Rochester Wedding Planning | 585-227-7690

Rochester Future Brides, Register for your FREE Account today! | Already have an account? Sign in here >
Rochester Wedding Professionals, Advertise with 585wedding.com | Already have an account? Sign in here >

Rochester Wedding Planning Checklist

Things to know before planning the perfect Rochester NY wedding

Rochester Wedding Vendors

Upon Engagement 12 to 24 Months Before Wedding

• Announce your engagement to family, and then friends.

• Register with 585wedding.com, set up your personal wedding planner section and free wedding website to share your experience with family and friends!

• Prepare and send out newspaper announcement of your engagement.

• Call 585wedding.com at 585-227-7690 to make sure you're on our free mailing list. You will receive every issue of the 585wedding.com magazine free in the mail until your wedding date.

• Meet with both sets of parents. Decide upon a budget, and list who will pay for what.

• Determine wedding style and degree of formality of your wedding.

• Meet with clergy. Arrange for pre-marital counseling or classes suggested by Rochester and local area clergy.

• Select your Rochester or surrounding area ceremony site.

• Select wedding consultant.

• Select your Rochester or surrounding area reception site.

• Look for unusual locations, even if they don’t need to be reserved this far in advance.

• Begin to make alternate plans if your wedding is to be held outside. (Indoor site availability, tents, etc.)

• Set the date and time of your Rochester area wedding and reception.
  Note: You must coordinate your ceremony site, reception site, date and time of wedding, budget and size of the wedding before any other definite plans can be made.

• Both families begin to compile guests lists.
  (Set definite date for final lists.)

• Select your color scheme.

• Select your Rochester wedding photographer.

• Select music for your ceremony.

• Select your Rochester or local area florist.

• Select your limousine service or other transportation.

• Select your caterer (if one is not provided by your reception site).

• Select rental company.

• Select a baker for your wedding cake (if one is not provided by your reception caterer).

• Select balloonist and other decoration considerations.

• Get information from Rochester and surrounding area travel agents on possible honeymoon locations.

• Choose your attendants.

• Have your fiancee select his groomsmen.

• Shop for your wedding gown, veil, headpiece, jewelry and accessories.
  Note: You should order your gown at least 7 months before your wedding date.

• Select attendants gowns.
  Note: These gowns should also be ordered at approximately the same time as your gown. Obtain a swatch of fabric to coordinate all other wedding colors.

• Select shoes for you and attendants. (If shoes must be dyed, have them all done at the same time to ensure the best color match.)

• Develop a record-keeping system for all wedding details, contracts, etc. utilizing your personal wedding planner section.

• Develop a record-keeping system for guests, invitations, gifts, and thank-you notes utilizing your personal wedding planner section.

• Register at stores in the towns of both families.

• Decide where you will live after your wedding.

• Select a Realtor if needed.

• Begin looking for an apartment, if necessary.

• Utilize your event calendar on your personal website as well as purchasing calendars for all involved in the wedding, and highlight all important wedding-related dates.

6 to 9 Months Before Wedding

• Select formalwear.

• Finalize honeymoon plans.

• Apply for passport and arrange for inoculations (if necessary).

• Select beauty consultant.

• Order wedding cake and groom’s cake.

• Make arrangements for your rehearsal dinner. (Or remind the groom’s mother, if his parents are hosting this event.)

• Reserve wedding night hotel suite.

4 to 6 Months Before Wedding

• Finalize your guest list, eliminate any duplicates.

• Enter guests’ names, addresses, and phone numbers into appropriate record book.

• Plan bachelor/bachelorette party.

• Select wedding rings.

• Make arrangements for out-of-town wedding attendants (rooms, maps transportation, etc.)

• Remind both mothers to purchase wedding apparel. (Bride’s mother has first choice of color and style.)

• Select favors. (If they are to be made, begin preparations.)

• Make appointments for hairdresser, nail salon, makeup, tanning.

• Try new hairstyle now, rather than just before wedding.

• Select major appliances and furnishings for your home together.

• Order invitations, wedding stationery, personal stationery with your married name, etc.

• Buy “Love” stamps for your wedding invitations, shower invitations and thank you notes.

• Reconfirm plans with ceremony and reception sites, clergy person, caterer, florist, photographer, videographer, ceremony and reception musicians, baker, and travel agent for honeymoon plans.

• Check on status of attendants’ gowns.

• Design maps to wedding and reception sites to be inserted into invitations.

• Write and review your wedding vows, if appropriate.

• Select pertinent readings, poems, etc. for ceremony.

• Ask special people to do reading at the ceremony.

• Design wedding program handout for ceremony.

• Arrange to have wedding program printed.

• Plan itinerary for out-of-town guests (special parties, dinners, activities).

• Begin shopping for trousseau.

• Make sure all deposits are paid, and contracts signed.

2 to 4 Months Before Wedding

• Address your wedding invitations. (Invitations should be mailed six weeks before wedding date.)

• Select gifts for attendants.

• Compile bridal shower guest lists.

• Make an appointment for a complete physical and dental cleaning/checkup.

• Purchase garter, cake top, knife, toasting glasses.

• Purchase or make pillow for ring bearer.

• Schedule appointment for formal bridal portrait.

• Shop for honeymoon outfits and going away outfit.

• Shop for honeymoon accessories. (Tanning lotion, films, etc.)

• Pack honeymoon clothes which are out of season (bathing suits, shorts, etc.)

• Schedule wedding rehearsal.

• Purchase or arrange to borrow luggage for your honeymoon.

1 to 2 Months Before Wedding

• Have fittings for gown and attendants’ gowns.

• Have formal wedding portrait taken.

• Obtain marriage license. (30 days before wedding date)

• Send invitations to rehearsal dinner. (Or remind hostess to do so.)

• Plan bridesmaid’s luncheon.

• Purchase wedding gift for fiancee.

• Maintain records of all gifts given, thank you’s sent.

• Prepare seating list for reception and make place cards, if appropriate.

• Confirm attendants’ outfits with them.

• Review and change beneficiaries life insurance policies, if necessary.

• Review other insurance (automobile, homeowners) if they will be changing.

• If appropriate, purchase renters insurance.

• If you have agreed to a prenuptial agreement, meet with lawyers.

• Arrange for furniture movers (if necessary).

• Open joint checking and savings accounts.

• Change names on charge accounts.

• Arrange for new telephone listing.

• Arrange for housesitter during honeymoon.

• Give itinerary for honeymoon to one or both sets of parents.

• Confirm ceremony details with officiant.

• Finalize wedding music with organist.

• Finalize music list for reception. Request special dances, songs, etc.

• If appropriate, place liquor order.

• Make an itinerary for your wedding day. Give to all wedding party members, parents, wedding consultant.

• Wrap gifts to each other, and gifts for attendants.

• Pre-pack any non-necessities for honeymoon.

• Make sure all transportation arrangements for wedding party have been finalized.

• Confirm that all men have been fitted for formalwear.

2 Weeks Before Wedding

• Call guests who have not responded to invitations.

• Call caterer for last minute details, preliminary head count.

• Keep up with thank you notes.

• Confirm time and date of wedding rehearsal with all wedding party members.

• Ask post office to stop mail while you are away on your honeymoon.

• Fill out change of address card at post office, if necessary.

• Notify police of dates you will be away, ask them to check on your home.

• Obtain travel tickets, itineraries.

• Confirm out-of-town guest reservations, transportation.

• Make list of emergency numbers of honeymoon locations, and list of credit card numbers to leave at home with both sets of parents.

1 Week Before Wedding

• Try on wedding gown to check fit and make sure it is pressed.

• Continue packing for honeymoon.

• Purchase traveler’s checks for honeymoon.

• Remind attendants about wedding day schedule.

• Reconfirm all wedding plans: ceremony and reception site, florist, photographer, videographer, musicians, baker, and honeymoon plans.

• Write thank you notes to all who helped you with wedding plans and details.

• Give caterer/reception site final head count.

• Make final payment for any services that require prepayment.

• Provide wedding party and out-of-town guests with itinerary and maps (if necessary).

• Make up emergency kit with essentials to have on hand for wedding and reception (needle, thread, safety pins, tape, mirror, white bobbypins, scissors, tissue, extra stockings).

• Pay upcoming bills.

• Verify that all attendants have wedding apparel.

1 Day Before Wedding

• Finish honeymoon packing.

• Set aside everything you will need at ceremony site: gown, headpiece, veil, accessories, shoes, stockings, slip, emergency kit, purse, brush, hairspray.

• Attend rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.

• Give each other wedding gifts.

• Give attendants’ and groomsmen their gifts.

• Give the best man the officiant’s fee.

• Get a good night’s sleep!

Wedding Day

• Forget any details that run amok.

• Eat a good breakfast.

• Take a relaxing bath.

• See hairdresser for wedding hairstyle.

• Have makeup applied.

• Don’t forget rings and wedding license.

• Thank everyone for their help.

• Enjoy the day!

• After The Wedding write thank you notes for all wedding gifts.

• Have a beautiful life together!

• Thank you for using 585wedding.com to help you plan the most important day of your life!

 

Future Upcoming
Rochester Bridal Shows

Click here for your free tickets

 

Click here for your free tickets

 

Click here for your free tickets

Presented by

Rochester's wedding planning site!