A good tip to help you is to design a timeline and stick to it.
Ten – Twelve months before the wedding
Decide on a budget and decide how many people you want to come. Set up a wedding file or Pinterest board and choose your bridesmaids. Choose and book the venues. Decide who will officiate and now start working on the guest list.
Eight months
Research and book a photographer/videographer then find and hire the DJ or a band. Decide on your dress – are you going to have it designed and made for you? Off the shelf? Off the internet? If you go the internet route, find what you like and order it now. Select and book caterers and start thinking about the wedding cake.
Six months
Buy, or have the bridesmaids dresses made. Invitations to be designed and send out ‘save the date’ notices to your guest list. Meet the wedding cake makers, check their portfolios and social media pages and book the person you selected without delay.
Book the person/s who is going to do the flowers and think about what types of flowers you’ll want for the ceremony and for the reception.
If you’re buying your wedding dress from an internet site, it should have arrived by now, if it’s not what you ordered send it back and make another plan. If it is what you were expecting, it may need alterations. Find someone reliable to do them.
Four – Five months
If you’re going to have a rehearsal, book a venue. Decide who is coming and who is paying for this. Confirm the photographer and if you budget can allow this, book him or her to come to the rehearsal for a couple of hours or so.
Meet with the caterers and decide on the menus and decide on what will go into the gift bags for the guests. Find out from your friends with children if the children will also be attending. Try and get answers on how many will be coming (and what ages).
Three months
Finalize adult and children’s menus and get the invitations printed. Book childminders and organize a play section for the children at the reception venue. Purchase the guest gifts and bags and then delegate the packing of them.
Two months.
Send out the invitations. Fittings for your wedding dress and your bridesmaids’ dresses should be happening now. Be sure to check on the groom’s suit, and the groomsmen’s attire.
One month
Final dress fittings and the groom and groomsmen suit fittings. Confirm make-up and hair bookings and don’t forget to get the marriage license. Keep a list of the RSVPs. Email friends who haven’t RSVP’d and give them a prod to answer.
One week
If you’ve gone the wedding planner route – sit down with him/her and go over the plan.
Finalize the number of guests expected and send the list to the caterers.
Arrange to have the wedding cake picked up and then plan what the day of the wedding will be for you. Who will be helping you get dressed and calming your nerves?