As you embark on the last three months of your wedding checklist, you will start to see your carefully made plans come to life.
This is one of the most exciting parts in the entire wedding planning process. During the next few months you will choose your vows, readings, music for the ceremony, have your final dress fitting, send out your invitations, and finalise your bridal hairstyle. And when all that has been confirmed, it’s time to let your hair down with your hens and stags!
Ceremony details
Around two months before the big day, your registrar or officiant will need to know about your choices for wedding readings and music, as well as confirmation about which vows you’d like to say to each other during the ceremony. There are several different versions of civil ceremony vows, some of which are longer than others. If you choose the shortest vows available, you may want to add in a couple of readings to make the ceremony more substantial.
Music helps create the mood you want for your ceremony. Whether you choose a light-hearted or upbeat tune, or a classic one, make sure that they hold some personal meaning for you – guests will understand and it will make the service all the more special. Read our fantastic feature on ceremony songs to walk in and out to for some top tips.
When it comes to readings, think about your relationship and try to find a passage that reflects it. Think carefully, too, about the person you choose to present the reading. They need to be a confident public speaker and project their voice enough so your guests can hear the special words you’ve chosen.
Hair and beauty
Your bridal hairstyle should be a more polished version of your everyday self. Dramatic changes of your hairstyle or colour aren’t advised this close to the wedding – your h2b will want to actually recognise it’s you walking down the aisle towards him after all. Any colour or highlights should be done at least two weeks before the big day, to allow any possible mistakes to be rectified.
When it comes to tanning, if you’ve never tried fake tan before, it’s best to go for a light colour so you don’t look too orange or artificial. Professionally applied spray tans are best, as they can also exfoliate you beforehand – the key to an A-list look. Talking about A-list looks, you may also want to consider a tooth whitening treatment so your teeth look extra sparkly in your photos.
Why not embrace the necessity to de-stress, pamper yourself and look great by having a spa day with your husband-to-be? Seems like a good enough excuse for a massage and a manicure, surely!
Invitations
Send out your wedding invitations six to eight weeks before the big day, or earlier if you have guests coming from overseas. You need to make it clear if you have invited children or choose it to be an adult-only affair, letting guests know in plenty of time in case they have to arrange a babysitter. You will probably find that most parents will enjoy having a night off when they can really let their hair down!
The number one rule with invitations is to include an RSVP date. If you don’t, you’ll be ringing guests at the last minute and your venue may not be able to accommodate lots of changes late in the day.
Photographs
A pre-wedding shoot is the perfect way to get to know your wedding photographer. But even if you have met with him or her before, they will still require a shot list for the day itself. List any specific shots you definitely want so that you’ll be extra happy and satisfied with your wedding album.
Ask your chief bridesmaids or best man to direct the photographer to the right people on the day, so you can get on with enjoying yourself instead of pointing each family member and friend out to them.
Hen and stag nights
The hen and stag night organisation tends to be the sole responsibility of the chief bridesmaids and best man – not the bride! That means it’s not your responsibility to chase the money for hotels, nightclubs, meals, or anything else for that matter!
Leave it to an organised, responsible friend to take care of this for you. Do think about the number of friends you’re going to invite and how much money they’ll have to spend on the party. Also, consider the age of the people coming and ensure the activities are appropriate so that no one feels left out.
