The time leading up to your wedding is usually one of the most stressful times of your life. It is stressful in a good way but stressful nonetheless. Because there are so many items that have to be remembered in the midst of all the stress, it is a good idea to create a wedding checklist so as not to forget or overlook anything. And these days, couples have an especially great advantage in that there are many websites which provide a wedding checklist for you.
It all depends on your budget but there are even consultants who can help you plan your wedding and create your customized wedding checklist. But if you hire a wedding consultant, be prepared to pay a significant fee as these professionals do not come cheap. One source reported a wedding consultant making $1,900 to $2,850 USD per wedding. Part of that consultant’s job is to make a checklist so you might save some money by doing your own wedding checklist.
Wedding Checklist – The Really Important Items
Of course everyone will have an opinion as to what is important and what is not important on a wedding checklist but there are some major items that most agree are critical. These are items that are potential showstoppers if overlooked. One item that most do not think about but it is very critical is the wedding budget. If you and your spouse-to-be do not sit down and get a rough idea of what you can spend then you risk running out of money before everything has been ordered and arranged. If you, as a bride, are fortunate enough to have your parents pay the bill, then it would be most thoughtful of you to sit down with them and try to budget the expenses. Your parents will greatly appreciate you for it.
Once you have budget planning as your first item on your wedding checklist, then you can prioritize the other major items that you cannot forget. At the top of the list should be the bridal gown and the groom’s attire. Then next should be the attire for the members of the bridal party. And even before planning the attire of the wedding party should be just deciding who you want to be in your wedding party. Deciding the members of your wedding party is a topic itself because it can get very complicated. The attire portion of your checklist is really important because you are going to have to arrange things like fittings for rentals or if attire is being custom made.
Other really important items on your wedding checklist include the place of the wedding and reception. These need to be at the top of the list as well because you will probably have to reserve the venues in advance. Next on your list are things like food that will be served at the reception, who you want to perform the wedding ceremony, and what entertainment needs to be arranged for at the reception.
Conclusion: The Overlooked Items
Then there are the items that can be easily forgotten if left off of the wedding checklist. These are items such as the rings, the guest book, the invitations, the flowers, the honeymoon reservations, the attire for the honeymoon, the thank you cards, a photographer, keepsakes for the guests, and music for the reception. The list can just go on and on. One advantage couples have today that may not have been available to their parents is the internet where they can find many sample checklists that can serve as great starting points in building their own customized list. Making a wedding checklist is very important and it is one item you must not overlook.
