Wedding Planning Timeline Example
For Corsicana Wedding Venue near Dallas
A wedding planning timeline is incredibly helpful for remembering and checking off tasks for your Dallas, Texas wedding!
Creating a detailed wedding planning timeline will help ensure your day runs smoothly. Our staff here at Lakefront Acres in Kerens, Texas knows how stressful it can be to plan a wedding. We have seen it all, couples can plan weddings in as short as just a few weeks, months, and even up to 2 years in advance. No matter what your timeframe is from engagement to wedding day, we’ve created a list of our average wedding timeline for you to guide you through the process.
12-18 Months Before the Wedding:
Announce Engagement: Inform family and friends about the engagement.
Establish a Budget: Create a realistic budget and distribute funds across different wedding elements.
Initiate a Guest List: Start putting together a list of potential guests.
Set Your Wedding Date: Select a date for the wedding but remember to be flexible because the wedding venue you choose may not have your date available.
Reserve Your Venue: Book a tour of your favorite venues and reserve your special day as soon as you can. Lakefront Acres Weddings & Events, books some of our more popular wedding months up to 2 years in advance. You don’t want miss out on your perfect venue because you waited to long to book! If you’re still on the hunt for a wedding venue in Dallas, Texas, contact us today to schedule a tour!
Consider a Wedding Planner: We always recommend hiring a wedding planner to assist with wedding details. They help so much!
Choose Your Wedding Party Attendants: Make sure to let your bridesmaids, groomsmen, and other important participants know early so they can budget as well.
9-12 Months Before the Wedding:
Send Your Save-the-Dates: Inform guests of the location and date of your wedding. Earlier the better for those having to travel.
Pick Out and Purchase Wedding Attire: Select and order your wedding dress, groom’s outfit, and the wedding party’s attire.
Secure Essential Vendors: Finalize agreements with essential vendors like the wedding photographer, videographer, caterer, wedding florist, and any other entertainment. Check out our list of preferred vendor partners!
Arrange For the Honeymoon: Be sure those passports are up to date if you are traveling out of the country! Pick a destination and organize your travel plans.
6-9 Months Before the Wedding:
Finalize Your Guest List: Complete your guest list and verify everyone’s addresses.
Order Wedding Invitations: Either create your own or have your stationary store create and order them for you.
Register for Gifts: Create a wedding registry at your chosen stores.
Plan the Ceremony: Finalize your personal vows and any ceremony details by consulting with your officiant.
Choose Music: Coordinate with your musicians or DJ and pick out music for both the ceremony and reception.
4-6 Months Before the Wedding:
Send Your Invitations: Send out your wedding invitations early enough to allow guests sufficient time to respond. Give them multiple options to respond via an online RSVP wedding website or mail.
Finalize Reception Details: Verify the menu, cake, and seating plans.
Secure the Location for the Rehearsal Dinner: Finalize the venue and specifics for the rehearsal dinner.
Organize Beauty Sessions: Schedule hair and makeup trials, as well as appointments for the day of the wedding.
2-4 Months Before the Wedding:
Finalize Clothing Fittings: Final fittings for your wedding dress and the bridal party’s clothing. Don’t wait too long!
Confirm Details with Vendors: Reconfirm arrangements with all vendors and provide them with necessary details.
Prepare Wedding Day Timeline: Create a thorough day of schedule for the big day. Include everything from the ceremony to the reception times.
1-2 Months Before the Wedding:
Meet With Venue: At Lakefront Acres, we have a 30-day walkthrough. We go over things like guest count, table layout, ceremony time, and wedding table decoration ideas. We finalize everything on our end, so everyone knows what is to be expected on your special day. This helps create a natural flow into a smooth and seamless wedding day experience for everyone.
Send Final RSVPs: Contact your guests who have not responded with an RSVP and finalize your headcount.
Confirm Transportation: Arrange for vehicles to transport you and guests if needed, to and from the venue.
Finalize Seating Chart: Create a seating chart, based on your headcount and finalize table numbers and place cards.
Prepare Marriage License: Apply for and obtain your marriage license according to your local regulations, in Texas you can go to any county, some marriage licenses are prettier than others. 😉
1-2 Weeks Before the Wedding:
Confirm the Final Details: Finalize your day of timeline and check with all your vendors to make sure everything is on track and paid.
Pack for Your Honeymoon: Prepare your travel documents and pack those bags!
Rehearsal and Rehearsal Dinner: Hold your rehearsal, so everyone knows what they are doing and where they are supposed to be. Soak it all in! Enjoy your rehearsal dinner with family and friends.
Final Dress Fitting: Pick up your wedding dress, ensure everything fits perfectly and make sure you have all your accessories for the day.
Wedding Day:
Start Early: Begin with everyone arriving and unloading, there can be a lot quite surprisingly! Allow plenty of time for hair and makeup, you don’t want to rush this process, you want to be able to relax and fully enjoy the pampering. Allow for extra time in the timelines throughout your day. At Lakefront Acres Wedding & Event Venue, our brides have access to the dressing suite beginning at 10am the morning of their wedding. This allows for hair and makeup artists to come in and work their magic onsite here in the Bird’s Nest! Everyone has such a good time, singing to music, drinking mimosas, and preparing for the day’s events.
Ceremony: Enjoy your indoor or outdoor ceremony and exchange vows. Whoop! You’re Married!
Reception: Celebrate the night away with your family and friends. Enjoy every minute! Dance and enjoy any special activities you have planned, celebrating with everyone who loves you! Our reception space is large enough to get everyone out on the dance floor to celebrate, but intimate enough for it to feel all inclusive.
End of the Night: Ensure all your valuables and personal items are collected and say goodbye to your guests.
Post-Wedding:
Send Thank You Notes: Express gratitude to your guests and vendors. It is always appreciated!
Review and Share Photos: Review your wedding photos and share them with friends, family and vendors! Don’t forget to leave Google reviews for your favorite wedding vendors and for us, Lakefront Acres Weddings & Events! We love seeing the pictures and hearing about your special day!
Preserve Attire: If you choose, have your wedding dress cleaned and preserved.
Depending on your engagement to wedding day timeframe, everyone’s wedding planning timeline will look different. Yours should be a reflection of what is important to you. Be sure to adjust as needed to ensure your wedding day is goes as smoothly as possible!
#HappyPlanning – Avery
Contact us here at Lakefront Acres in Kerens, TX if you’re still in need of a venue!
#HappyPlanning! – Avery
All Blog Photos Credit: Simply Cate Photography
A special shoutout to the locally owned and operated venues from across the country who continue to inspire and support us daily!
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