There’s so much to organise before a wedding that it can all start to feel a bit much. One minute you’re thinking about flowers, the next it’s legal documents or who’s sitting where. It adds up quickly. But some jobs are more important to tackle early on, and getting those sorted can take a huge weight off your shoulders. Here are a few to put at the top of your list.
Dress
One of the most important things that every bride wants to get sorted before their big day is the dress of their dreams. To ensure your dress is ready to make you look stunning on your wedding day, it's a good idea to start shopping up to two years in advance. This is because it will allow you enough time to find the right dress, get it made to order, and then have it properly tailored.
Wedding rings
Wedding rings are an important symbol of commitment and love that you will exchange on the day. Therefore, it makes sense that you will want to have your rings polished and ready to go well before the day of your wedding. If you plan on buying simple bands without any engraving or embellishment, then you can leave it until around a month before your wedding date. However, if you are looking for something custom, then it could take the artisan 6 months or more to craft your rings, so be sure to factor this into your calculations.
Legal stuff
Less romantic than your dress and rings is the legal side of things you will need to sort before you tie the knot. Typically, if one person has assets that are significantly larger than the other a prenup will be signed. A prenup facilitated by professionals who specialise in legal support for family issues is an agreement between both parties that protects their assets should the marriage break up in the future. Whether or not you and your partner choose to sign a prenup before you marry is a decision that you should discuss and weigh carefully.
Venue
Weddings can't happen without a venue to hold them in, and it's worth noting that wedding venues tend to get booked up very far in advance. For example, some of the most popular venues will be booked up two years ahead for the wedding season. Although you may be able to get around this by booking out of season in the winter or autumn. Choosing an alternative type of venue, like a friend’s backyard or a museum, may give you more options as well.
Invites
Save the dates usually go out about a year ahead, with proper invitations following around six months before the big day. Some people still love the tradition of printed invites, especially if you want something beautifully designed that ties in with your theme. But email invitations are becoming more common, and for good reason. They’re cheaper, quicker and far less hassle when you’re juggling a hundred other things. Plus, if you’re using a wedding website, it all links up neatly. Guests can RSVP, choose their food, request songs and get all the details in one place without having to chase anyone for missing replies.
