Big Picture

• Buy or create a wedding planner, wedding organiser or wedding file
• Agree who will be on the 'wedding planning team'. Consider hiring a wedding consultant
  
• Set the budget for your wedding by talking to your fiancé and parents
• Decide who will pay for what and how expenses will be shared
• Decide on the type of wedding you want (e.g. church wedding, beach wedding, registry office)
• Determine the style of wedding you want (size, formality, colour scheme)

Saving the Date

• Identify up to four possible wedding venues and visit them
• Chose who you would like to officiate at your wedding and meet him/her
  
• Provisionally chose no more than three possible wedding dates and times
• Check with venues, officiant, and important guests before narrowing down to one date
• If you haven’t already done so, announce your engagement in the newspaper
• If you haven’t already done so, have an engagement party with family and friends
• Create an “A” list of all people you must have at your wedding (family & close friends)
• Mail save-the-date cards to your A list if your wedding is during a holiday period or at a location where many guest will have to travel
  

Firming up the Bookings

• Calculate a rough estimate for the total number of guests
• Reserve the wedding ceremony venue
• If a church wedding, book a choir if you want one
• If a registry office, you will need to give notice to the Registrar
• Reserve the wedding reception venue and any overnight rooms for family and wedding party