8 Months To Go

Things the knot thinks I should have done by the eighth month. Boy am I behind! After reading this list of crap, wedding planning seems so much more complicated. As it stands, we know a few things about the big day:

1. We're getting married at my fiance's step dad's ranch.
2. We know which caterer we're using, but we need to redo our menu and put down a deposit.
3. We know which baker we're using, though we haven't let them know yet.
4. We know which officiant we're using. Our family threatened not to come if we didn't use their Rabbi, not that we'd use any other anyway. I'm sure they just felt the need to emphasize their point.
5. We don't have a photographer. We know we need one, and we want photographers we can't afford. We also don't have a florist, and may not be able to afford one.
6. After attending another wedding, we know we probably need a DJ but don't know if we have the budget for it.
7. We know that due to my body shape, we need to have a custom made dress. $$$, but a gift from my auntie.
8. We have no idea how many people are coming. We haven't sent out save the dates yet, bad bad.
9. We know we need to find cheap booze somewhere. We also know we don't drink.
10. Finally, we have no idea what our tiny budget is. We know we need help.

To Do:

• Decide on a wedding budget and hash out who's contributing to the wedding
• Make sure to appraise and insure your engagement ring
• Let friends and family know you're engaged. Send them a just-engaged video Ecard and submit an engagement announcement to the local newspaper. You may also want to have your engagement photos taken in time for this.
• Start taking better care of yourself. Get in wedding day shape by eating right, joining a gym, and/or even hiring a personal trainer.
• If you're having an engagement party, set a date, draft a guest list, and order the invitations. - we're not
  
• Finalize your wedding guest list.
• Sign your catering contract and send in a deposit.
• Start looking for and auditioning local reception bands or DJs.
• Set up appointments with various florists to discuss options.
• Research, interview, and get price lists from several wedding photographers in your area and local videographers.
• Have engagement photos taken (if you want).
  
• Brides: Narrow down your gown choices and make a final decision.
• Reserve your wedding photographer and videographer. Decide on the packages you want, sign the photography contract, and send in your deposits.
• Make sure everyone in the wedding party is aware of what you expect of them -- especially your bridesmaids and groomsmen. Provide a list of duties to the maid of honor and a list of to-dos to the best man.
  
• Choose your florist and send a deposit to reserve their services.
• If you plan to use frequent-flyer miles to travel to your honeymoon destination, book your flight now.
• Book your reception band or DJ, sign the reception music contact, and send a deposit.
• Start researching ceremony musicians in your area and listening to demos. Also start forming an idea of what style of ceremony music you want, and any specific songs you’re looking for.

Completed:

• Get organized! Start a notebook/file folder to house all your wedding-planning paperwork in one place, browse our Wedding Planning Basics area, and download The Knot Toolbar for easy access to all your online planning tools.
• Begin envisioning your wedding style and wedding colors -- formal, eggplant-and-gold hotel reception? Or a modern, black-and-white loft? Colorful, tented, backyard barbecue celebration? Or exotic, orange-and-yellow beach wedding?
• Choose a wedding date and time, and finalize after okaying with important guests (parents, siblings, and grandparents), ceremony and/or reception location, and ceremony officiant.
• Begin interviewing wedding coordinators (if you'll have one) -- look online and ask family and friends for local wedding coordinator recommendations.
• Brides: It's never too early to begin thinking about your wedding dress. Start by figuring out what wedding dress style will look best on you.
• Interview wedding caterers look online for wedding caterers in your area and ask recently married friends for recommendations.
• Scout out reception sites in your area until you find the perfect reception location.
• Look for a ceremony officiant in your area (if you don't already have one in mind) and/or a premarital counselor who suits your style and spirit. Interview prospective officiants and start prewedding counseling if it's right for you.
• Book your reception site as soon as you see something you love that's available on your date. Before you sign the reception contract, make sure it includes everything you discussed.
• Begin working on a preliminary online wedding guest list and decide approximately how many people you want to invite. Request "wish lists" from both sets of parents, then compile.
• Find a ceremony site (if one hasn't already been determined by your choice of officiant or reception site).
• Put together your bridal party. Choose your bridesmaids, pick your groomsmen, and decide on your flower girl and ring bearer. Also consider giving a part to those very important friends and family outside of the bridal party (ceremony readers, guest book attendants, candle lighters).
• Choose your wedding colors (if you haven't already), taking into account the existing decor of your ceremony and reception spaces.
• Decide on a caterer. Hash out a rough price per head and start planning your reception menu.
• Brides: Start your wedding dress search. Begin by looking at pictures of wedding dresses online and in magazines.
• Start investigating any family wedding customs or cultural traditions you might want to incorporate into your ceremony or reception.
• Envision your wedding flowers and set up appointments with wedding florists in the area to discuss options.
• If you've chosen an outdoor ceremony or reception site, then research tent and lighting rental places in your area.
• Envision your wedding invitations. Look at invite photos and decide who will make your wedding invitations. The Knot hint: Coordinate all your wedding stationery from the save-the-dates to your invitations and place cards.
• Decide on your officiant and set up a meeting to plan the wedding ceremony and talk about any religious requirements (such as premarital counseling).
• Brides: Start thinking about what you want your bridesmaid dresses to look like. Search bridesmaid dress photos and make sure to get input from your girls.
• Think about how you might want to wear your hair. Browse wedding hairstyle photos, and start researching hairstylists and makeup artists in your area.