Set your budget

Knowing your budget will help you to make many of the choices that will be required while planning your wedding It should be one of the first decisions you make and you should do it before you start planning anything else. The first step in the process is to sit down as a couple and decide on a realistic budget that works for both of you. Determining how much you want to spend on everything early on will help you plan out the rest of the details effectively and with more clarity.

Plan an engagement party

One way to kick-off the celebration is to plan an engagement party to officially announce the big news and celebrate with friends and family. The engagement party can take place any time before the wedding but most are held soon after the proposal and before the attention shifts to wedding planning.

Take engagement photos

Engagement photos are a great way to commemorate such a special occasion. Plus, they can help you get comfortable with your wedding photographer and hone in on your photographic style. If you plan on doing engagement photos, schedule them as soon as possible so that you capture the true essence and excitement of the moment. Some couples choose to include an engagement photo in their save-the-date, so the sooner you get them taken and processed, the sooner you can announce the wedding. You can find all of the most photo-worthy spots in our guide outlining the top Boston wedding and engagement photo shoot locations.

Organize the guest list

Once you’ve determined your budget, you can start to plan how many people you’ll want in attendance. A good rule to go by is to start listing your immediate family and closest friends first to see how close you get to your target number. Once you know you’ll have room for the most important people in your life, then see how much room is left in the budget and begin to branch out adding other guests that you would love to see in attendance.

Select and inform your bridal party

Now is the time for you and your partner to choose who will be there to support you every step of the way. If you plan on having a bridal party, it’s best to let them know far enough ahead of time so that they can make all of their plans. Some brides and grooms like giving a small gift or making a “proposal” of their own asking their bridal party to participate.

Choose a venue

Popular wedding venues can fill up months and even years ahead of time. Once you know the time of year you want to get married, start shopping around for places. The venue you choose might determine the exact date you settle on depending on their availability. Getting married in Boston? Check out our Boston wedding venue guide for inspiration and a list of our favorite wedding spots in the city.

Set the date

As we mentioned above, if you have your heart set on a specific venue, then their availability may dictate the day you choose. However, if you have flexibility on the “where”, then start by deciding what time of year you want to get married and narrow it down from there. In Boston, the most popular wedding month is October. The changing seasons, beautiful colors, and vibrancy of the city make it a magical time to say “I do.”

Choose a theme

Your theme will help you decide on other aspects of your wedding like bridesmaid dress colors, decor and other details. Sit down with your partner to decide which theme resonates with you as a couple. For more theme ideas, we’ve provided more detail on how you can choose a theme that best fits your personality.

Hire a caterer

The food you serve is a big part of this special day for you and your guests, so take some time to plan a menu and decide on a caterer for the reception. Your venue might have an in-house caterer or a list of approved vendors for you to choose from, which can help make the decision a bit easier. When setting the menu, consider whether your guests have dietary restrictions and ask the caterer if they can accommodate them.

Hire an officiant

Officiants can book up quickly. It’s best to start looking for one 8–10 months before the wedding to ensure you’re not scrambling at the last minute. It’s essential to keep in mind that this person will be a focal point of your ceremony, so choose someone that you trust and that you have good chemistry with as a couple.

Hire a photographer and videographer

Start researching photographers and videographers in your area whose styles you like. It’s always smart to set up meetings with them to build a relationship and talk about your expectations and budget. You will need to move this item up on your timeline if you plan to do engagement photos. When you’ve settled on a photographer you want to hire, it’s likely that they will ask for a deposit to secure your spot for the big day. For more tips on choosing a photographer, check out our guide on how to find and work with the best photographers in Boston.

Shop for a dress

Some brides see their dream dress and it’s love at first sight, while others might need to shop around a bit to find the perfect gown. Give yourself enough time to find a wedding dress and have it altered before the wedding. Of course, you may want to break with tradition and get something other than a dress. In that case you will need to make sure you have allowed enough time to find the perfect look. Either way, before you start shopping, it’s important to know your budget and do research on the styles you think you might be interested in wearing. This will save a lot of time and allow you to narrow down your choices to make the experience less overwhelming, and more enjoyable. Learn more about how to make the most out of the bridal gown shopping experience, here.

Send 'save the dates'

Some guests will have to make travel arrangements and may even need to take time off from work to attend your wedding. Be sure to send 'save the dates' at least six months in advance of the big day, so that everyone has plenty of notice to make their plans. The 'save the date' can be a simple informal notice with the date and location of the wedding, letting people know to expect a formal invitation at a later date.

Set appointments for hair and makeup trials

Once you’ve chosen your dress, start thinking about the other elements of your look like hair and makeup. Now is the time to book trial appointments to test out different styles and see which one you like best. Testing different styles will let you visualize what they look like with your dress, and see how well they last throughout the day. Many brides even schedule their trials to coincide with other wedding events like the engagement photo sessions, bridal showers, or bachelorette party.

Sample and order a cake

It’s cake time! Schedule a handful of cake tastings with different bakeries in your area. When meeting with a bakery, come prepared with information including your budget, what flavors you like, and designs you have in mind. Also, consider the temperature of your venue and whether or not they have a fridge that you can store the cake in during the reception.

Choose a florist

Your venue might have a florist on staff or a list of recommendations for florists in the area. Check out different florists’ online portfolios or visit them in person to get a sense of their style and ask for a quote. Also, make sure to find out what is included in their services, such as whether or not they will deliver and arrange the flowers at the venue or if that is something you will need to handle yourself.

Arrange music for the reception and ceremony

Decide whether you want a live band or a DJ to provide tunes at the reception, and start creating a list of songs you want to hear. Try to include a mix of romantic songs and songs that will encourage your guests to get on the dance floor. While you’re thinking about music, also choose the song that will be played when you walk down the aisle and coordinate the logistics with the venue as well.

Order bridal party attire

After settling on the theme for your wedding, you’ll have a better idea of what colors you want your wedding party to wear. You can look at bridesmaids’ dresses and suits for the groomsmen during your bridal gown appointment at the bridal shop, or you can make it an event of its own. Some brides and their attendants choose to find dresses right off the rack at a department store. Remember to give your bridal party enough time and notice to order whatever garments you choose and have them altered. It’s also important to understand your bridal party’s budget if they are going to be covering the cost of the outfits on their own.

Select and purchase wedding bands for ceremony

Decide with your partner if you want to get matching wedding bands or if you each want to pick your own style. Once you’ve settled on a design and picked them out, give the jeweler enough time to size the bands and customize, or engrave them if you choose.. Some couples choose to have more than one wedding band depending on their preferences or traditions, so make sure to plan accordingly.

Plan and book honeymoon

To get the best deals, and have the most options, start planning your honeymoon as soon as you decide where you want to go. When planning the honeymoon, think about the time of year of your wedding. Then decide whether or not it’s a good time to go on a honeymoon directly after the wedding, or to wait. Some couples want to hop on a plane the morning after the wedding while others might want to wait a few weeks or months.

Send invitations

Try to choose an invitation layout that reflects you and your partner’s styles. Most printers and designers will let you order samples to see what the final version looks like before you commit. Make sure that all of the information is correct, and there are no misspellings or errors. On the invitations, you can include whether or not guests can bring a plus-one and you can indicate the dress code if there is one. If you have menu options, allow the guests to indicate their preference as well as any allergies or dietary restrictions. State the “RSVP by” date and let guests respond with whether they are attending or will not be able to make it.

Finalize your vows

The first thing to decide when it comes to your vows is if you will write your own or recite traditional vows. If you’re writing your own vows, don’t underestimate the amount of time it may take you to write to them. You might write your first version, read it a few weeks later, and decide to crumple it up and start over. Just remember to write from the heart, keep it short and sweet, and practice reading it out loud before the ceremony.

Organize transportation

One detail that’s easily overlooked is how everyone will be getting from place to place during the wedding events. You and your bridal party, the groom and his party, and even hotel guests may need transportation at different points throughout your wedding celebration. If your ceremony is at a different location from the reception, then you will need to coordinate with a driver or rent a limousine or shuttle to get you to the reception hall. For the transportation needs of your guests, a larger shuttle bus is an easy way to make sure everyone gets back and forth from the party safely. Another detail to consider is how you and your partner will get home, or to a hotel, after the wedding.

Apply for a marriage license

Go online to your local government’s website to find out what documents are required to make your union official in the eyes of the state. It’s best to do this at least six weeks before the wedding because some states will have a waiting period between applying for a marriage license and receiving the approval.

Confirm with vendors

Reach out to all vendors and confirm that they have everything they need. Arrange whether you need to pick up or drop-off anything to them before the wedding. Make sure that all deposits have been paid.

Go over last-minute details

Take this time to create an outline or schedule for the day and make sure every detail has been considered. Include a timeline of events, who needs to be where and when, and any other information that will give peace of mind and ensure that everything runs smoothly on the day of the event.

Get a haircut and facial

Many brides plan a facial and a haircut for about a month before the wedding. Some facials make your skin appear red and patchy for a few days following, so you want to give it enough time to heal and get back to normal. Likewise most people don’t want the stress of a new haircut right before the big day. Should anything get cut a bit shorter than you wanted, it will have time to grow in and still look fresh. 

Follow-up RSVPs

By now, you should have received all of the RSVPs from the people you invited to the wedding. Take a quick inventory of who has responded and follow-up with anyone who hasn’t, especially the people who had indicated that they are coming but never sent back their response. Nothing is worse than finding out too late that an invite, or a return, was lost in the mail.

Final dress fitting

If you have ordered a bridal gown you will want to go in for one final fitting to make sure no last-minute alterations need to be made before you take your dress home for good. Once you take it home, try not to put it on again until the wedding to avoid accidental tearing or getting it dirty.

Bridal party celebration

It’s time to let your hair down and have some fun with your bridal party! This can be anything from a full out bachelor/bachelorette party to a laid-back affair to celebrate together one last time before you get married. Remember that if you book transportation for two or more wedding-related events through TransAction Corporate Shuttles, you can save 20%.

Give a final headcount to your vendors and caterer

Once all of your guests have RSVP’d you should be able to pass the final headcount along to your caterer and the venue. Try to let them know the exact number of guests attending as far ahead of time as you can to ensure that there is enough food and seating for everyone.

Finalize the seating chart

Now is also the time to finalize the seating chart. Make sure that your friends and family are seated appropriately and near people that they know and like.

Pick up anything else you might need

Be sure to get all of your shopping done at least a few days before the wedding Sometimes the days leading up to the big event can be filled with a few unplanned for surprises, so try to have everything you need, and can control, in place and ready to go.

Pack for the honeymoon

Depending on when you’re taking your honeymoon, you might need to be packed and ready to leave right after the wedding. Don’t leave your packing for the last minute because it’s unlikely you’ll have much free time the day of the wedding. Try to start packing things gradually a few days beforehand. Then do a quick check that you have everything you need a few days before you leave.

Get a manicure and pedicure

It’s time to treat yourself! Get your nails done a few days before the wedding to reduce the risk of chipping beforehand. Make it a fun day with your bridal party, or go solo and unwind before the festivities ensue.

Create a bridal emergency kit

This task can be done by your maid of honor or bridesmaids collectively. Make sure you the kit includes anything you might need last-minute before the wedding. Contents can include things like tweezers, bobby pins, a phone charger, hair ties, makeup, a sewing kit, baby wipes, fashion tape, tissues, deodorant, or anything else you might need! You should also print out a list of all of the vendors and their phone numbers to have with you, as well as a quick itinerary of the day.

Get a spray tan

If you plan on getting a spray tan, try to schedule it 2–3 days before the wedding. This will give it enough time to set and fade a bit in case it comes out too dark. You also don’t want a fresh spray tan to stain your beautiful gown.

Confirm hair and makeup appointments

Call your stylist and makeup artist to confirm that you’re all set for the wedding day. The last thing you want is a miscommunication and to have to find a new place to get your hair and makeup done the morning of the event.

Get plenty of sleep and drink lots of water

Don’t underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep and proper hydration. You have a big day ahead of you as well as late nights and early mornings. Try to get as much sleep as you can before the day of the wedding, and know that with all the planning you have done everything is sure to turn out great.

You’ve done the work—now it’s time to enjoy!

Trust that all of the preparation, help you have had and tasks you have completed will ensure your wedding day will be a success. Remember that you have people all around you—friends, family and your wedding support team (caterers, photographer, transportation, etc.) who are there to help you through any last-minute concerns, so lean on them if necessary. It’s time for you and your spouse-to-be to thoroughly enjoy every moment of the big day that you’ve spent weeks and months planning. 

Congratulations and all the best from your friends here at TransAction Corporate Shuttles.

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