'Get yourself in gear girl'???

sstonge · October 2014

Hello brides,

Our wedding date is august 8th 2015 :-) I am wondering when do i need to start doing stuff. We have most everything in our heads what we want. But i mean, when should i be buying stuff? I am going dress shopping next weekend. YES , I know, I AM LATE ON THAT ONE. The woman at the store told me I basically have to choose within the next few weeks to notbe short on time. I am having hard time getting into the 'spirit' of the planning. Maybe it's because I know that there is so much to do that I keep procrastinating.

HELP....

chibiyui · October 2014

......Have you looked at the Knot checklist? That was a pretty starting place for me.

Do you have your budget set and in place? Don't sign any contracts before you have your budget set up.

And while it varys by area, I'd worry about having a venue and caterer before the dress. Most dresses can be ordered within a few months.

cowgirl8238 · October 2014

I would find a checklist or two and start at the top until you get "back on track" so to speak. I found that a lot of veues and vendors filled up over a year out in our area and if you want the most selection/options its best to start now.

Step one is set your budget (and stick to it)

Step Two is formulate a guest list. Make a "must have" and would "like to have column"

Step Three Hire Vendors/Venues for your date

In order we booked: Venue, Catering, Officiant, Florist, DJ, Photographer. Once the big stuff was done there was a lull until about six months out. Then it was just the seamstress and hair/make-up artists, followed by another lull until like a month out.

You can easily pick up things throughout the process and if you have any DIY projects , don't procrastinate too long. But most of all CONGRATS on the engagement and ENJOY this time...it flies by!!!

ethelbeavers · October 2014

I would book sooner rather than later. If you already have a date picked, I am assuming you have your ceremony site/reception venue booked? If not, I would do that a.s.a.p. to make sure you get the date and place that you want. Also, the fee for wedding stuff goes up every year (at least at the places in my area) so booking now will help to ensure you get the 2014 rates instead of the 2015 rates (from my experience). You are not necessarily "late" for wedding dress shopping because you could potentially find something off the rack which would eliminate the "short on time" worry.

msuprincess04 · October 2014

You aren't late for picking a wedding dress, you are actually right on time. Especially if you order from one of the larger manurfacturers who can turn around a dress in just a few months, so don't worry about that. Just enjoy your time shopping and if you get pressured before you are ready, go shopping someplace else.

After that, you have like 6 months before you need to worry about anything. *This assumes you aren't asking about vendors since you already have a date.

What kind of "stuff" are you looking to buy? If you want a belt from a dress manufactuer, you'll want to buy that when you buy your dress. Shoes can wait until your first fitting 2-3 months or so before the wedding. You may want your jewelry at that time too to make sure it goes with the dress. Invitations you'll want to order about 4 months out so you can get them in the mail 2 months before the wedding.

ETA: clarification

mikenberger · October 2014

Ditto the Knot checklist.

1. Budget

2. Guest list

3. RESERVE ALL THE THINGS!!

That checklist is like my lifeline, totally.

blabla89 · October 2014

You've got like 9-10 months. You're fine. Many people plan weddings in less time than that. That should be plenty time for a bridal shop to order and alter your dress. If that's a problem for them, I'd be buying the dress elsewhere.

[Deleted User] · October 2014

Another vote to get yourself going on doing the free checklist that the knot provides. Depending on where you want to have your wedding, you need to get going immediately. Some places can book over a year in advance. If a place is popular and their prices are great, they book up quickly. My SIL is a photographer and is already booked for many dates in 2015. The sooner you get going on the big things like venue, photographer & dj the more options you will have to pick from & have better luck finding something you are happy with and within your budget.

mrsmcgibblets · October 2014

You'll be fine. I got engaged in July and our wedding is in March 2015, giving us only about 8.5 months to plan. Given my wedding is at the tail end of the off season, I was able to quickly lock in all of my first choice vendors. Since your wedding is in the summer, you may want to start booking your vendors now to ensure you get your top choices; especially if you are getting married in a popular wedding destination.

I also bought my dress from BHLDN, which expedited the dress purchasing process and only requires minimal alterations.

Good luck!

Liatris2010 · October 2014

Meh, we planned our wedding in 6 months. We started looking at venue in April and we married in October. I bought my dress in July or August, I can't remember which. You have time. Don't let people rush you into decisions you haven't had time to think about.

Liatris2010 · October 2014

Ohhhh, I did just realize that your date (8/8) is likely to be a popular one. Because of that I would book vendors sooner. Things like dresses can still wait.

KatieinBkln · October 2014

Hey, we're date twins! Agree with PPs that it's Budget, Guest list, Reservations. We did it slightly backward in that we booked our venue ahead of finalizing the guest list (they have no minimum and a maximum we won't come close to hitting). Right now I'm stressing about that finalized guest list because there is a short list of approved caterers at the venue, so I want to get that locked down (especially since I have strong opinions that it be plated, not a buffet, which limits things further). That being said, you have time. Do you have a venue, or just a date in mind? If you don't have a venue yet, do that first (after setting your budget and guest list). After that it's caterers, and from there things are more relaxed, since most officiants/musicians/florists are not booked a year out. People who tell you you need 10 months to get a dress are insane. Even a boutique dress shop can do a turnaround in 6 months, I would think. It's considerably less if you buy off the rack or from David's Bridal (or similar) where the dresses are not made to order.

wrigleyville · October 2014

I would nail down your venue first. Summer weekends are popular, and it's easier to make floral/decor choices once you know what your venue looks like.

Before you do that, though, make sure you have a pretty firm guest list. You don't want to book a venue that only holds 100 people and then find out you're going to end up with 150 people invited. Also, you should always plan for 100% attendance. Always. TK is full of horror stories from people who bought into the whole "20% will decline" nonsense.

XrebeccaX · October 2014

Echoing PPs who recommend the Knot checklist. It was a good starting point for me. And also definitely start with your budget.

I got engaged in July 2013 and we didn't book a venue until September of that year (we got married 9/3/2014). It's definitely more fun to be freshly engaged than to begin making the nitty gritty decisions but in order to have the wedding you want...gotta start somewhere.

Incidentally I didn't have my dress, shoes or wedding band until a week (in the case of the shoes, 3 days) before we left for the wedding (we had a DW). Everything was picked out/ordered/underway of course but things happen (dressmaker ran into problems with my dress fabric, store didn't carry the shoes I planned on buying etc etc). I don't recommend this (although everything worked out perfectly)!

Good luck and have fun!

SachaBee · October 2014

I'm gonna be the odd duck out here and say that the Knot checklist makes me want to throw myself off a cliff.

It is the number one reason I'm not married already and don't know when I will be.

That thing is cray.

But, so is that dress shop lady. My sister's wedding is in May and we JUST bought her dress. It's from a small local boutique. They're going to have the dress made in three months for her first fitting in January.

lovesclimbing · October 2014

Yea, I didn't like the knot checklist either. It STILL tells me I have a 102 overdue to-dos and I got married almost two years ago! I looked at it like once and there was way too much stuff on it. Also, the Knot assumes everyone will be engaged for a year. I wasn't. I was engaged for about six months. So it throws 800 billion things at me at once because I have to GET ALL THIS STUFF DONE RIGHT AWAY because I didn't have a year long engagement.

sstonge · October 2014

Thanks everyone for all the advise. The dress doesn't worry me as much as I guess I am making it out to be.. They will have to have it ready and that's it... LOL...

As for everything else, I guess I just find that the knot list leaves alot until a few months away. I am thinking that with a few months to go, middle of summer, 2 kids, the last thing I will be thing I will want to be doing is figuring out centerpieces, favors, décorations, etc, etc...

Am I the only one that feels this way? None of my girlfriends have gotten married, I am the first, and I am a bit overwealmed... Maybe it will get easier as the wedding get's closer...

[Deleted User] · October 2014

KatieinBkln said:

Hey, we're date twins! Agree with PPs that it's Budget, Guest list, Reservations. We did it slightly backward in that we booked our venue ahead of finalizing the guest list (they have no minimum and a maximum we won't come close to hitting). Right now I'm stressing about that finalized guest list because there is a short list of approved caterers at the venue, so I want to get that locked down (especially since I have strong opinions that it be plated, not a buffet, which limits things further). That being said, you have time. Do you have a venue, or just a date in mind? If you don't have a venue yet, do that first (after setting your budget and guest list). After that it's caterers, and from there things are more relaxed, since most officiants/musicians/florists are not booked a year out. People who tell you you need 10 months to get a dress are insane. Even a boutique dress shop can do a turnaround in 6 months, I would think. It's considerably less if you buy off the rack or from David's Bridal (or similar) where the dresses are not made to order.

A friend of mine who just got married, ordered her dress in January, do to the lace on the dress ending up on back order (which I realize is a unique situation), her dress came in two weeks before her wedding which was the last weekend in Sept.

badbnagdway · October 2014

Erikan73 said:

KatieinBkln said:

Hey, we're date twins! Agree with PPs that it's Budget, Guest list, Reservations. We did it slightly backward in that we booked our venue ahead of finalizing the guest list (they have no minimum and a maximum we won't come close to hitting). Right now I'm stressing about that finalized guest list because there is a short list of approved caterers at the venue, so I want to get that locked down (especially since I have strong opinions that it be plated, not a buffet, which limits things further). That being said, you have time. Do you have a venue, or just a date in mind? If you don't have a venue yet, do that first (after setting your budget and guest list). After that it's caterers, and from there things are more relaxed, since most officiants/musicians/florists are not booked a year out. People who tell you you need 10 months to get a dress are insane. Even a boutique dress shop can do a turnaround in 6 months, I would think. It's considerably less if you buy off the rack or from David's Bridal (or similar) where the dresses are not made to order.

A friend of mine who just got married, ordered her dress in January, do to the lace on the dress ending up on back order (which I realize is a unique situation), her dress came in two weeks before her wedding which was the last weekend in Sept.

That's terrifying. Did she manage to get any alterations she needed done? Did the shop/designer notify her of the back order?

cowgirl8238 · October 2014

sstonge said:

Thanks everyone for all the advise. The dress doesn't worry me as much as I guess I am making it out to be.. They will have to have it ready and that's it... LOL...
As for everything else, I guess I just find that the knot list leaves alot until a few months away. I am thinking that with a few months to go, middle of summer, 2 kids, the last thing I will be thing I will want to be doing is figuring out centerpieces, favors, décorations, etc, etc...
Am I the only one that feels this way? None of my girlfriends have gotten married, I am the first, and I am a bit overwealmed... Maybe it will get easier as the wedding get's closer...

You don't have to wait until the timeframe it gives you either...I did many things "ahead" of schedule. Also, I sugesst googling timelines on the internet and just printing it out to go at your own pace. You can probably even find some for your time frame versus the knot's standard 1 year engagement.

Really though, you have time. Don't stress out!

[Deleted User] · October 2014

There was a checklist that I once saw (pinterest or something) that at 2 months said, "Cross 3 things off your list. They're not going to get done. Stop thinking about them." Which I loved. I figure it would be something like, -Make personalized blah-blahs for bridesmaids. -Buy bug spray for 'Be Smitten, Not Bitten' basket. -Write unity ceremony speech from scratch. I haven't yet looked at a checklist for myself, but I assumed I'd be crossing out a whole lot that just is never going to be done.

cowgirl8238 · October 2014

adk19 said:

There was a checklist that I once saw (pinterest or something) that at 2 months said, "Cross 3 things off your list. They're not going to get done. Stop thinking about them." Which I loved. I figure it would be something like, -Make personalized blah-blahs for bridesmaids. -Buy bug spray for 'Be Smitten, Not Bitten' basket. -Write unity ceremony speech from scratch. I haven't yet looked at a checklist for myself, but I assumed I'd be crossing out a whole lot that just is never going to be done.

I followed the Knot checklist. I found it helpful but not a bible by any means. The first day I checked off like 25 boxes of stupid crap I would never actually do!

XrebeccaX · October 2014

I went through the checklist and just deleted anything that didn't apply to me. There are a lot of items on that list that are s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d out over several items. For instance you likely don't need for "think about your vision for invitations" so much as you just need to pick them out!

May14TXbride · October 2014

I got engaged Nov 29 and married May 31 - right at 6 months total. We did not start planning anything in advance. Booked our venue between Christmas and New Years first, and then still had plenty of time to do all the rest. I would say you still have plenty of time.

'Get yourself in gear girl'???

Re: 'Get yourself in gear girl'???

Choose Another Board

Search Boards