Katie Picco - The Wedding Centre

Planning Guide, Help, Advice and Information

Wedding Countdown

Wedding Countdown

18 Months to go

  • Announce your engagement
  • Set a budget
  • Open a wedding account
  • Choose your ceremony type
  • Look at various venues
  • Begin a fitness regime

12 Months to go

  • Organise wedding insurance
  • Set a date
  • Choose your attendance
  • Compile a guest list
  • Arrange the wedding licence
  • Hire a wedding planner
  • Book the registrar
  • Book the ceremony venue
  • Start a scrapbook
  • Book a photographer
  • Book a videographer
  • Book the entertainment
  • Contact various caterers
  • Begin shopping for your dress
  • Find a cake maker

9 Months to go

  • Visit reception venues and reserve your favorite
  • Book caterer
  • Choose and order a dress
  • Book the florist
  • Order the cake
  • Buy stationery
  • Take care of your hair

6 Months to go

  • Book transport
  • Dress the bridesmaid
  • Choose the men's outfits
  • Book your honeymoon
  • Have a dress fitting
  • Reserve accommodation for guests
  • Find hairdresser
  • Choose a make-up artist
  • Select your readings

Three months to go

  • Buy wedding rings
  • Send out invitations
  • Choose the wedding favours
  • Have a make-up and hair rehearsal
  • Test-drive fake tans
  • Buy wedding lingerie
  • Purchase your going away outfit
  • Book you first night accommodation
  • Create a eating plan
  • Try out table decorations

Two months to go

  • Choose the music for your ceremony
  • Check your passports are in date
  • Make your gift list
  • Confirm the menu with caterer
  • Confirm the register office booking
  • Finalise your seating plan
  • Remind key guests about their speeches
  • Buy a guest book
  • Choose the music for the reception and wedding breakfast

One month to go

  • Write vows
  • Copy supplier contracts and give to the venue
  • Hold hen and stag parties
  • Have final dress fitting, complete with lingerie, shoes and veil
  • Run through the ushers' and best man's duties with them
  • Get glowing spa treatments
  • Send place cards to the calligrapher/printer

Two weeks to go

  • Wear your wedding shoes around the house to break them in
  • Pack holiday clothes
  • Order travellers' cheques
  • Inform the photographer of any must-have photos
  • Have a hair and make-up trial
  • Buy gifts for the wedding party
  • Make sure the best man has arranged for the hired outfits to be returned on time
  • Remind your fiancé to get a hair cut

One week to go

  • Have a spray on tan
  • Make final honeymoon checks
  • Confirm time and place with the photographer, caterer, florist, cars, music and entertainment
  • Reconfirm final numbers with your caterer
  • Hold wedding rehearsal
  • Arrange for the cake to be delivered to the reception venue

The Day Before

  • Have a manicure and pedicure
  • Help to decorate the venue/church
  • Have honeymoon luggage sent to first night hotel
  • Relax and have an early night

On the Day

The Best Man Should:

  • Have the rings
  • Be ready to take any hired suits back on time
  • Pack up the wedding presents

The Maid of Honour should:

  • Help dress and arrange your veil
  • Keep you calm and relaxed!
  • Take your dress away to be cleaned