How To Plan A Wedding In 6 Months
Congratulations! You are engaged and ready to begin planning your dream wedding day! First things first, think to yourself and chat with your partner to determine when you would like to get married.
A trend we’re seeing more these days are quicker engagements, so if you think this might be a good fit for your wedding we are here to help you plan your wedding in 6 months or less.
This is one of the most exciting times in your life, so enjoy the ride and try not to get stressed. Your venue manager at The Merrimon-Wynne House will be sure to guide you along the way.
Related: Congratulations, you’re engaged! What’s next when planning your Raleigh Wedding?
WHAT TO DO 6 MONTHS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING
Determine Your Budget
To begin your planning process, you are going to want to determine your ideal wedding budget. It is helpful to gather all of the information on who may be willing to pay for certain things and how much they are willing to give. After your budget is created, think about your 'must-haves.' Are you leaning towards a band versus a DJ, or a plated meal versus buffet-style? Depending on your dream list, you will want to allocate a specific amount of money towards each item and determine where you may save and where you want to splurge.
Choose Your Venue
After you have your numbers in order and dream list created, you will want to begin reaching out to venues for their availability, pricing, rental information and scheduling a tour. Securing your venue will allow you to kick start a lot of details. First things first, you will want to review the list of which vendors they may require, so begin reaching out to them!
Looking at Raleigh wedding venues? Check out The Merrimon-Wynne House Today!
Book Your Main Vendors
As you are beginning to receive quotes and availability from your main vendors, such as a coordinator, caterer, photographer and entertainment, you will want to decide who you will move forward with. Then sign the contract as soon as possible to make sure you get them secured.
Choose Your Dress
Let the fun begin! Schedule your dress appointments and do some research on what style gown you would like to wear. While dress shopping, it may be best to purchase a ready-to-wear dress.
However, you could certainly move forward with a custom, made to order dress, but keep in mind that most custom gowns will need at least 6-months to create and make any final alterations. If you do choose that route, you may be able to pay a rush fee.
Book a Hotel Room Block for Guests
As your first month of engagement comes closer to the end, you will want to begin chatting with your local hotels to create room blocks for any of your out of town guests. A hotel block typically applies a discounted rate for a larger number of guests. If you think you may have only a few out of town guests, maybe consider sending them a list of local hotels or Air BnB’s that provide great rates.
Schedule Your Engagement Shoot
You are engaged! You will cherish this moment forever, and what better way to remember this amazing time in your life than with pictures. This is always a great time to work with your photographer before your wedding day to help you get used to being in front of the camera. These are great photos to also add to your wedding website and possibly use for your save-the-dates.
WHAT TO DO 5 MONTHS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING
Determine Your Guest List
While you are waiting to get back your engagement photos, begin creating your guest list. Start with creating a list with your partner. This list should consist of the people you cannot imagine your day without. Following that list, you will want to begin chatting with your parents to see who they would like to add to the list. While you continue to add each guest, keep in mind your venue capacity and budget for food and beverage. When creating this guest list, be sure to gather addresses as well.
Establish Your Wedding Party
Who do you envision standing by your side on your wedding day? Ask each person on your list and get them on board early. They will need to begin purchasing their attire. Which leads me to your color palette! You will want to decide on which color suit the guys will wear and which color dresses the girls will wear.
Related: 18 Artisanal Ways To Thank Your Bridesmaids and Groomsmen
Send Your Save The Dates
Let your guests know when the party of the year is going to be by sending out your save the dates. There are a few different ways you can send out save the dates. If you choose to send a traditional mail save the date, you will want to work on the design earlier that month. You could use sites like Minted or Shutterfly to print these. Another option is a digital save the date. You could you a website like Paperless Post to send out a beautiful save the date to your guest's emails.
Create Your Wedding Website
Your wedding website is a place for your guests to use as a resource as your day gets closer. You will want this completed by the time you send out your save the dates, as most of the time you will have "for more information, please visit our wedding website at XYZ." This will allow your guests to view your hotel blocks, directions to the venue and maybe things to do in the area while they are in town. Have you started your registry? You will want to have the links to those on your wedding website as well!
Looking at wedding venues in Raleigh? The Merrimon-Wynne House is a great indoor and outdoor wedding venue!
WHAT TO DO 4 MONTHS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING
Hire The Rest of Your Vendors
You will want to complete your vendor list around this time. Vendors like your baker and hair and makeup artist will need to be hired by this time. Have you considered all of the possibilities, such as specialty rentals for lounges or maybe transportation for your guests?
Get Your Wedding Bands
Whether you are tying the knot in 6 months or 12 months, by the 4-month mark before your wedding date, you will want to purchase your wedding bands. Sizing or creating a wedding band can take anywhere between 45 to 90 days, so to ensure you have it by the big day, select it early enough! A great place to start shopping for your wedding bands would be at the place where your partner bought your engagement ring.
WHAT TO DO 3 MONTHS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING
Create Your Menu And Have A Cake Tastings
You are halfway through your planning process and hopefully are not feeling too stressed. It is time to treat yourself by tasting and selecting which foods and desserts you will be having for your guests to enjoy. Are you thinking of a plated meal, maybe family-style or even stations so your guests can pick and choose?
Plan Your Honeymoon
Another fun wedding planning task! If you are in need of some much needed R&R, begin looking at your honeymoon options. Even if you can only go for a few days or maybe have to stay in the country, you should certainly take some time away after your wedding. You deserve it after all of this hard work planning!
Send Out The Invitations
Most vendors will need your final guest count anywhere between 1-month and 2-weeks prior to your wedding date, so it is important to mail out your invitations and receive your RSVPs in time for your final payments to be made. Make sure you design and address your envelopes beforehand, but you should certainly mail them out by at least 12 weeks prior.
WHAT TO DO 2 MONTHS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING
Party
From your bridal shower to your bachelor or bachelorette parties, you should not have too much planning to do for these events. More so, just show up and enjoy being celebrated! You took the time to register for some amazing items. It is time to open them! Make sure these events happen around the month mark so you can enjoy them and not stress about any last-minute things.
Order Your Marriage License
Take a day and head to the county clerk’s office to get your marriage license. This is important and the thing that makes your marriage official! You will not want to forget to do this or forget to bring it on the day of the wedding.
Schedule A Hair and Makeup Trial Run
We highly suggest doing a hair and makeup trial to ensure you are happy with how you look on your wedding day. Keep in mind your trial may or may not be exactly what you envision, but it will be helpful to tell them what you like and do not like so that they can make changes for the big day.
WHAT TO DO 1 MONTH BEFORE YOUR WEDDING
Pack Your Bags for the Honeymoon
Whether you are heading on a three day or ten-day trip, make sure you pack your bags early enough that you can check that off of your list of things to do the month of the wedding. You don't want to be packing the night of your wedding!
Confirm All the Details
You will most likely do one last site visit with your wedding planner, caterer and venue to ensure all of the final details are in order and that all of your questions are answered. At this point, your planner should take over all communication with your vendors so you can just enjoy your last month of engagement.
Finalize Your Seating Chart
You should have all of your RSVPs in and begin to create your wedding seating chart if you are having a seated meal. Whether you are having a plated meal or buffet-style dinner, you will want to assign seats for your guests to have a home base throughout the evening. If you are doing more of a mingling style event, make sure you have seating for your family and any elderly guests. Be sure to place a reserved sign on the tables for them. You will want to tell your planner or a family member who can sit there.
The Day Is Finally Here
It is the day of your wedding and your engagement has flown by. All of your hard work has paid off and you now get to marry your best friend with your nearest and dearest around you! You managed to plan a wedding in 6-months or less, so it is time to enjoy these last moments and savor your special day!
Looking for more information about
outdoor wedding venues in Raleigh North Carolina? Check out
The Merrimon-Wynne House today!
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