When it comes to wedding planning, love and excitement dance hand in hand with to-do lists and timelines. You’re both ready to jump into life together as a married couple, and now the journey to “I do” begins, but making a start can feel a little overwhelming with all you’d love to do to make your wedding dreams a reality. 

In this blog, we’ll embark on the delightful journey of creating your beautifully bespoke wedding, offering a timeline for staying organised and ensuring you have room to savour every magical moment. We’re here to guide you through the magical maze of preparations and delightful details, to help you feel calm and collected amidst any pre-wedding chaos. 

Get ready to sprinkle a touch of joy into your wedding planning, this is your time to shine, plan, and dance through the excitement without missing a beat. 

You’re engaged!

Congratulations! This is the start of a beautiful chapter in your love story with your pre-wedding and wedding celebrations. Embrace the excitement of becoming newly-engaged. You might even want to consider an engagement party and start considering potential dates for your nuptials. This is a great way to mark the start of your pre-wedding preparations, as well as registering to be married with a date in mind. 

12 months to go

Before you both settle into some serious wedding planning, it is best to decide upon a possible budget, as a guide for finding suppliers, venues and sorting out the finishing touches. With this, you can realistically look into venues for the ceremony, reception and if you are planning a longer celebration, perhaps accommodation too. Set a wedding date, and book your special event with us at Kilminorth. 

This would also be a good opportunity to look at what size wedding you might prefer – are you going for a small, intimate ceremony for a select few family and friends, or a full weekend spectacular for as many people as possible? Both the guest list and the venue size will work hand-in-hand with your budget, so consider together what sort of wedding would be the perfect fit. Consider the style and theme of your wedding, and pick out your wedding party for the top of your guestlist.

Lastly, start your wedding attire shopping trips and buy your wedding insurance once your have registered your intention to marry. 

10 months to go

Venue chosen and guest list started, it is time to think about the entertainment, photographers, caterers and florists for the whole event. Consider the size and practicalities of where you have chosen and discuss what they can offer to best suit your location, budget and event style. You could also ask our team at Kilminorth as we will be able to offer recommendations for much-loved local businesses as well as introduce our wedding planner to support you with your planning. Keep a list handy of all the suppliers you will be contacting – you’ll need to refer to this in a few months’ time and towards the big day.

It is also a great time to choose and book a celebrant for your service. This will depend on what type of ceremony you are having, as well as any family preferences or recommendations from others. Share some of your dream wedding ideas and start curating your ceremony with them in alignment with your vision. 

Also look into one of the more delicious aspects of planning – the wedding cake, and take advantage of the tastings on offer to find the cake of dreams. Order your ‘save the date’ cards and wedding invitations ready to write out and send when your list is ready. 

8 months to go

It’s time to purchase your wedding attire – consider clothes for both the wedding ceremony and the reception, and if you are having a wedding cake made, and get it booked in so it can be made in time for the big day. If you are having a homemade wedding cake, take some time to try out recipes and decoration, and make it perfectly personal. 

Start assigning guests to their cottages and accommodation, and assign roles to your wedding party so that things run smoothly on the big day. 

Be sure to also book your florist and send out your ‘save the date’ cards so your guests can begin to organise to attend. 

6 months to go

Send invitations to all your guests and separately to those that will be joining in with longer celebrations over the weekend, so they can plan accordingly. Be sure to ask your guests to include any dietary or accessibility requirements so preparations can be made ahead of time, ensuring all things run smoothly when the day arrives. 

Look into wedding favours, book any hair and makeup artists required, and purchase those beautiful wedding bands! 

It is also a good time to sort your wedding bands and order any extra wedding party attire such as bridesmaids dresses, groomsmen suits and flower girl/ring bearer outfits

One last thing to consider at this stage is your honeymoon destination, if you are looking for a romantic getaway after your wedding. Get this booked in around about now so that it is ready and waiting for you after the hustle and bustle of the main event. And a big tip – don’t forget that you’re also going on holiday, as well as getting hitched when the time comes. It’s easy to forget about logistics such as travel insurance, passports, exchanging currency and planning your honeymoon itinerary too. 

4 months to go

With about 16 weeks left, it’s time to confirm your plans with all your suppliers for both the wedding ceremony and reception event, and finalise smaller details of the day such as welcome signs, napkins, general decor and wedding props. Retrieve the handy list of businesses you made and check all the details with them so that you can all feel prepared when it’s showtime. If you are purchasing any accessories yourself, now is a good time to collate them together, and create your gift list if you wish to have one. 

You might want to start planning any pre-wedding parties such as a hen/stag/steg do, in order to get the dates confirmed with your nearest and dearest. 

One last thing, be sure to send out your remaining invites for your evening only guests, so that any requirements can be accommodated in time for the event. 

2 months to go 

Not long to go and you’re hopefully feeling pretty organised and excited. Decide on a running order and timings for the day, create a supplier schedule and share this with us at Kilminorth. Check all your supplier invoices and pay any outstanding balances so these are ready to go and off your to-do list. 

Finalise any speeches and allocate to any readers that will be speaking at the wedding, so they can practise to perfection.  

Confirm any transport arrangements as required for both the wedding party and your guests so that you can all arrive at the right time and place. Spend some time reflecting on your upcoming wedding and write your wedding vows if this is on your agenda for the ceremony. 

1 month to go

Here we are in the final few weeks before you say ‘I do’! Hopefully you are full of excitement and anticipation for all that is coming this month. 

With the invites sent and on their way back to you, start compiling a seating plan to encourage a joyous atmosphere and plenty of good fun across the whole venue. Reach out to any guests yet to RSVP and write out your placecards. 

Check in with Kilminorth and ask any questions that may have recently cropped up. Buy gifts for your wedding party and organise your wedding favours and thank cards. 

Finally, create an ideal shot list for your event and send to your photographer / videographer. 

One week to go!

This is it – the final few days before your beautiful wedding. Hopefully all your guests have replied and you can have a final headcount – check your seating plan and pass across your song preferences to your entertainment. 

If you have a wedding dress, make sure you have your final fitting booked in so you can have your dress ready to wear for the big day, and attend any beauty and grooming appointments. Spend a little time breaking in your wedding shoes so that your feet are comfortably stylish all the way through from the ceremony to the dance floor.

Also, write out your thank you cards for your wonderful wedding party and pack for your honeymoon, so you don’t have to think about it during the festivities. 

One day to go

Arrive at Kilminorth and meet with your on-site wedding planner to help you prep your venue to perfection. Set up seating, decorations and the marquee if you have one, and then head to Marley’s Bar for a well deserved drink.

And now, time to relax – you’ve put in the effort and everything is ready and waiting for you both. Take some time to engage in some well-deserved self-care, to feel rested and ready for your important day. Take a luxurious bath or curl up with a good book, ready for an early night. Tomorrow will be full of wonderful, joyful moments and people you love, and you won’t want to miss a minute! 

One the day

It’s your wedding day! Before the big event, take some time for a peaceful walk in the wid meadow, settle your mind and feel ready to soak in every moment.

Cheers to love, laughter, and a happily-ever-after in the making!