PLANNING
catering . Contact suppliers you like the look of to find out their prices and availability , and then hold meetings with them so you can get to know them ahead of your wedding .
SEND YOUR SAVE THE DATES Around a year before your wedding is a good time to send out save the dates - the earlier the better , especially if you ’ re getting married in the summer months during peak holiday season .
TRY ON DRESSES Whether you already have an idea of the style you ’ d like , or have no clue what to choose , make some appointments at bridal boutiques and get a feel for what suits you . Some people fall in love with the first dress they try on , others don ’ t discover ‘ the one ’ until much later , but enjoy the process of experimenting with different looks until you find a dress you love . It ’ s a good idea to start looking for a dress around a year before your wedding date , as some boutiques have long lead times when it comes to ordering and altering dresses .
DRESS THE BRIDAL PARTY Once you ’ ve chosen your dress , it ’ s time to plan the looks for your bridal party . Whether you ’ re hiring or buying , going for the same for everyone or embracing a mismatched look , once you ’ ve got an idea of the aesthetic you ’ re looking for , get the group involved in helping to find key items .
SEND YOUR INVITES Around 4-6 months before the big day , you ’ ll want to send out your invites . It ’ s helpful to include information for guests such as accommodation and transport options - the more information the better , as you don ’ t want to be inundated with questions on the morning of the wedding !
BOOK YOUR TRIALS Before your big day , most hair and makeup artists will offer you the chance to have a trial . This is a good way to experiment with colours and styles and work out what ’ ll go best with your dress and accessories .
FINAL PAYMENTS Around a month before your wedding , you ’ ll need to make your final payments to your suppliers . This can be a good time to check in with them too , to see if there ’ s anything else they need from you ahead of the day , and to finalise timings and details with them .
MAKE YOUR SEATING PLAN Once you ’ ve had your RSVPs back , it ’ s time to tackle the seating plan ( if you ’ re having one ) and confirm dietary requirements with your venue .
SET UP If you ’ re having a DIY wedding you ’ ll likely have access to your venue a few days before your wedding , so use this time to set up and arrange for suppliers to drop off things like tables , decorations and glassware . If the venue is doing the setting up for you , then check with them to find out what they ’ d like you to give them ( for example , decorations and table settings ).
GET SOME REST Weddings are wonderful , but are very long and tiring , so make sure you have some down time in the lead up to your big day , and try to get some early nights ! If you ’ re having beauty treatments such as your nails done , book these for a couple of days before the wedding .
CELEBRATE ! The big day is finally here and you ’ ve prepped like a pro . Congratulations !
26 | AKENTISHCEREMONY . COM | SUMMER 2023