Countdown Timetable and Getting Organized – Planning a Wedding

Countdown Timetable and Getting Organized – Planning a Wedding
Many guides will tell you to plan your wedding at least a year ahead, but, bearing in mind that you must give notice at your registry office of your intention to have a civil partnership at least 15 clear days before the ceremony itself, you can take as long or as short a time as you want. This will depend on what you need, how much you are willing to spend and whether you can compromise.

The Countdown timetable is based on your having a year, but you can concertina this into a shorter period – whatever time you have allowed, divide the time up, allocate tasks to each period, and put the deadlines in your diary or wedding planner. For example, if you have only six months, divide that time into 12 two-week slots and allocate time to find suppliers, choose venues, buy outfits, etc. You will probably need to revise this as you go along, but by putting everything in your diary, nothing will be missed off the list. On the other hand, if you want to book extremely popular venues and suppliers, you will need to start even earlier than one year ahead. As regards the order of tasks given in the timetable, you can be flexible to some extent – you may want to confirm the venue before anything else, or you could buy a cake the week before from a supermarket or bakery, but this guide gives you an idea of how to prioritise your planning. Use the Countdown timetable in conjunction with the information in the relevant chapter.

Getting organized
In Chapter Three you’ll find advice on the big decisions you need to make – choosing themes and styles for your big day, finding a venue, looking at catering options, and booking and meeting the registrar. There are useful checklists, too, listing the key questions you should ask when you first contact venues and caterers, other points to bear in mind, and money-saving tips.

When these decisions have been taken, you need to spend a bit of time on administration, sorting out wedding insurance, Wills and other financial matters. You will also need to choose your stationery because you’ll want to start sending out ‘save the date’ cards as soon as possible. But it’s not all administration – included in this chapter is information on booking your honeymoon, with advice on places to choose, such as gay-friendly destinations, and other points to consider.

Finally, in the Directory of Useful Resources you’ll find details of books, websites and organizations. Use this wedding planner as a trusted friend throughout your planning process – it will provide useful guidance, vital checklists and key questions to ask venues and suppliers. It will also help you to prepare practically, mentally and physically for one of the most important days of your life. Enjoy the planning – it is all part of the excitement in the build-up to your perfect pink wedding.