Experience University Podcast

S4E2: Wedding Planning with Autumn O'Keefe

March 04, 2021 Extraordinary Events Season 4 Episode 2
Experience University Podcast
S4E2: Wedding Planning with Autumn O'Keefe
Show Notes Transcript

Do you ever wish that there was a step-by-step guide on how to effectively plan your wedding?  In this student created podcast episode, Autumn O'Keefe gives a detailed timeline to follow the months prior to your wedding, what you should specifically be doing each month before your wedding to reduce stress, as well as tips & tricks to have the most enjoyable wedding planning experience as possible. 

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Autumn: Hi guys, you’re listening to “Knot It Up” podcast! Today I really want to dive in about kind of the monthly planning of how to plan for your wedding. So, I'm going to go through it kind of fast because I wrote down a ton of details. But, if we're starting 12 + months out, first of all you guys should choose a date or up to three so you guys can be flexible and can work with the different things going on. For example we’re in a pandemic right now weddings have had to change dates, locations, etc. So planning for more than one date is very useful. Talk budget and decide who is contributing to what. Whether that's with family, different organizations that you guys are planning with, talk budget and decide who's doing what's there's no confusion. Discover your wedding style, this can not only be pretending to colors but just how you want your wedding to go, the set up, the activities, the food, the feel that you want to have there, make sure that’s discovered before you start planning. Choose your wedding party. You probably have a good idea of who you want to be your maid of honor, bridesmaids, best man and groomsmen, flower girl and ring bearer. But, there kind of comes a time when you don't want to leave certain people out and it can kind of get a little bit confusing at times of who you want for what. So, make sure that this is one of the items that you're planning for 12 plus months ahead of time. 

I would recommend creating a wedding website because this allows people to really see in detail everything about your wedding. Not just receiving a basic invitation or anything like that. If you create a website you're giving people the opportunity to explore different aspects of your wedding that you want them to know and that they probably want to know. 

Get your engagement ring ensured and consider purchasing wedding insurance. This is a no-brainer that this is necessary, there's always stuff that can go wrong so it's always important to plan for those things. Explore ceremony and reception venue options. You never know how booked places can be, so this needs to be done before anything else. Start assembling a team of wedding pros: a planner, a photographer, videographer, caterer, florist, and musicians. Like I said about the venues and ceremony options, these people can be booked up way in advance more than you would probably think so it's important to get on that as soon as possible. 

Begin compiling a guest list. It will really stress you out if you do this last minute because just like with your wedding party you don't anybody to be left out you don't want to make anybody feel bad, so it's important to do this ahead of time as well to prevent further stress kind of closer to the wedding. Browse wedding dress and veil styles. This is really important obviously you need to be in love with how you look that day as a bride. 

Create wedding and style boards on Pinterest. I know that I've done this, and this has helped me so much with, with, even the other aspect of exploring the other styles that I'm interested in for the type of wedding I do want to have in the future. I would suggest getting your engagement photos taken way ahead of time, because it's not like you need anything else on your plate, and see your design in person. See what you've come up with in person for your wedding design.

Now, 10 to 11 months. Choose your bridal party attire and accessories. Reserve ceremony and reception venues. Mail your save-the-dates. Hire a photographer, videographer, cater, DJ, band, florist and planner. Make sure that is done within these two months. Purchase your wedding dress, veil and undergarments. Establish a fitness routine so that you do feel your best on this day. Establish a skincare and beauty routine. It really is so important that this day is the best day of your life, and if you look back on photos and you're not happy with yourself that is going to just ruin the whole entire feel of looking back on it. So just make sure that no matter what it is that you’re working towards, that you are going to feel your best on this day, look your best whatever that means to you. And so you don't have to look back and not enjoy looking at the memories. 

Eight to nine months in advance get your colors on! Find three hotels at different price points for out-of-town guests. This is honestly really important if you're especially doing like a destination wedding where maybe you guys will do something the next day. Guests will really, really appreciate this. Refine your guest list. Make sure that this is something that you are working to finalize because again that's not something that you want to stress you out even more as you get closer to your wedding date. Begin planning your honeymoon. This will take a lot longer than you think, so make sure that you also get on this. Eight to nine months can kind of seem far in advance but I promise you these months are going to fly by and you’re going to appreciate  planning for this sooner than later.

Six to seven months in advance, what's next? Well, explore wedding day hair and makeup styles. Make sure that it kind of fits the whole entire feel of the wedding the kind of certain look that you desire for the day and if it goes with the feel of your dress. Reserve rentals like chairs, linens, wedding decor, etc. Again, these rentals can really be taken up by the venues and ceremonies that already have reservations, so make sure you get on that. Choose cakestyle and schedule tastings. This can take a long time as well, you want everything to be perfect, so seriously make sure that even the food especially the cake is as perfect as you want it to be. 

Decide on groomsmen attire and bridesmaid attire, self-explanatory why that is so important. Book transportation to and from venues. Obviously very important, just make sure that you have literally everything that you can think of lined up so there's nothing on that day that you wish you would have done.

Four to five months in advance, choose flowers for the wedding party, attendance, venues, cake etc. Schedule your dress fittings, book honeymoon, flights and hotels. Book room for wedding night. Order your wedding cake as you should already have the type of cake you want picked out. Plan welcome baskets for out-of-town guests, this can be something that's obviously optional but would be really nice for guests if you put them in your hotel room if you are doing something like a destination wedding. Prepare play or do not play list for DJ and band, that way you're not surprised by what's being played. Finalize, finalize your wedding guest list. This is like the final, final time to do this. Assemble your rehearsal dinner guest list. Book rehearsal dinner venue. Obviously that’s separate, so that's something that needs to be focused on separately from the other aspects. 

Three months in advance you're getting close and you need to start finalizing honeyman plans and ensure that all documents are in order, that way there's nothing that got mixed up. Plan ceremony and reception seating and do it respectfully for with how close you are with people, people really appreciate that. Experiment with hair in veil with stylist just so you guys aren't stressed the day of, it's not like there needs to be anything added to your day that can go wrong. So, make sure that your stylist kind of knows what they're doing the day of. Purchase your serving pieces, guest book, flower basket and ring bearer pillow, finalize your reception menu, order your menu cards and order wedding favors. 

Two months before, this is crunch time. Mail your wedding invitations. Make sure that for people that do live maybe across the country that they get it in time. Develop system for organizing RSVPs. Begin writing your vows, this takes longer than you think and you want them to be absolutely perfect. Lay out the content for wedding programs, apply for a marriage license and order two to three extra because you never know. Finalize seating arrangements, finalize your playlist with musicians, finalize fittings for wedding party and parents. Create a wedding day timeline and send it to your vendors and wedding party so everybody knows what is going on in there is zero confusion. Write out your honeymoon itinerary for family. At home decide something old, new, borrowed, blue. Book spa and beauty treatments for you and your bridal party. This is honestly just something that will get you right in the mood and honestly your bridal party right in the mood. Book your wedding day transportation make sure that is in mind and purchase small gifts for attendants. 

One month before, call vendors to confirm date, times and location. Confirm honeymoon reservations pack for honeymoon, pick up your wedding rings, pick up your marriage license and final dress fitting. Also don't forget to write thank you notes as gifts are received. 

Two weeks down-to-the-wire, follow up with guests who have not RSVP'd, give the final count, get final haircut and color and send directions to the wedding day limo and transportation driver. 

One week before, give readers their scripts, lay out wedding clothes, prepare wedding day emergency kits, get spa treatments for you and the bridal party. 

Okay, the day before, get your mani, pedi, massage all that out of the way so you are ready to go. Attend your wedding rehearsal, deliver your welcome baskets, have fun at the rehearsal dinner and go to bed at a decent hour. This is not a day that you want to be tired on. 

Finally your wedding day, eat a good breakfast, allow yourself plenty of time to get ready, relax, smile and soak in every moment. 

I hope that you guys have the best wedding planning experience ever. This was kind of a very fast run through but I promise that I will go more in-depth with each month for weeks to follow.