress
When choosing colors, the time of year you are
planning your wedding is something to consider. Checking with fabric stores can
also help with your selection.
Finalize Wedding
Party
This is the time to start finalizing your wedding
party. Be sure to talk to every member of the party and keep them informed of
what will be expected of them.
Honeymoon
Plans
This is a good time to start thinking about honeymoon
destinations. Some popular destinations can run out of availability up to six
months before the date. A Travel Agent can help
you in your honeymoon preparations.
6-9 Months
Select bridal
gown
Order wedding invitations
Have bridesmaids
measured for dress
Bridal Gown
This
is the time to start looking for your bridal gown. Look to our
Bridal Wear guide for the top Valley Bridal
shops.
Order Wedding
Invitations
Once you have an estimated count on the number
of guests you plan on inviting, it is time to order your invitations. Ordering
the invitations at this time leave you plenty of time to address invitations
and order more if necessary. Be sure to look to our Printers guide for invitations
printers.
Have Bridesmaids Measured for
Dress
Begin letting your bridesmaids know it is time for
them to get measured for their dress. This will give the seamstress time to
make adjustments once the dress is finished.
3-6 Months
Select a
limousine
Reserve hotels
Select wedding
rings
Finalize guest list
Decide on a bridal
registry
Make newspaper announcement
Plan for
bridal shower/bachelor party
Select a
Limousine
If you plan to have limousine transport you
during your wedding, this is the time to select and reserve a company. For a
list of Valley Limousine companies be sure to check
our guide.
Reserve Hotels
If you
have guests coming in from out of town, be sure you arrange a place for them to
stay. To reserve hotels in the Valley, you can check our Hotel guide, or you can go to our Travel section.
Select Wedding
Rings
This is a good time to start looking for wedding
rings. It gives you time to have the ring sized or adjusted if necessary. Be
sure to check or Jewelers
guide.
Finalize Guest List
This is
the time that you guest list needs to be finalized. This will give your caterer
and baker enough time to prepare. This will also tell you if you need to order
more invitations.
Decide on a Bridal
Registry
Before you send out your invitations you need to
select a bridal registry. Once you decide on the store you will be retested at,
you need to select the items for your registry. For stores that offer
Bridal Registries check our guide.
Make Newspaper Announcement
If you
plan to announce your engagement in your local newspaper, this would be the
time to do it. ValleyWeddingGuide also lists Announcements if you would like to submit your
information to us.
Plan for Bridal Shower/Bachelor
Party
If you plan to have a bridal shower or bachelor party
this would be the time to start making the arrangements. Check our
Banquet Rooms guide for a list of Valley locations for
these types of celebrations.
2 Months
Bridal gown
fitting
Select tuxedoes
Send wedding
invitations
Be sure to know when all payments are
due
Bridal Gown Fitting
Once your
Bridal gown arrives, you must try it on to be sure that it fits right and no
alterations need to be done.
Select
Tuxedoes
The groom must decide if he is going to buy or
rent his tuxedo. Once he makes that decision he must decide where his wedding
party will rent their tuxedoes and what style they will wear. Check our
Tuxedoes guide for Valley formal wear
shops.
Send Wedding Invitations
This
is the time to start sending wedding invitations. Before you send invitations
be sure you have included the bridal registry and a return address. It is also
a good idea to check that your invitations have enough
postage.
Be Sure to Know When All Payments Are
Due
Around this time your final payments will be due. Be
sure you know when each due date and send the payment with plenty of
time.
1 Month
Confirm all wedding plans
Select gifts for wedding
party
Finalize rehearsal dinner
plans
Bridesmaids dress final fitting
Make
salon arrangements
Confirm All Wedding
Plans
With one month to go, it is a good idea to confirm
all the wedding plans. This can be done at the same time that all final
payments are due.
Select Gifts for Wedding
Party
If you will be giving your wedding party a gift, this
would be a good time to select that gift.
Finalize
Rehearsal Dinner Plans
The rehearsal dinner is usually a
day or two before the ceremony. Be sure to make the arrangements with plenty of
time to let your party know when and where it is going to be. Check our
Banquet Room page for a list of places to have you
rehearsal dinner.
Bridesmaids Dress Final
Fitting
Be sure to let your bridesmaids know they need to
pick up their dress and have it fitted.
Make Salon
Arrangements
This is the time for the bride and other
members of the party to make Hair Stylists and
Nail Salon arrangements.
2 Weeks
Shop for honeymoon
items
Obtain marriage license
Shop For
Honeymoon Items
If you are planning a honeymoon right after
your wedding be sure to do some shopping for items you might be needing.
(Clothes, film, sunscreen)
Obtain Marriage
License
Most marriage license must be used between 3 and 30
day of being issued, so this is the time to take care of that. Our
License Information page has the requirements of each of
the Valley's four counties.
1
Week
Rehearsal Dinner
Pick up
Tuxedoes
Try to Rest
Enjoy
Yourself!
Copyright © 2000 Valley
Wedding Guide. All rights reserved.
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