Image courtesy of Lina Duque

Summertime is wedding season, and if you’re not getting married this summer, you’re most likely attending at least one wedding. If you’re however planning your wedding, you’re trying to do a million things all at once.

As a newly-wed myself, I know what brides-to-be go through. I only had one month and a half to plan my wedding! It seemed like an impossible task at first, but with meticulous planning, delegation skills and a support network, I was able to do it while keeping a full-time job and most importantly, my sanity. Being a professional event planner, I borrowed many tips and tricks from my corporate experience and applied them to my wedding planning strategy. So if you’re a busy-bride-turned-wedding-planner, here’s a step-by-step guide designed to help you get organized, reduce stress and prevent any last-minute panics.

Step 1: Set a budget
Setting a budget is the #1 task as it will dictate the number of guests, venue and other major wedding decisions. Speak with your fiancé about how you’re going to finance the wedding. Set a budget and stick to it.

Step 2: Pick your bridal party
You’re about to embark on a highly stressful journey and you need your army of bridesmaids to help you get through it. Whether you’re going to have one or 9 bridesmaids, pick people who have time to help you. Announce the news to your bridal party with a lot of fanfare – crack a bottle of champagne open and make them feel special!

Step 3: Shop for a wedding dress
As you start looking for a dress, you’ll realize that wedding gowns can take up to six months to arrive in the store so you need to allow ample time for delivery and alterations. If you only have a month or two, many designers can supply in a rush. Make a list of the stores you plan to visit and book your bridesmaids to come with you. You don’t want to exhaust your bridesmaids so ask a different one every time. As cliché as this might sound, you will know when you find the right dress.

Step 4: Prepare the invitation list
One of the most difficult tasks of wedding planning is cutting down the invitation list. Make a list of extra potential guests that you might invite later if you receive many regrets.

Step 5: Book the venue
Most venues are booked a year in advance. Having said that, don’t write off any before calling first. Have three or four preferred dates when you call, and if you’re flexible on the date, let the venue sales people know. They might have availability on a Friday or a recent cancellation.

Check out venue websites (such as venuesource.ca) and gather recommendations from colleagues and friends then make a list of top 10 potential venues. Contact them to find out if they have availability. This is something you can do on your lunch break. If they’re available, ask for a package to be e-mailed to you. This will give you a good idea of which venues are within your budget and based on that, create a shortlist of five venues to visit. Once you visit the venues, you can eliminate some and request quotes from those you like. Before signing the contract, ask any question that comes to mind and bring up any potential issues. Some details need to be addressed upfront (for example, what time the venue closes) and other details like the itinerary can be discussed at a later stage.

Booking the ceremony venue (church, city hall, etc.) is generally easier. You might opt to have the ceremony in the same venue or at a different location. Either way, make things as easy for your guests as possible.

Step 6: Get the marriage license
This is something you can delegate to your fiancé.

Step 7: Send a save-the-date notice
Send notification, by mail or e-mail, to your guests to save the date. I personally prefer e-mail. It’s efficient and fast and it allows you to gather guests’ mailing addresses quickly. Those who are not able to attend will let you know right away. So you’re able to determine whether you will need to use that extra list of potential invitees to get the wedding size you’re aiming for.

Step 8: Decide on the colour scheme
This will depend on the time of year, venue and your own preference. The restaurant where I hosted my wedding reception was decorated with warm brown curtains with golden tones so I went with yellow and chocolate brown. Setting the colour scheme will influence your invitation cards, venue decoration, wedding bonbonniere, bridesmaid dresses and printed materials.

Step 9: Print the wedding invitations
Whether you’re using a template or having your invitation card designed from scratch, discuss pricing and timelines beforehand. Make sure your wedding invitation reflects your style and personality. For example, I love Shakespeare so I incorporated part of Sonnet 116 in my invitation card.

Step 10: Order bridal party attire
Bridesmaid dresses don’t have to be cookie-cutter identical. If you’re letting your bridesmaids choose their own dresses, provide them with guidance and discuss style and accessories with them. If you’re planning on paying for their hair, makeup or accessories, let them know upfront. Give your groom and his groomsmen guidance on their tuxes as well.

Step 11: Choose your menu
Instead of having a five-course dinner, consider having a buffet during the cocktail reception followed by a three-course meal, so your guests are not starved by the time the best man is toasting. Don’t negotiate with the caterer until the menu has been finalized. Ask if you pay for alcohol by the bottle as opposed to by the glass or per person. This will reduce your bill considerably. Book the menu sampling at least a month in advance in case you need to make changes.

12. Write a detailed itinerary
This is a critical step before booking your vendors. Leave ample time for transportation and potential delays. Pad an extra 20 minutes for vendor set-up. Assign your most organized bridesmaid to be the go-to person for vendors and guests on the wedding day.

13. Book your entertainment
Whether you’re hiring a DJ, a live band or both, provide them with a song list. My husband and I spent a couple of hours to create a song list, which turned out to be a really fun activity. Be specific about what your DJ or band can and can’t play.

Step 14: Order the cake
Do some research and bring pictures of wedding cakes you’d like to emulate to your meeting with the baker. Sample the cake prior to placing the order.

Step 15: Flowers and centrepieces
Flowers don’t have to cost an arm and a leg. I did not want to spend too much on flowers so I opted for roses in short square-shaped vases versus the over-the-top tall centerpieces while my maid of honour made her own bouquet. Discuss budget and theme with your florist and ask to have a sample centerpiece created.

Step 16: Book your hair and makeup appointments
To avoid hassles and delay on your wedding day, book both hair and makeup at the same salon and make sure they can accommodate you and your bridesmaids. Schedule your hair and makeup trial months in advance. I changed three hairdressers before finding someone who can achieve the look I wanted.

Step 17: Hire a photographer/videographer
Ask for sample work of both the photographer and videographer, even if they’re highly recommended. You need to make sure their work style is in line with your own personal taste; otherwise, you might end up with some very tacky material!

Step 18: Select the wedding bonbinnieres
Consider having the bonbinnieres on the tables at the reception, and you’d be killing two birds with one stone – using them as a decoration item and eliminating the hassle of having to hand them to guests on their way out.

Step 19: Select your MC
Pick someone with public speaking skills and who knows both you and your groom well. Take time to sit down with your MC and discuss the message you’d like to get across to your guests, potential jokes and stories about you and your groom.

Step 20: Shop for transportation
Get everything in writing – arrival time, departure time, addresses to and from, music in the limo, gratuity, etc.

Step 21: Pick your first dance
If you and your fiancé have a special song, go with it, no matter how lame you think it is. It’s your day, and you should go with choices that make you happy.

Step 22: Book a hotel room/plan your honeymoon
I highly recommend that you rest for a couple of days after the wedding before going away on your honeymoon. Take the time to take it all in.

Step 23: Make time to write an awesome speech
All guests look forward to the bride and groom’s speech. Make your speech before dessert is served while you hold your guests’ attention.

Step 24: Follow up with invitees
Don’t count on the mail. Contact invitees you didn’t hear from and confirm whether they’re attending or not.

Step 25: Create a seating chart
Assign someone from your side and another from your groom’s to man the seating chart and help guests find their seats at the reception.

Step 26: Print your wedding materials
That can easily be done by using sites like staples.ca. Consider creating a logo that ties in all your wedding materials: gift tags, seating chart, menus, church program and table numbers. Ask the venue if they would print menus and table numbers. Just make sure you approve the documents before they’re printed.

Step 27: Buy gifts for your bridal party
Don’t distinguish amongst your bridesmaids (or groomsmen). Give them all the same gifts. Spa treatments, jewellery and gift certificates make for nice gifts.

Step 28: Buy a gift for your groom
Don’t wait until the last minute. Keep in mind that he’ll be surrounded with family and friends when he opens his gift.

Step 29: Get the wedding accessories
Purchase, borrow or make wedding accessories such as the ring pillow, garter, money basket, and guest book. All those tasks should be delegated to the bridal party – just keep track of who’s doing what.

Step 30: Arrange for final wedding dress fitting
Ask one of your bridesmaids to accompany you for a second opinion.

Step 31: Regroup with your bridal party
Meet with your bridal party two weeks before the big day to review the itinerary and make sure everyone is on the same page. Make arrangements for someone to be in charge of safe keeping gifts/money basket. Assign another to pay vendors on the wedding day.

Step 32: Make reservations for rehearsal time and place
This event marks the beginning of the celebrations. Enjoy it and don’t worry too much about what might go wrong on the big day.

Step 33: Follow up with vendors
Finalize details and send the final wedding itinerary to all vendors one week in advance.

Step 34: Send a confirmation e-mail to all your guests
Closer to the date, send a “looking forward to seeing you” e-mail to all your guests. The e-mail should include the “When, What and Where” details and links to the maps of the ceremony and reception locations.

Step 35: Delegate, delegate, delegate!
Don’t forget to delegate tasks to your fiancé and bridal party throughout the whole wedding planning process. One of the most helpful wedding planning tips that I’ve received is: Make a rule that no one can ask you any questions on the wedding day. By then, everyone should know what they are doing and where they’re supposed to be, so you can relax and enjoy your big day!

About Lina Duque
This is a guest post by Lina Duque. Lina is a marketing and event professional who has developed a diverse portfolio of events throughout her career. She supports diversity and entrepreneurial programs through her volunteer work with Skills for Change, the Mentoring Partnership and Canadian Youth Business Foundation. Connect with Lina on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter.