Wedding Checklist

The timetable to a perfect wedding...

12 months before the big day

• Think about the general parameters of your wedding! What are your wishes? In the CivilRegistry Office or in a church? Small or big celebration? Celebration in the hotel or outdoors?
• How big is your wedding budget? Prepare a provisional cost plan!
• When do you want to get married? Set the date and please keep in mind any holidays and vacation time!
• With whom do you want to celebrate? 
• You don’t have to do all the planning yourself! Seek out a wedding planner!

11 months before the big day

• Reserve a date for the church wedding ceremony – you may make your reservation no more than six months in advance.
• Begin with the compilation of the required documents for the Civil Registry Office
• Who are supposed to be the groomsmen / bridesmaids?

4-6 months before the big day

• Coordination of all practical and financial issues with the families, set the date and specific details of the wedding
• Submit the banns to the Civil Registry Office and procure any missing documents
• Set the date for the church wedding ceremony with the priest
• Obtain general information about product suppliers and service providers
• Seek out a photographer/video cameraperson and reserve the wedding date
• Organise music for the church ceremony and the celebration afterwards
• Select the wedding attire
• Plan and book the honeymoon. Where applicable, obtain any required vaccinations and examine the validity of your passports
• Seek out the restaurant/hotel or party service, obtain bids and menu recommendations, conduct taste-testing and make your orders
• Prepare cost calculations and coordinate financing
• Take dance lessons

3 months before the big day

• Have your banns of marriage announced
• Visit to the hairstylist: Obtain consulting as to what hairstyle is best and keep the wedding date in mind when making your appointment
• Prepare a provision guest list
• Prepare a gift registry or wedding list in a specialist shop
• Seek out and/or book the wedding transportation (horse-drawn carriage, old-timer, etc.)

10 weeks before the big day

• Organise lodging for out-of-town guests and reserve hotel rooms for the wedding night as required
• Select and inquire about any groomsmen/bridesmaids and ring bearers/flower girls as required
• Appoint a “Master of Ceremonies” – (family member with good organisational talents) which will organise the specifics of the celebration and manage and steer everything on the wedding day
• Set the date of the church wedding ceremony with the priest, clarify wedding seminar options
• Seek out and have printed invitation cards, menu cards and table cards
• Set the time sequence of the celebration programme
• Order the bridal bouquet and flower arrangements for the vehicle, church and table decorations

8 weeks before the big day

• Coordinate sequence of the church wedding ceremony in detail with the priest
• Review any expected costs and recalculate as required
• Select wedding rings and have them engraved – keep in mind that you will wear this ring for a lifetime!
• Try on the bridal gown to see if any alterations need to be made
• Send invitations; enclose map and directions for out-of-town guests

6 weeks before the big day

• Review and correct the guest list based upon the guests who have replied back
• Create a guest book. Particularly beautiful are Polaroids of the guests which can be directly affixed and signed on the wedding day!
• Plan the eve-of-the-wedding party
• Where applicable, discuss a prenuptial agreement and reach agreement upon the contractual provisions
• Provide giveaways as small courtesies for the wedding guests! Possibly a small extra gift for the groomsmen/bridesmaids!

4 weeks before the big day

• Organise transportation for the guests
• Order wedding cake
• Organise reception with champagne
• Visit a cosmetologist while keeping the wedding date in mind
• Invite friends to the eve-of-the-wedding party (by telephone)
• If you would like, submit a wedding announcement to the local newspaper

2 weeks before the big day

• Visit to the hairstylist, examine bride’s haircut
• Determine seating arrangement at the tables after the final guest list has been prepared
• Test the fit of the bridal gown with all accessories one more time
• Make travel arrangements for the honeymoon (travel insurance, foreign currency, etc.)

1 week before the big day

• Notify the restaurant of the precise menu numbers and seating order
• Visit to the hairstylist for the bridegroom
• Break in wedding shoes
• Pick up wedding rings
• Put wedding announcement in the newspaper
• Do preparatory work for the eve-of-the-wedding party and tell neighbours about this party if it becomes loud…
• Discuss wedding details once again with the Master of Ceremonies
• Give small thank-you gift to the flower girls

One day before the big day

• Ensure that wedding rings and proper documents are available
• Pack suitcases for the honeymoon
• Prepare a small emergency kit
• …Relax and enjoy your last day of freedom

3 weeks after the big day

• Send thank-you cards with, where applicable, photos of the guests at the wedding celebration
• Submit name changes to the governmental authorities and insurance carriers
• Where applicable, change the signs on doorbells and mailboxes