Planning your wedding can be an exciting adventure, but you’ve got to be prepared for the process so that you don’t get frustrated. When planning your big day, you’ll need to be flexible – you may have to change your idea of what your wedding will like midstream. Sometimes things come up – finances can become a problem and bookings can get cancelled, so you may find that you need to compromise throughout the process.

Month One

As soon as possible after you set a date for your wedding day, you should start to plan the event. The first decision after you set a date will be to decide on how much of a budget you’ll have for your big day. Second, you’ll need to figure out what type of wedding you’d like to have – whether it will be in a church, at a destination, a themed wedding, or something entirely different. These two decisions will help you determine which location will be best for you. Contact several potential locations and arrange to take a tour of the facility. Be sure all your questions are answered before you sign on the dotted line to reserve your space!

Month Two

The booking of a live band or DJ is a very important part of planning your wedding. Finding a live band or DJ can be fun, but you’ll need to decide how much of your budget you’ll be using for your wedding entertainment. Watching a video of each band and each DJ’s performance is a good way to determine who would be the best fit for your wedding. Be sure the entertainer you decide to use will have a backup available on the day of your wedding if any unforeseen emergencies come up.

Month Three

Now that you have all that handled, you can concentrate on finding your wedding dress or tuxedo. As you’re probably already aware, there are so many different styles and colors to choose from – so be sure to allow time for several trips to try on gowns. Also be aware that stores that take special orders may take four to six months to ship the dress to you. If you don’t have this much time, consider shopping at a local bridal or formal store that has more options available on the racks.

Once you’ve got your wedding dress picked out, it’s time to choose wedding rings for each other. This process can be as simple or as complicated as you like. You and your fiancé may prefer simple bands, or you may want to purchase a set that matches your engagement ring and is engraved with your names or the date of your wedding. Fortunately, there are many jewelry stores for you to choose from that employ knowledgeable sales people who are ready to help you out.

Month Four

The selection of your wedding cake and decorations will come next. Of course, these decisions both have a lot to do with personal preferences. Do you like chocolate, yellow, vanilla or maybe a little of both when it comes to eating cake? You’ll need to decide how many tiers your...