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A Guide to
Planning your
Authentic
WEDDING
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Congrats on your Engagement!
Now it’s time to start planning your wedding but
where do you start? This guide is intended to help
you stay organized and to create a wedding that
authentically reflects who you are. Your task is to
give yourself the freedom to figure out what you
want.
The first step is put this guide down for at least 5
minutes and give yourself time to envision how
you want your wedding to go, and journal it. This
is an important first step. Why is this important?
Because as you start planning, people will come
at you with all sorts of “advice” and it’s easy to get
lost in the ideas and vision of others. Though it’s
considerate to accommodate the wishes of others,
don’t lose yourself! Write down what you want.
What is going to satisfy you as a bride/groom?
In 5 years, 10 years, 20 years, what needs to happen for you to feel solid as you look back at your
wedding?
Hopefully you’re not feeling overwhelmed. All
you’re doing is getting to know yourself a bit better, discovering your tastes and defining them
well. It might be a good idea to get your partner
to do this too, and compare notes. Where do you
agree? Where will there be some sort of compromise?
What follows is a (very) suggested timeline. Every couple is unique, and a wedding reflects this.
That’s why a ‘one-size-fits-all’ template is impossible. But this timeline reflects the best our experience and research has to offer.
Here are a few prompts to get the juices a flowin’:
• What sort of ceremony atmosphere? (Religious? Spiritual? Secular? Quirky? Edgy?
Formal? Outdoor? Rustic? Modern?)
• What style do you want the event to embody?
(Classic? Bohemian? Casual? Off-beat? Elegant? Pretty? Vintage? A combination?)
• Who do you want to be there? Who do you
want to not be there?
•
What kind of experience do you want to
have on your wedding day? (Fun? Beautiful? Emotional/touching? Entertaining? Elegant? Laid back? )
• What kind of experience do you want others
to have?
• What kind of reception do you want? (Fancy
dinner & dancing? Buffet and dance party?
Campfires? All night? Short and sweet?)
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18 to 10 Months Before The Wedding
SELECT THE WEDDING DATE..
Everybody (your guests, your venue, your photographer, you) needs to know when your date is.
Industry tip: The wedding season in Nova Scotia
runs mainly from June until October. Most businesses catering to weddings are more available
during the ‘off season’ and they’re also more open
to negotiating prices for off-season weddings.
Also, Saturdays are the most booked days. If
you’re starting your planning a bit later (less than
10 months before your wedding date), you might
want to pick a different day of the week since
many vendors will probably be booked already.
GET ORGANIZED.
OK. So you’ve got a ring on your finger and a
wedding date. So far, so good. To keep things
running just this smoothly (give or take) it’s time
to buy a nice binder to track appointments, ideas,
a place to keep receipts and business cards, and
all that. Even if you also track dates and time with
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your mobile phone (I’d personally be lost without
doing this), I also recommend the binder. Write
down what each person offers, whether you felt a
rapport with them, and other notes. This will be
the data you use to make your decisions.
Also, once you hire somebody, use the binder
to keep track of payment. Most wedding industry vendors ask for a retainer to hold your wedding date, and then ask for the remainder of the
payment to be made around the wedding. Your
binder can store receipts and a place to track all
of these dates.
DETERMINE NUMBER OF GUESTS.
You can’t officially set a budget unless you first
determine how many people will be invited. We
haven’t met a couple yet who hasn’t struggled at
least a little with their guest list, so expect a bit of
difficulty here. Ask yourself who you think would
want to celebrate with you. Remember to not to
lose sight of what you originally wanted.
DETERMINE BUDGETS.
It’s not for me to tell you how to budget for YOUR
wedding, and I wouldn’t dream of it. The most I
can do is tell you that in 2014, the average cost of
a wedding in Canada was $31,685. That’s the average. Typically, the venue and catering is about
1/3 of that, followed by honeymoon (over $5000),
rings and photography. I hesitate talking about
averages because your wedding isn’t really about
what everybody else is doing, or how much
they’re spending. I only mention the average cost
so that you don’t think you are going crazy with
expenses.
To throw a party intended to celebrate your love
--to do all that in the way you want--is likely a
big expense. Set realistic budgets so that you’re
mentally prepared. It’s a decent idea to check
out some Nova Scotian vendors to get a sense of
what is being offered, and for what price. Find a
few photographers whose images get you excited,
and ask them for a ball-park figure. There are a
bunch of useful budget templates you can find by
a Google search. Here are a couple of examples:
http://www.realsimple.com/static/pdfs/budget_worksheet.pdf
http://www.theweddingring.ca/budgeting-kitchener-weddings/budget-spreadsheetbreaking-down-costs-item-by-item
CONSIDER A WEDDING PLANNER.
Though not necessary, here’s something to consider: Planners have many connections to businesses in the industry, and can often get discounts (10% or so, usually) from florists, venues,
photographers, DJs, make-up artists, and so on.
If you hire a planner with good connections, this
decision might actually pay for itself. It will certainly save you time and stress.
RESEARCH & BOOK A LOCATION:
You will need a location for the ceremony
and the reception. It’s a matter of availability and taste whether you want the same location for both. Some tips: If you’re planning
an outdoor wedding, be sure to have a ‘plan B’
in case of rain (or snow!). Most outdoor ven
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ues provide a plan B. Churches tend to have their
own schedules (a 4pm Saturday Mass is quite
common) which limits when a ceremony can
happen.
For reception spaces, here are some things to ask:
1) Do they feed people? If so, ask for a sample
menu and prices. It’s also smart to try some of
their food.
2) How is the cost determined? Is it per hour?
Is it per meal? Is it per chair? Is it a flat rental
fee? Is the cost determined by a combination
of renting the space and feeding people?
3) How late can the party run? Nova Scotian
law requires liquor to be served no later than
1am, but some venues allow the party to run
later (as long as you hide your flask). Other venues, however, want people out of their
space, and all decorations down by midnight.
It can be a sour end to the night (who wants to
clean up the mess at that hour?).
Starting early on this process is important because in Nova Scotia, ceremony and reception
spaces book up FAST, and well in advance. Book
yours as soon as you can, before somebody else
gets what you want. The venue will need to know
your wedding date and how many people will be
there.
Wedding Trend: A lot of people these days are
having “child-free” weddings. How? By arranging a space and a few child-care providers during
the day and/or night of the wedding. If you like
the idea but can’t justify another wedding-related expenses, it might be something that parents
themselves are happy to chip in for. This not only
makes the kids happy (because weddings tend
to be a crick in the neck for them) but also their
parents, who probably haven’t had an adult night
since around their own wedding.
CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING PARTY.
When picking your wedding party, there are the
usual anxieties (OMG I have 2 besties and can
only pick one maid-of-honor!! #firstworldproblems!). I poke fun, but these can be real issues
that impact your most important relationships.
To make the decision a little easier, consider this:
a really great maid-of-honor will keep you hy-
drated, keep you from getting hangry, will reassure you that your wedding dress doesn’t make
you look fat, and will smile the whole day, even
if she’s clenching her teeth at the same time. In
other words, who can you really count on? Ideally, everybody in your wedding party should be
reliable. You will want to delegate tasks to these
people and you don’t want to be angry with them
for dropping the ball on such an important day.
If you’re still pulling your hair out over who to
choose, remember that these days, a groom
can have a best woman and a bride can have a
man-of-honor. It’s also not unheard of to have 2
maids-of-honor, or three best men.
SELECT YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER.
Wedding photography is nothing like it was when
your parents were getting married. It’s more diverse, more fun, more...everything. You can find
photographers that specialize in edgy, quirky,
authentic, ethereal, grungy, vintage, black-andwhite, documentary, over-the-top, or any combination. Nova Scotia has some great talent too.
Do some Google searches, Facebook searches,
ask your friends….find photographers whose
style you like. When you’ve got a few whose style
you like, it’s time to meet them. Sit down over a
coffee, look at their albums, and interview them.
Good questions to ask:
1) What happens if your camera suddenly stops
working on the wedding day?
2) What happens if you get unexpectedly ill and
are just unable to be there on the wedding day?
3) How long after the wedding do you get your
photos?
Another really important thing to ask yourself:
Are you at ease being yourself in front of this person? If not, this will show in your photographs.
Also, your photographers will be with you during
your entire wedding day, so….pick ones you like!
It’s a good idea to set your engagement shoot
quickly, too. An engagement session is an awesome idea for a whole bunch of reasons, but the
most relevant one is that the engagement session
is a fantastic opportunity for you and your photographers to get some practice shooting together. By the time the wedding comes, it’ll be second
hat and one less thing to concern yourself with.
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12- 7 Months Before your Wedding
DETERMINE YOUR COLOURS.
It may seem a bit early to do this, but it’s sort of
an easy step and once you know your colours, you
can keep an eye out for stuff that coordinates.
For example, when you’re looking for your bridal
gown, you might notice a bridesmaid sash that
is in the perfect colour, or is just slightly off (in
which case, you’ll be able to ask if the retailer can
get it in your colour).
If you’re having trouble selecting colours, ask
yourself: what were my favourite colours when I
was a kid? Ask your partner the same question.
Another good question: What flowers do you really want to have at your wedding? What colours
do they come in? If all of that fails, defer the decision to the stars: what colours are associated with
you and your partners’ astrology signs?
SELECT A BRIDAL GOWN (AND SHOES!).
We’ve seen tears of joy and tears of frustration
evoked during this process. We’ve also heard
brides complain about their experiences in some
(not all) of the bridal gown stores in Nova Scotia. To stack your odds in favor of a positive experience, there are a few things you can do. First,
browse Pinterest and Google to get a sense of
what sort of gowns you like most. Be aware, too,
of your body type. Certain gowns are designed
for certain body-types. Second, when you book
an appointment to try on gowns, bring people
who have that amazing ability to tell it like it is,
but in a way that doesn’t suck to hear. In other
words, you want honest feedback, but unnecessary negativity will get old very quickly. Third,
be open to trying on gowns that you might not
normally consider. You might find that a certain
style that didn’t look like you on the hanger looks
amazing when you’re wearing it.
BOOK YOUR OFFICIANT.
I think this is a really important decision, often
over-looked. Think of it like this. On the day of
your wedding, there are going to be about 7 billion people on the planet doing 7 billion different
things. Somebody in this huge and busy crowd
is going to open a sacred book, say some spe-
cial words and perform a particular ritual, after
which, you will be transformed, in the eyes of
your friends and family, into wedded partners-one of the most important transformations in
your entire life. That’s some pretty heavy and
sacred magic. Pick your magician wisely! First,
does this person share the same beliefs as you?
For example, if you’re an atheist and your officiant invokes Jesus, that’s the wrong spell for you.
You might have to ask yourself some fairly deep
questions to get the right person, like, “what do
I really believe marriage to be?” Is a marriage a
relationship that has the blessings of a particular
God, Goddess, or entity? Is it a legal union? Is it
something else? Tough questions, but the closer
you can get to an answer, the more likely you’ll
pick an officiant who speaks to your core values.
Also, do you like and respect your officiant? If the
answer is no, I’d advise to keep looking.
HIRE A DJ OR BAND
I hate to sound like a broken record, but it’s good
to know what you’re looking for as you shop
around for DJs. Some of them like talking into
the microphone between songs, some like to
play games, some of them dress very formal and
others wear cargo shorts and a T-shirt. Some of
them are really good at getting people out of their
seats and dancing, while others are less talented
in this regard.
If you’re hiring a musician, hear them play live
before you hire them. Their studio work might
not be representative of what they sound like live.
SELECT FLOWERS AND DECOR
There aren’t all that many florists in Nova Scotia.
That said, there is definitely some talent around.
We’ve met some excellent florists here and we
advise booking early to make sure you get a good
one. Be aware that it’s not always easy to get outof-season flowers up here to Nova Scotia. However, there are alternatives to flowers like brooch or
paper bouquets.
It’s also a good idea to chat with a decorator at
this point. If you need an arch, or a whole bunch
of tables, or uplighting, there might be some
planning that goes into making sure this happens. Wedding blogs and Pinterest are also good
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sources of inspiration for how to decorate a ceremony and reception space. If you’re taking care of
the decorations yourself, it might be a good idea
to make a list of things you want so that you can
keep your eyes peeled while you’re out and about.
CHOOSE A CATERER.
If your reception venue does not provide food,
you’ll need to get somebody to cater. The type of
food, and the presentation, can have a substantial impact on the mood of the reception. A BBQ
buffet and a 5 course meal are both very enjoyable (at least potentially), but they certainly give
the dinner a different vibe.
Dietary considerations also make food a unique
challenge. Not every meal can be gluten-free,
vegan, paleo, organic, low-glycemic, peanut-free,
no-sugar-added, lactose-free, kosher, halal, and
yummy. Strike a balance between being sensitive
to others and remaining sane. Speaking of yummy, it’s a decent idea to sample the food yourself.
Any professional caterer would provide a sample
tasting before booking.
LAUNCH A WEBSITE.
These are relatively simple to make (give yourself a full day, or hire somebody. We do them
up for $150). Why a website? Glad you asked.
RSVPs: Instead of sending out all the invitations
and waiting for people to eventually mail them
back to you, just send them to your website where
the can RSVP online. Super convenient! You
might have to send out a snail-mail letter to a few
(likely older) people in your family who resist the
internet. Another advantage: Instead of giving
directions one million times, you can have Google Maps on your website. Gift registry (or honeymoon fund) can be incorporated into the site
too. Also, you can share a lot of info on your site.
You can make your own FAQ section and a seating chart. If there are catering options, they can
pick their meals online. You can also share info
about hotels and such for the out-of-towners.
PLAN YOUR HONEYMOON.
How awesome! Plan it and book it now. Also, if
you’re leaving the country, make sure that passports are up-to-date! Anything passport-related
tends to take a long time...
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8-6 Months Before Your Wedding
GET BRIDESMAID DRESSES & TUXES
If it’s within your means and you want to, it’s
generally considered a thoughtful gesture for the
bride to buy the bridesmaid dresses, or pay a portion. However, I think the trend these days is that
bridesmaids pay for their own attire. Also popular is bridesmaids choosing their own dresses
(while the bride chooses the colour). Purchasing
the bridesmaids dresses can be just as time-consuming as purchasing the bride’s wedding gown.
Once you have decided on bridal gowns and colors, clothing can be decided for the guys.
CHOOSE INVITATIONS.
If you’re sending out snail mail invitations, start
these now. More goes into these than you might
expect, so set aside the time. First, you need full
names and addresses of everybody on the list.
Then you need to fill out each envelope (get a
sticker with your address for the return address
to save yourself time and a hand cramp). You’ll
need to make up the invitations and, even if there
isn’t much writing, get it proof read. Then get
them printed (which can take some time, depending on where you get them printed) and enveloped. If you can coax some friends into helping
you, then you know you have good friends. You
don’t need to send them out yet, but since making
them takes time, start now. While you’re doing
this, you might want to create “Save the Date”
cards as well to send now so people can make arrangements if they are traveling. It’s popular to
use photos from your engagement session with
these.
CONSULT WITH THE OFFICIANT.
Your officiant, drawing on his/her experience
and training, is going to educate you about how
the ceremony is going to go, what will be said,
how rings will be exchanged, and when you get
your first kiss as a married couple You’ll want at
least one consultation with your officiant and, if
your ceremony is more involved (Catholic, Jewish, Indian, etc.,), you’ll want to schedule a rehearsal that is much, much closer to the wedding.
If you’re writing your own vows, get the officiant
to look over them.
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ARRANGE TRANSPORTATION.
The bride and her entourage need to get from
the hotel (or wherever she slept) to get hair and
makeup done, to the ceremony space, to photography locations, to the reception, and then
back to the hotel. The groom needs to do nearly
as much. A limo waiting for you all day is pretty
rock-star, but if you’re not going that route, take
a few minutes and ensure that you’ve got transport to each location.
It’s also a good idea to nail down transportation
for others. If people are flying in from out of
province, let them know about the airport shuttle
and/or taxi numbers. If the ceremony and the
reception are in different places, it would be a
nice gesture to arrange transport for those who
won’t have wheels (probably those from out of
province). This might be as simple as arranging
carpooling, or you might want to rent a party bus
(or a non-party bus, if that’s how they’d prefer to
roll).
MAKE A TENTATIVE TIMELINE.
It’s now time to schedule your day. Start with the
obvious things, like “2pm, ceremony begins” and
“7:15pm, we are announced into the reception”.
Once all the obvious things are done, then you
can start figuring when you’ll get makeup and
hair done, when you’ll put on your dress, when
you’ll cut the cake, and so on. Don’t forget to
schedule in snacks! You don’t want to be a hangry bride and you don’t want to be surrounded
by a hangry wedding party. Also, be respectful
of peoples’ crippling addiction to caffeine. And
it’s also wise to schedule in travel times as well. If
you’re having difficulty, ask your photographers
to help you draft your timeline. They’ve wit-
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nessed a lot of weddings from beginning to end,
and they should have some good advice. At the
very least, get your photographers to look over
your timeline for editing.
Once it’s done, it’s a really good idea to send the
timeline to your other vendors so that they all understand when things are scheduled to happen.
This will give plenty of time for them to tweak
this or that, if need be. When you’re sure it’s all
good, send it to the wedding party. The timeline
you send to vendors and the wedding party can be
abbreviated somewhat, to include only the information relevant to them (i.e., they probably don’t
need to know when you’re going to eat lunch).
LET THEM EAT CAKE.
Nova Scotia has some awesome cake makers. If
you want a cake that’s fancy as all heck, you’re in
luck. Another trend is having a very small cake
(to cut) but serving wedding cupcakes to the
guests. The nice thing about cupcakes is that you
can have a variety of flavors and nobody has to
cut the cake into 150 pieces.
CHOOSE MUSIC.
This is sort of fun. You need songs for the first
dance, and maybe for your entrance into the reception, for the bouquet toss and garter toss, and
you might want to compile the types of music
you want to hear, so your DJ knows, as well as a
list of songs you definitely don’t want to hear (do
you want the DJ to bust out the chicken dance or
macarena?).
MAKEUP & HAIR.
You can hire stylists to come to your home or
hotel, or you can head to a salon. Some salons
will let you and your bridesmaids have the entire
space (if you’ve got a big enough group).
Note that different stylists have different specialities. Some makeup artists demonstrate absolute
genius at making a woman look naturally beautiful, but will shy away from anything very dramatic. Others go the other way. If you’ve got a particular look that you want, look at what the stylist
showcases on his/her website. It also would be
a great idea to do a practice run with hair and
makeup to avoid surprises on the big day.
5 - 3 Months Before the Wedding
FIND YOUR ACCESSORIES.
You’ve said yes to the dress (and the bridesmaids’ dresses). It’s about time to get the rest of
it together, if you haven’t already. Shoes, purse,
necklace, earrings, crown... even socks or ties for
the groom and party.
SCHEDULE FITTINGS.
As your dresses start arriving, it is a good idea to
schedule fittings just in case any alterations need
to be made. If your wedding gown has a train, you
will most likely want to also have it altered for a
bustle, so you can bust a move at your reception.
For the guys, each need to get fitted for a tux if
they are renting.
BOOK & SCHEDULE THE REHEARSAL.
Unless your wedding is very simple, it’s probably
a good idea to have a rehearsal, preferably with
the officiant there, and preferably in the same
space that the wedding will actually occur. After
that, a ‘rehearsal dinner’ is common. It’s a decent
time to chat about the wedding and make sure
everyone’s on the same page. Traditionally the
groom’s parents pay for this meal, but these days,
there’s no ‘right way’.
OBTAIN YOUR MARRIAGE LICENSE.
For the marriage to be legal, a licence is needed.
These are usually not too long to obtain, but can
be a bit more complicated under certain conditions. If either party is divorced, is from another country (or province, I think), then there will
be extra paperwork. You’ll need original copies
of official documents (such as divorce papers) or
certified photocopies.
PICK YOUR WEDDING FAVORS & GIFTS.
Providing small tokens of gratitude to your wedding guests is a very old wedding tradition, and a
nice one. If you’re going to DIY this, give yourself
enough time or this gesture of gratitude will become a source of anxiety. We did a Google search
for wedding favors and Buzzfeed has a list of cool
ideas and as always Pinterest is DIY gold. It is also
tradition to give gifts to your wedding party and
even your partner. It doesn’t hurt to plan now.
PLAN TOASTS & SPEECHES.
In the role of photographers, we’ve had great
laughs and we’ve been moved to tears during
speeches. We’ve also been to other weddings
where the speeches went on for hours (literally,
hours….) and others where a groom was forced to
give a speech that he wasn’t in the least prepared
for or willing to do.
To ensure that this section goes well, here are a
few tips:
1) make sure you know who is giving speeches, and make sure that they know that they are
giving speeches. Some people have anxiety disorders or other reasons that may make it something that they do not want to do. Plus, the best
speeches are given by those who want to speak.
2) Give them a time limit, and let them know
that the time limit is important to you. You
can negotiate the time limit, but make sure it’s
there.
ORGANIZE CEREMONIAL PROCEEDINGS.
Take a look at the ceremonial proceedings that
you and your officiant have put together so far.
It’s a good time to write up a timeline of events,
starting with when the groom will arrive at the
ceremony space, when (and with whom) the
bride will walk down the aisle, what readings will
occur, by whom (will your mother do a reading?),
and in what order, and any other events.
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2 Short Months Before the Wedding
SEND OUT THE INVITATIONS.
Sending wedding invitation out about 8 weeks before
the wedding date allows people to sort out travel plans
and that. You’ll also (hopefully) get RSVPs back soon
enough to get a final headcount--which is important
for seating and meals.
PURCHASE WEDDING LINGERIE.
If you’re planning on having a special lingerie, it’s a
good idea to start looking ahead of time, to get exactly
what you want.
I also feel morally obligated to tell you that your wedding night might be a little (or a lot) less sexy than
you’re hoping for. Weddings tend to be action packed,
emotional, high stress (even if most of it’s good stress)
and long. When you finally get a chance to have an
alone moment, with a bed, and lights that turn off,
well…..sleep might be very, very inviting. It’s a decent
idea to talk about this with your partner so you both
can be on the same page, knowing that sleep might
trump sex on that night. All that can be made up for
on the honeymoon.
PURCHASE WEDDING BANDS.
What kind of wedding band to wear can be a deeply
personal decision. If all goes according to plan, you’ll
be wearing it on your hand forever. If you’re going
to get matching ones, your partner and you will have
to negotiate on style (which might take some time).
Engravings also take time, if you’re looking in that direction. So, make sure to take that into account. Also,
it doesn’t take too long to educate yourself about gemstones (see www.collectorfinejewelry.com/quality_4cs.
htm), so that you don’t get ripped off for quality.
FINALIZE YOUR GUEST LIST.
However you’re managing your guest list, it should be
pretty much complete. I say “pretty much” because no
doubt you have some people who haven’t RSVPed, and
others who are not sure who their guest will be. Phone
those mofos and get them to commit or not (pardon
my language, but trust me, you’ll be thinking the same
thing by this point). When your guestlist is totally finalized, send it to the caterer and venues. They need to
know the final expected headcount.
PRINT MENUS, PROGRAMS & PLACECARDS.
You might need to double check with the caterers
before printing menus. And the program, while not
necessary, is a decent idea to help orient your guests.
It’s nice to introduce your wedding party, perhaps go
through a few details of the ceremony, the order of the
events, and possibly some explanations. For example,
if you’re doing a sand ceremony ritual, not everybody
will be familiar with it. Last, though you may not have
yet received all your RSVPs, and though you might not
have your seating plans organized yet, you can still get
your place cards done for the guests you invited.
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1 Month Before your Wedding
SEND A SHOUT OUT.
If you wish, you can send out a brief email thanking your vendors for their cooperation, and letting
them know that you are looking forward to working with them. This email will serve as a reminder to them to get their ducks in a row, and will
put you on their good side, hopefully prompting
them to go the extra mile to make sure your day
is epic. Send a similar shout out to your wedding
party, for the same reasons. This is your team!
Make sure that morale is strong.
CONFIRM THE REHEARSAL.
If you’re having a rehearsal, you might need to
book the location in advance. You’ll certainly
want to send out invites to the people you want
at the rehearsal.
TRY IT ON.
Both bride and groom should double check that
everything fits. Maybe you’ve been dieting and
exercising and your dress is going to hang off of
you; or maybe you’ve been stress eating and a little more give is required, here and there. These
are not the kind of surprises you want for your
wedding day. If something needs resizing, you
still have time.
PAY THE BILLS.
Some vendors will want to be paid before the
wedding rather than on the wedding day. We do
this, actually. Our reason is that we feel really
bad reminding the bride and groom, at the end of
their wedding day, that they owe us money. We
advise just paying all your vendors a week or so
prior. It’s one less thing to worry about during
your day.
FINALIZE SEATING ARRANGEMENTS.
Time to figure out where everybody sits. Pretty
much every wedding we’ve ever been to has at
least one table of “misfits”--the people who are
in your life but aren’t connected to very many
others in your life. Don’t feel bad about having a
table where most of the people there don’t really
know each other.
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Topher & R ae Studios
A Week or So Before the Wedding
DELEGATE SMALL CHORES
By now, you’ve probably went through your
wedding day in your head about 100 times. Go
through it one more time, and think of all the jobs
that aren’t yet accounted for. Who’s going to help
you and your dress get into the limo? Who’s going to distribute programs? Who’s going signal
to the MC that you’re ready to enter the reception
area? Who’s going to take the cellophane wrap
off the candies at the candy bar? The answer
to all these questions and more can be found in
your wedding party, family, and friends.
CREATE AN ABBREAVIATED TIMELINE.
Sending out a timeline that tells the wedding party when to be where is useful. You’ve already sent
out one timeline, but this one is more barebones.
The more abbreviated it is, the more likely it is
that they’ll read and remember it well.
CONDITION YOUR BODY.
You’ll probably want to practice walking in your
dress and wedding shoes (so as not to faceplant
down the aisle). This will also give you a chance
to break your shoes in a bit, so your feet aren’t too
new-shoe wounded. And pamper yourself. Get a
manicure, a massage and have a bath. Have a cry
or a laugh if that’s been brewing too. Do whatever you need to do to have a decent sleep the night
before your wedding.
ENJOY YOUR WEDDING.
You’ve spent months putting together your
wedding day to celebrate your union together
as a couple. Now, it is time to sit back and enjoy your vision, spend time with your loved ones
and friends, and most importantly celebrate with
each other. The day will go by faster than you
know, so we really emphasize taking the time to
be present and experience the wonderful event
that you have put together for the both of you.
There will be hiccups in the day but don’t sweat
the small stuff. Remember you have the largest
support group gathered together today of all your
friends and loved ones there... they are there to
help. All that is left to do is ENJOY!
Topher & R ae Studios
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Wedding Planning To-Do Checklist
18 - 10 Months Before Wedding
5 - 3 Months Before Wedding
Select Wedding Date
Schedule Rehearsal & Rehearsal Dinner
Get a Wedding Binder
Schedule fittings for your dresses/tuxes
Determine Budget
Purchase Marriage License
Determine Number of Guests
Decide on Wedding Favors & Gifts
Hire a Wedding Planner
Schedule Ceremonial Proccedings
Book a Location
List of Toasts & Speeches
Research Vendors
Choose Wedding Party
2 Months Before Wedding
Hire Wedding Photographer
Send out Wedding Invitations
Schedule Engagement Session
Choose Wedding Lingerie
12 - 7 Months Before Wedding
Pick your colors
Purchase Wedding Bands
Finalize Guest list
Print Menus, Programs, & Placecards
Choose a Bridal Gown
Choose an Officiant
Hire a DJ/Musician
1 Month Before Wedding
Touch base with Vendors
Pick Flowers & Decor
Touch base with Wedding Party
Hire a Caterer
Book Rehearsal Dinner Space
Launch your website
Try on Wedding Attire
Plan your honeymoon
Pay the bills
8 - 6 Months Before Wedding
Get Bridesmaid’s Dresses & Tuxes
Choose Invitations
Finalize Seating
1 Week Before Wedding
Delgate small chores
Consult with Officiant
Send out an abbreviated timeline
Arrange Transportation
Condition your body
Create a Tenative Timeline
Decide on a Cake
Choose a Hair Stylist & Makeup Artist
Pick up accessories
Select Music
Your Wedding Day
Breathe.
Relax.
Enjoy!
HELLO
TOPHER &
from
RAE
Hello to all the couples reading this!
We truly understand the stress related to organizing your wedding day. From logistics to style, your wedding will likely be the biggest event you ever put together in
your life with very little experience beforehand. We hope you found our guide useful in gaining insights into creating a memorable, authentic affair and in organizing
the details of your day.
In regards to your photography for the day, we hope that you will consider our
services. A wedding is a magical affair and we believe it is a priviledge to share the
experience. We love connecting with our couples and visually telling their loves stories. You can contact us below and we can setup a coffee date and discuss your day.
If we can be of any other help, please do not hesitate contacting us with your questions.
Warmest Wishes!
e
a
R
&
r
e
h
p
To
www.topherandrae.com [email protected]
(T) 902.818.5813 (R) 902.880.3601
Topher & R ae Studios
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© 2015 Topher & Rae Studios: Halifax, Nova Scotia Wedding & Portrait Photography | Authentic Portraiture with a Photojournalistic Flair