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12 months before the big day

• Announce your engagement to your wider circle of friends and family

• Optional: have an engagement party

• Think about the size of of wedding you'd like and draft a guest list 

• Start looking at venues

• Think about wedding styles and colours

• Select your bridal party and groomsmen

• Send out save the date cards or emails to guests.

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10 months before the big day

• Choose your venue

• Book your registrar or cleric

• Book your chosen venue(s) and pay deposits

• Purchase wedding insurance

• Consider hiring a wedding planner

• Set up a personal website to keep your friends up to date about your wedding

• Book photographer (and videographer)

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8 months before the big day

• Order your wedding dress and accessories

• Book a wedding caterer, florist, transport, cakemaker and honeymoon

• Contact rental companies if you need them to hire furniture or linen

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6 months before the big day

• Book accommodation for your wedding night and any rooms needed for out of town guests

• Buy wedding favours

• Set up a gift list

• Order stationery, groom's clothing and rings

• Give notice of marriage/or arrange for your banns to be read in church and pay any necessary fees

• Renew or get passports, if you're going on a honeymoon.

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4 months before the big day

• Buy going away outfits if you're having any

• Buy gifts for each other, your parents and anyone else in the wedding party you'd like to treat

• Purchase or make your decorations

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3 months before the big day

• Arrange for your initial wedding dress fitting

• Create a 'shot list' of the must-take photographs and discuss with your photographer

• Plan the wedding menu with your caterer

• Post your wedding invitations

• Select hymns and decide on order of service or choose suitable wedding music or readings.

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2 months before the big day

• Write your wedding vows (if you are writing your own)

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1 month before the big day

• Arrange for someone to take care or your plants, pets or children while on honeymoon

• Have your final gown fitting and arrange to pick up your wedding dress

• Check with your suppliers that they know what they're delivering, where they're delivering it to and when it should arrive

• Write and print an order of service

• Write thank you cards as your receive wedding gifts

• Buy a guest book and decide where it will go 

• Finalise seating plan and write place cards

• Confirm head count with caterer

• Wear your wedding shoes on carpets round the house

• Give your DJ or wedding musician your song list

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2 days before

• Check everyone in the wedding party knows what responsibilities they have (e.g. greeting and seating guests, checking suppliers)

• Confirm wedding day transport

• Indulge in a manicure and pedicure

• Make sure all wedding day items are packed or laid out

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On the day

• Allow plenty of time to get ready

• Enjoy yourself and relax

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After the wedding/honeymoon

• Send thank you cards

• Have your wedding dress cleaned and preserved

• Keep in touch with your photographer and/or videographer as they work on your photographs, album and/or DVD.

• Arrange to change the surname on your driving licence, with your bank and so on, if necessary.    

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Enjoy married life!

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