I am getting married in december ......?

Question

It is my first time and I don't where to start

Answer 1

First you have to find a groom.

Answer 2

If you can afford it get a wedding planner.
If not start with your location.
Find a nice location and book it. Make a list of how many people are attending your wedding. Make sure either they provide catering or if you have to find an outside catering service
Then decide what colors you want for your wedding, who are you choosing for your bridesmaids, etc.
Here is website that is perfect and will help you with everything. You can sign up for it and create a webpage for you and your fiance. You can put in your budget and it'll divide up where the money should be estimated to go. You can also put your zip code in there and it will tell you what great wedding location, caterer's etc are in your area. It's great!! Congrats and Goodluck.
Oh yeah...and get a binder and dividers and keep things orgaized and categorized like options for locations on one divider, bbridesmaid dresses in another etc.

Answer 3

This would be the time secure the church, reception site and anything else that requires reservations including: catering services, bands, hotel, honeymoon, etc. If you wait until later in the year choice times would be taken, remember December holidays come up quickly and the dates you want may not be available if you procrastinate. If you are going on a honeymoon don;t forget those reservations either. You can always change them later. Good Luck

Answer 4

Well, assuming you already have a fiance, and a marriage proposal from said fiance, and a date selected, you're on the right track.

Next, decide and agree on a budget.

After that, decide what kind of wedding you want. Formal? Informal? Elope? Small? Medium? Large? Indoors? Outdoors?

Then how about the reception? Sit down dinner? Appetizers only? Open bar? Cash bar? Wine only? Restaurant? Church Hall? Club? Back yard?

Now, what about a honeymoon? For how long? Where? Driving? Flying?

Invitations & Guest lists.

Flowers.

Band? DJ?

Photographer?

Wedding party? How many? Who?

Bridal gown? Groom's Tux? Bridesmaid's dresses? Usher's tuxes?

Gift registry?

Transportation? Limo? Borrow cars from friends/family?

Answer 5

Well first off, figure out what church and reception hall. Those are the hard ones. Then worry about everything else. You can't imagine how far ahead of time you need to book those places. Plan a budget and brainstorm. What all would you like to have in the wedding? What Decorations, who do I want in it, what kind of food, what pastor? Just write down any and all questions you have, as you answer them, more will come up, but as you continually answer each one, before long, no more questions to answer and wedding day is planned.

Answer 6

It is sad that you are already referring to it as your "first marriage".

EDIT good lord who needs to cut and paste 8,000 words into an answer. Jeez. I thumbs-downed it just to condense the page.

Answer 7

Are you all sure it's the wedding she's talking about, or the events of the wedding night? :)

Answer 8

have a close friend or sister help you plan your wedding or hire a wedding planner

Answer 9

dress warmly it may be snowing. good luck.

Answer 10

1) Tell close family and friends!
2) Set the Date!!

If you have your heart set on a specific location for your ceremony and/or reception, you must line this up as soon as you can, before you finalize your date. Specific dates can fill up two years in advance, and many venues are almost fully booked 9-12 months in advance. If you are not flexible on location, you may need to be flexible on date and/or time. So call your church or the reception location of your dreams right away, before you set the date.

If you are open to other venues, go ahead and set the date without booking the venue. Unless time is extremely short, you will probably be able to find something.

If time IS extremely short, consider a weekday wedding. You will probably be able to get a larger number of locations, and for much less money, than on a weekend.

3) Consider sending a Save the Date card.

If your date is finalized 9 months or more in advance of the date, or if your date falls near a major holiday, or if many guests live far away and will have to make travel arrangements, it is a good idea to let them know the date as soon as possible so they can keep it clear.

Your Save the Date card can double as an engagement announcement to those who do not yet know about it.

You do not have to send this to all of your prospective guests; after all, you haven't even made up the guest list yet! It is intended to go to close friends and family, to help ensure they keep the date free and can make it.

Just make sure everyone who gets a Save the Date card also gets a wedding invitation!

Save the Date cards can be regular imprinted cards, magnets, bookmarks or preprinted phone cards.

After the above (6-24 months before wedding)

1) Determine your budget. (See our Budget Worksheet for help.)

DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! If you do not carefully plan your budget, you may end up starting your marriage deeply in debt or having a beautiful wedding but no food for your guests. Whatever your budget, you can have a lovely and memorable celebration, but your budget needs to be central to your planning.

2) Locate and reserve your ceremony and reception locations for both date and time, if you have not yet done so. (See our Location Finder ideas for help.)

3) Set up wedding preparation classes through your clergy or other source.

Often this is a requirement of your church or synagogue. Even if it is not, it is a good idea!

The more you discuss key issues, the smoother things will go as you plan your wedding and then start your married life. Many couples are more open to these kinds of discussions during their engagement than they might be later on.

4) Start a notebook or folder with pockets to keep all of your wedding-related papers organized.

Even if you use wedding planning software or an online planner, you will have many papers, business cards, and so on.

You can download our planner in PDF format and print it; we include calendars and checklists right there. Put it in a three-ring binder with some pockets and you are set!

After the above (6-18 months before wedding)

1) Decide what kind of wedding you want. Fill in our Overview Worksheet to keep track of these essentials along the way.

You have already done some of this while determining your budget and locations. Now spend some time going into more detail.

Figure out the colors you want to use for the bridesmaid's dresses, flowers and decor. Determine the level of formality you want and the number of attendants.

Do you want a theme wedding? Western, beach/tropical and fairytale theme weddings are becoming more popular.

What is most important to you about your wedding? Make sure those items do not get lost in the shuffle.

The choices you make now will help you make choices later about your decor, flowers, music, dresses, etc.

2) Choose your wedding attendants. (See our Attendant Checklists for duties.)

3) Locate and book your caterer, if this was not taken care of with your reception venue. (See our Caterer Checklist.)

4) Locate and book a florist. (See our Florist Checklist.)

5) Locate and book a photographer. (See our Photographer Checklist.)

6) Locate and book a DJ and/or musicians for your reception. (See our Music Checklist.)

7) Locate and book musicians for your ceremony.

8) Buy your dress.

Whether you buy your dress off the rack or order it based on a sample, almost every bride will look better if the dress is custom-fitted. Find a seamstress to take it in or let it out so it fits you perfectly. This is generally not too expensive, depending on the extent of the alterations, and it can make a huge difference in your appearance and comfort on your big day.

If you are ordering your dress based on a sample, make sure it will come in at least two months before your wedding, so there is time to deal with any problems. If you do not have this much time, consider having a dress made or buying one off the rack.

Don't forget about the accessories: veil/headpiece, shoes, lingerie that works with the dress, a garter and so on.

4-6 months before the wedding

1) Choose your bridesmaid dresses.

The possibilities are endless, based on your taste and their budget.

Don't forget their accessories also.

Again, allow plenty of time to get them in and fitted to your bridesmaids.

2) Order your invitations, response cards, thank-you cards and personalized stationery with your new names and addresses.

Make sure to order a few more invitations than you expect to need, due to mistakes in addressing and last-minute guest list changes.

The Etiquette: Invitations guide will help you with this.

3) Line up a site for the rehearsal dinner.

The wedding party and immediate families of the bride and groom are invited to this, along with the officiant.

It is best to get a private room for this event, as there will be a lot of celebrating and toasting.

This dinner is generally the day of the rehearsal, the day before the wedding.

4) Plan and book your honeymoon!

5) Buy your wedding rings; make sure they fit properly.

6) Make the men's formalwear arrangements.

The groom, best man, groomsmen and sometimes ushers generally wear tuxedos or suits.

Arrange for a fitting before the big day, preferably several days before.

Don't forget about shoes!

7) Order your cake.

Be specific about who will deliver it and where, who will set it up, who will decorate it and so on.

8) Book transportation for the wedding day, if needed.

9) Book a block of hotel rooms for out-of-town guests, if needed.

10) Determine how you will decorate the ceremony location. (See our decorating tips.)

Many churches have plants, candlesticks and other items they will let you use; find out what might be in storage!

Consider items like aisle runners, pew bows or flowers, altar flowers, a unity candle, and so on. Order or purchase what you need and determine who will decorate and when.

11) Determine how you will decorate the reception location. (See our decorating tips.)

Some locations will have decorations you can use; talk to your contact there about the logistics of decorating.

Consider a guest book, engraved cake serving set, vases or candles for guest tables, cake table and the head table, toasting glasses, colored and/or imprinted napkins and so on. Order or purchase what you need, and determine who will decorate and when.

12) Choose and order favors for your guests.

While not required, favors for each guest are a traditional way of thanking them for celebrating with you.

Favor options are almost endless; see our favor tips sheet for ideas.

2-3 months before the wedding

1) Finalize your guest list and address your invitations.

The general rule of thumb is that 20% of those invited will not be able to attend.

2) Touch base with your caterer, reception location, officiant, photographer and musicians to confirm your wants and needs.

Finalize your music choices for the ceremony and reception.

Finalize your vows, readings and the order of the ceremony. Get copies of readings to anyone who will need them so they can practice in advance.

Finalize your menu and beverage arrangements.

3) Register for wedding gifts at one or more stores. See our Registry Tips.

Many stores have online registries as well, which is handy for guests.

Spread the news about where you are registered through the grapevine, NOT on your invitations.

Your fiance, family, friends and staff at the stores can help you choose patterns and decide what you should include.

4) If your state requires a blood test, make those arrangements.

1-2 months before the wedding

1) Arrange final fittings for your gown.

Bring all of your accessories to the final fitting, so you get the full picture.

2) Make sure the bridesmaids' gowns will be in and fitted in plenty of time.

3) Get your marriage license.

4) If you are moving or changing your name, make a list of every place you will need to contact after the service. (See our name change worksheet for help.)

5) Mail your invitations.

6) Select and purchase gifts for the wedding party and your new spouse.

7) The best man may organize a bachelor party, and the maid of honor a bachelorette party, if desired.

8) You may have one or more bridal showers.

Showers are generally hosted by family and close friends of the bride or groom, or groups of friends and coworkers. They should not be organized by the bride.

"Couple's showers" are becoming more popular, as are theme showers such as "home improvement."

9) Send thank-yous as you receive shower and wedding gifts, and to hosts of any pre-wedding parties.

10) Prepare a seating chart for the reception and write out place cards, if you are using them.

Some brides choose no seating arrangements except a separate head table.

Others have place cards for each and every guest.

Another option is to use place cards for the head table and one or more family tables, to ensure special guests are seated near the head table.

11) Ensure your favors are assembled and ready to go.

12) Send a wedding announcement to local newspapers.

13) Arrange a trial-run with your hairstylist and/or make-up artists, if applicable.

14) Write your wedding programs and have them printed or copied.

Wedding programs are not necessary, but they are generally used for weddings including a religious service.

They list the order of the service, the wedding party's names, often family names, readings and so on.

They are helpful to guests who do not know both sides of the wedding party and especially to those with different religious backgrounds from that of the service.

One of the most popular program formats at Antonia Rose Printing is the wedding program fan.

15) Decide if you want printed paper napkins for your meal, drink service and/or cake service, and order those. These are available in a wide variety of colors and can be printed by most printers with motifs. The most popular napkins at Antonia Rose Printing are printed with a monogram.

2-4 weeks before the wedding

1) Continue to send out thank-you notes a gifts come in, to preserve your social standing and assure guests you did receive the gift.

2) Finalize the guest count.

You need to keep track of all response cards that come in, both for guests attending and those not attending.

After your "respond by" date has passed, mobilize your close family and/or friends to call those who have not responded and determine their attendance plans.

DO NOT make the mistake of assuming those who did not respond will not attend. Many people do not realize how important a prompt response is to wedding planning. It is rude but extremely common for guests to fail to RSVP even when they plan to attend.

Give your caterer the final number of guests. Don't forget meals for everyone helping with the wedding, including the photographer, officiant and so on. Most caterers allow a little leeway in the final number.

3) Write your speech for the rehearsal dinner and wedding reception, and remind your groom to do the same.

A short speech is expected at these times; a simple thank-you to those who came to witness your union is fine.

It can't hurt to remind the best man and maid of honor of their toasting duties as well. They should have a short speech prepared for the rehearsal dinner and reception.

4) Pack for the honeymoon.

5) Pack for any other away-from-home nights you will have right before and after the wedding.

6) Make and pass out wedding day schedules to all participants.

Many photographers will give you a schedule of who they will need when for pictures. This is helpful to ensure family and the wedding party are where they need to be.

You may want to make your own schedule to ensure things go smoothly.

7) Prepare envelopes with payments for the ceremony, reception hall, musicians and so on.

Determine who will be responsible for payments and give that person the envelopes.

The week of the wedding

1) Check on any details that are not yet confirmed. and make sure everything you have ordered is delivered.

2) The rehearsal dinner is a good time to give your gifts to the wedding party.

3) Ensure the groom and groomsmen pick up their formalwear!

4) Arrange for your car and luggage to be delivered to the reception hall, if necessary.

5) Take a deep breath and relax! Try to enjoy the process and definitely enjoy the day!