6-12 Months Before Your Wedding

____ Announce your engagement to your family and friends
____ Select a Wedding Date and Time
____ Select backup wedding dates and time for planning purposes (especially if you're marrying in peak wedding season or are planning an outdoor wedding)
____ Announce your engagement in the paper or online
____ Plan an engagement party with family and friends OR attend engagement parties thrown in your honor
____ Decide on the size, formality, and theme of wedding you would like to have
____ Talk with any parents who will help plan and pay for the wedding ­ perhaps set up a special dinner out so all parents can get better acquainted first
____ Hire and talk with a bridal consultant or wedding coordinator about your wedding plans
____ Find out what bridal shows are in the area and make plans to attend your chosen shows
____ Do some preliminary research on what weddings cost in your area
____ Do some preliminary scouting of ceremony and reception sites in your area
____ Ask recently married friends for their recommendations of wedding professionals, information on where they checked, who they interviewed or hired, budgetary questions, etc.
____ Create a preliminary budget, and keep it flexible
____ Create an organization system you will use for your planning (i.e. spreadsheet, notebook, folders, etc.)
____ Decide who will pay for what and how expenses will be shared
____ Look into wedding insurance policies, if applicable
____ Call your church or synagogue for a tour of the site and an appointment with the Officiant to book your ceremony date
____ Select and book your reception site
____ Select and book your rehearsal and rehearsal dinner dates and sites
____ Ask friends and family to serve as wedding attendants
____ Ask friends and family to serve as honored participants in the ceremony (i.e. perform readings, play music, release doves, etc.)
____ Create your wedding guest list
____ Ask your parents and siblings for their own guest list suggestions
____ Start thinking about ideas/themes for your reception
____ Determine what type of entertainment you want to have for your reception
____ Sign up for pre-marital counseling or required pre-wedding classes at your house of worship
____ Start your health and fitness plan, as well as a plan for stress-management
____ Select and hire your professional photographer
____ Select and hire your videographer
____ Select and hire your professional caterer (if necessary)
____ Select and hire your cake baker
____ Select and hire your musicians or deejay
____ Select and hire your florist
____ Shop together for your wedding rings
____ Select wedding dress and headpiece, and set a date for fittings and delivery
____ Select your bridesmaids' dresses and accessories, and give them buying directions
____ Select and book your honeymoon
____ Set up your personalized Wedding Web site
____ Put in your request for time off from work now ­ take those vacation days!

4-6 Months Before Your Wedding

____ Check the requirements for getting your marriage license and schedule your timing to apply in person for it
____ Select and discuss your color schemes and cultural themes with the florist/decorator of choice
____ Select and reserve your wedding day rental items, tents, etc.
____ Decide upon a gift registry and select your gift choices
____ Order your invitations, Save the Date cards, and all stationery needs
____ Start shopping for the men's' wedding attire, and rent tuxedoes for the groom, ushers, groomsmen, fathers and ring bearers (if applicable)
____ Reserve your wedding day transportation
____ Research and select readings and music for your ceremony
____ Start thinking about your wedding vows
____ Make music selections for your reception
____ Decide upon and order favors
____ If necessary, make your favors
____ Make your final choice of wedding cake, groom's cake, and additional wedding weekend cakes and desserts
____ Help both mothers coordinate and purchase their wedding day dresses, shoes and accessories
____ Review your contracts with all of your vendors and service providers
____ Book your own travel plans for wedding weekend travel
____ If your guests or family members will need to travel to the wedding site, be sure everyone has their plans in order (i.e. e-mail hotel room block reservations code, etc.)

2-3 Months Before Your Wedding

____ Assemble, address and mail out your wedding invitations and announcements
____ Attend your wedding gown fittings
____ Reserve tuxedoes for the men, if you haven't already done so
____ Write your final wedding vows and start practicing
____ Select 'Your Song' for the First Dance
____ Arrange and plan your rehearsal dinner
____ Purchase your wedding day accessories, jewelry, shoes, lingerie
____ Purchase your honeymoon wardrobes
____ Arrange attendants' parties, bridal brunches, wedding morning breakfast
____ Arrange all wedding weekend activities for guests
____ Prepare and announce all accommodations for out-of-town attendants and guests
____ Plan guests' hotel room welcome baskets
____ Attend your 'practice session' with your wedding day makeup and hairstylists
____ Book your wedding-day hairdresser and/or makeup artist appointments
____ Finalize your honeymoon plans, and make special arrangements for events and dinners during your honeymoon
____ Arrange for babysitting during your wedding event and wedding weekend

1 Month Before Your Wedding

____ Attend your final wedding dress fitting
____ Schedule final fittings for your wedding attendants
____ Obtain your marriage license
____ Host your attendants' parties and any pre-wedding parties you have on schedule
____ Attend your bridal shower(s) and bachelorette/bachelor parties
____ Send out thank you's for your pre-wedding party and bridal shower gifts
____ Purchase your going-away outfit
____ Create your itinerary for the wedding day, and give copies out to all wedding day participants
____ Purchase all of your wedding day 'props' (pillow, garter, etc.)
____ Attend dance lessons as a couple
____ Print out all of your wedding programs and other printed matter
____ Take your parents out to dinner now ­ while everyone is more calm ­ as a thank you for their help with the wedding plans

2 Weeks Before Your Wedding

____ Confirm your plans with ALL of your wedding vendors
____ Finalize arrangements with the entertainers and musicians, and hand in your specialized list of songs to be played
____ Finalize music during special events such as first dance, dance with dad, cake cutting, etc.
____ Pick up your wedding rings and make sure that the engravings are correct. Ask for any comfort fit adjustments now, with pickup in less than a week
____ Contact the guests who have not responded to your invitations for their final attendance decisions
____ Create your final guest seating chart for the reception
____ Print out guest placecards
____ Purchase your guest book
____ Take time out just for the two of youto relax, de-stress, have fun and escape the wedding plan craziness!

Less Than 1 Week Before the Wedding

____ If you can, take the week, or part of the week off from work!
____ Make sure your marriage license is in order
____ Prepare seating arrangements for the ceremony site, and print up pew cards if necessary
____ Purchase travelers checks for the honeymoon
____ Get cash for the wedding week
____ Confirm your honeymoon reservations
____ Pack your bags and carryon for your honeymoon
____ Attend your wedding ceremony rehearsal
____ Instruct your wedding party on what they will be doing on the day of the wedding
____ Attend your rehearsal dinner
____ Make sure all wedding attire fits properly
____ Give the best man (or Dad) the envelopes with the checks your vendors are to be paid on the day of the wedding, plus envelopes with tips or tip money
____ Inform your caterer of the final total guest count
____ Confirm out-of-town guests' accommodations
____ Check with your vendors again to make sure they will arrive when scheduled, that all planning is detailed and delivery and setup are organized
____ Charge your cell phone!
____ Arrange for your getaway car to be parked where accessible, or transportation to your hotel for after the reception

On Your Wedding Day

____ Attend your wedding day breakfast and relaxed gathering with family and the bridesmaids
____ Men: Attend your own breakfast, maybe play a round of golf, and relax with your buddies
____ Allow at least two hours for dressing
____ Hand out all bouquets to your maids, corsages or floral bracelets to your moms, and make sure someone delivers the boutonnieres to the men where they are
____ Go to the salon (or have stylists come to you) to have your hair, nails and makeup done
____ Get into your wedding dress and add those finishing touches (i.e. Something old, something new)
____ Attend your pre-wedding photo shoot
____ Guys: get dressed in plenty of time before the wedding
____ Remember to bring the rings and marriage license to the wedding! Be sure to give these to the Maid of Honor and Best Man!
____ Leave early enough to reach the ceremony on time
____ Guests are seated as they arrive
____ The groom's parents should be seated about 5 minutes before start time
____ Mother of the bride is normally seated last
____ Share a quick moment with your bridesmaids, and then walk down the aisle into your future!

Special addition from Erik & Beth Kent, co-publishers of NJWedding.com:

At your reception, take a moment with your new spouse to stand in the corner of your wedding celebration and just observe: look at what the two of you brought together -- a variety of friends and family members -- all there to share in this special celebration of your love... Congratulations and enjoy your wedding day!

Sharon Naylor is the author of over 30 wedding planning books and is the Q&A specialist at NJWedding.com. Sharon will answer any wedding-related questions at www.njwedding.com/expertadvice. She is a resident of Morristown, New Jersey. To view and purchase any of Sharon's helpful books, click here to visit the NJWedding.com WedStore!