Vermont Wedding Countdown

12-18 months ahead
• Determine a wedding budget and type of wedding you would like
• Investigate, visit and choose a site
• Visit and choose church and clergy or officiant
• Interview and choose event planner
• Visit and choose florists, photographer, videographer, DJ or band, cake maker
• Choose attendants and ushers
• Visit rehearsal dinner sites or options
• Pick your date and time or wedding
• Choose a service to help with out of town lodging and reserve blocks of rooms

6-12 months ahead
• Choose your wedding dress, attendants outfits and ushers
• Register at several bridal registries including an on line source
• Order your invitations
• Make sure all deposits are in and dates are secured with all vendors
• Begin looking at honeymoon options
• Meet with clergy (may be required number of meetings)
• Choose musicians for church or ceremony site
• Apply for passport if applicable to your honeymoon

4-6 months ahead
• Order your invitations and select a calligrapher if necessary
• Order favors or any personalized items
• Have wine tasting and cake tasting and choose appropriate flavors
• Organize lodging for out of town guests (particularly important for destination weddings)
• Plan details of rehearsal dinner
• Choose music for reception and ceremony

2-4 months ahead
• Address wedding invitations (or receive from calligrapher)
• Draw up seating plan for reception
• Buy wedding rings
• Send thank you notes to hosts of your pre-wedding parties
• Arrange for transportation for out of town guest

1-2 months ahead
• Have a trial run with your hair and makeup stylist
• Make appointments for other services (massages, facials, manicure and pedicures)
• Have final dress fitting for you and your attendants
• Pick up wedding rings
• Arrange special transportation for the bridal party
• Decide what you want to include in Welcome Gift Bags, including itineraries, directions, local maps and guides, drinks and or snacks and something special that represents you or the area you have chosen for your wedding. 2 weeks ahead
• Send announcement to local newspapers
• Review seating plan for reception and give final count to reception site
• Confirm honeymoon arrangements
• Keep a list of wedding gifts as they arrive Wedding week
• Have final consultation with vendors
• Confirm your honeymoon reservations and check to see that you have all the necessary travel documents
• Write out checks (or withdraw cash) and give to the event planner for distribution
• Assemble gift bags (or pick them up from a local shop). Have some friends and family or your event planner deliver the bags to each lodging where you will be staying. Be sure to include an extra copy of your wedding event itinerary for the innkeeper or front desk clerk. This will help them to get your guests when and where they are supposed to be.
• Let it all go, you have planned well now you just need to sit back and enjoy your friends, family and wonderful planning.