Most married couples ask me if I’m late with the deadlines… in reality, we are almost always well ahead of schedule.
To prevent you from feeling anxious or stressed, I have decided to share with you my “Perfect Wedding” timetable, hoping to please many couples who continually ask me for it.
Wedding preparation deadlines
Wedding calendar and deadlines:
Organizing a wedding takes a lot of time and a lot of effort. It is therefore better to try to anticipate as much as possible and organize yourself as best as possible so as not to arrive stressed during the last few days. I always advise anyone who asks me to prepare a sort of calendar or timetable to organize every little detail while respecting a precise schedule that will allow you to arrive at the fateful day with complete peace of mind… or almost.
A year earlier
To best organize your wedding it would be advisable to think about it at least 1 year before. First of all, the date and place of the ceremony must be set. Those who have decided to get married in church will have to start by inquiring with the parish priest about the date and the pre-marital course, otherwise it will be necessary to go to the municipality and make an agreement with the office in charge.
9-10 months before
It’s time to start learning about the fundamental practical matters, i.e. the documents to prepare for the wedding banns and the choice of a place for the reception. Finding the right location is not easy and it is better to plan ahead as the best places are often booked for months and months.
8-9 months before
Once the date and place of the reception has been set, it is time to start thinking about the guests, taking into account the available budget we will begin to review all the possible ‘candidates’ and their respective families. This is a very delicate job that requires time if you don’t want to disappoint anyone.
7-8 months before
You start to think about the ceremony, decorations, music, witnesses and above all, the fateful choice of dress. Usually in this period you will realize that the budget problem is not secondary. Unexpected expenses will come up and you will naturally want everything to be as good as possible.
5-6 months before
Once the fundamental issues have been defined, the time comes to think about the details, which are anything but negligible. Wedding list, photo album and possible video of the wedding, and then choice of flowers and creation of invitations, invitations and wedding favors. In short, there are many things to think about, and don’t forget the honeymoon.
3-4 months before
It’s time to buy clothes and pay any payments still pending (refreshments, flowers, invitations, wedding favors, etc..). If you have chosen to have your honeymoon in an exotic or distant place, check the necessary documents, vaccinations and visas.
2-3 months before
And who thinks about rings? It’s time to sort them, finalize the guest list and think about how to distribute the invitations. For the ceremony, think about who will do the readings and any singing. Try to think about who will accompany you and the bride’s car. It’s time to also think about who will take care of the bride’s makeup and hairstyle. Two months before the scheduled date it is a good idea to send the invitations and start collecting the confirmations: they will be used to pass the definitive number of people to the reception.
Last month
Check that you have completed all the necessary documents for the wedding: if not, take action! In the last few weeks it is better to ask a trusted friend or relative for help to assist you with practical matters so you can think more about your marriage. A couple of weeks before the wedding it’s time to close the guest list by calling the people who haven’t responded to you. In the final count it is better to take into account a standard 10% of ‘last minute’ cancellations.
Last days
If you have followed the calendar to the letter everything should be under control, as much as possible try to relax and fully enjoy these moments that will remain with you for a lifetime. If, however, you have little time to be able to follow the deadlines and calendar as best as possible, to be able to review the various suppliers or to constantly keep your budget under control and above all to deal with the various commitments and unexpected events that may arise along the way, I advise you to evaluate the presence of a good wedding planner who will be able to help and support you in all phases of your wedding.
