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Congratulations!

You have decided to get married in the near future, here are some helpful tips to help you organize the perfect wedding.

[X] » Once the engagement is official, consult with both families, and decide on a tentative time and place for the wedding and reception. You should also draw up a guest list to have an idea of how large your reception hall should be.

[ ] » Consult your priest / minister to choose a firm date and time for the ceremony (there may be restrictions).

[ ] » If you wish to compose your own vows, inform your priest / minister. While some priests / ministers do not allow this, others may help you in writing them.

[ ] » Budget for the wedding, reception, clothes, honeymoon, flowers, music, photographer, limousine, wedding cake, etc.

[ ] » As soon as the wedding date is set, reserve a hotel banquet room, a restaurant, a hall, or a tent (in the event of an outdoor wedding) for the reception. For a group of two hundred people or more, reservations should be made at least a year in advance. For a smaller wedding the hall should be reserved eight months to a year in advance.

[ ] » Should you be wanting a photographer, videographer, mobile discotheque or a band, you should book these services six months to a year in advance.

4 TO 6 MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING

[ ] » If you would like a catering service, contact one at least six months in advance, and decide on the budget, the style of service, and the menu.

[ ] » Choose your wedding party. Traditionally there should be one bridesmaid and one usher for every thirty to forty guests, however today the number of bridesmaids and ushers does not have to be equal.

[ ] » The bride should start shopping for her gown and headpiece. If you would like to have your gown made, you should book a dressmaker and arrange for a consultation and for fittings. Never give the exact date of your wedding to the seamstress; rather, tell them three to four weeks before, in case of any alteration problems.

[ ] » The groom should make rental arrangements for formal wear for himself and the ushers. The best man may be of help here by arranging for a final fitting two or three days before the wedding to allow for last minute alterations.

[ ] » Discuss the invitation list with both families and finalize it.

[ ] » The bride should visit a hairdresser, a makeup artist and a manicurist, and make wedding day appointments for herself as well as for her bridesmaids. The appointments should be early in the morning. She may also consider finding a stylist who will come to her home on the day of the wedding.

[ ] » Order invitations and acquire notepaper for thank-you letters. Other ideas of things to order: printed matchbooks, napkins, and place cards (for the reception), as well as an engraved cake knife, personalized champagne glasses and perhaps a "wishing well" box for your money- envelopes.

[ ] » A simple hand-drawn map showing the location of your ceremony and reception sites can be very useful and appreciated by out-of-town guests, as well as by Montrealers.

[ ] » Consult a travel agent and make the necessary reservations for your honeymoon. (Travel, hotel, car rental, theatre tickets, etc...)

[ ] » If you would like any speakers at the reception, arrange this soon, as to give them ample preparation time.

3 MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING

[ ] » If a marriage licence is required now would be a good time to obtain it as well as a blood test.

[ ] » If a wedding contract is desired make an appointment with your lawyer or notary.

[ ] » Plan your wedding ceremony and select the music for the service.

[ ] » You should receive your invitations at least three months before the wedding and then mail them to your guests immediately. Don't forget to request a reply date of at least five weeks before the wedding.

[ ] » Register for your wedding gifts at the store of your choice. Make a list of what you would like to receive - from linens to tableware (china, crystal) to a honeymoon package! The selected store(s) will help you choose your patterns or styles and set up your bridal registry.

[ ] » Shop for your wedding rings, or, if they are to be specially made, order them.

[ ] » Should you be baking your own wedding cake, it is important that this be undertaken early, and you might arrange to have it iced and decorated. Otherwise, you should order your wedding cake.

[ ] » Decide on your menu, choose your beverages, and decide on whether there will be an open bar.

[ ] » Consult a florist for your floral arrangements (church and reception decorations, bouquets, boutonnieres...).

[ ] » Plan transportation for the wedding party to the ceremony and reception. You may consider friends and relatives to help you, however if you want to travel in style you should book a limousine, also avoiding wrinkling of the bride's gown.

[ ] » Select and purchase the gifts for the wedding party as well as for your new spouse.

[ ] » The best man may begin to organize a bachelor party in honour of the groom, and the maid of honour a bachelorette party for the bride. A bridal shower is traditionally organized by the mother of the bride with the help of the maid of honour.

[ ] » You may reserve overnight accommodations for out-of-town guests and if necessary arrange transportation for them to the ceremony and reception.

1 TO 2 MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING

[ ] » Should your honeymoon be overseas, verify that both your passports are still valid. Check if a visa is required to enter a foreign country or if you will need any immunization shots. Your travel agent should be able to provide you with this information.

[ ] » Finalize arrangements with your priest / minister and with any musicians taking part in the ceremony.

[ ] » Finalize arrangements with your photographer, discussing any special shots you would like, as well as contingency plans in case of rain.

[ ] » Finalize arrangements with your musicians, disc-jockey, videographer, and master of ceremony for the reception.

[ ] » Finalize arrangements with your florist, specifying the time and place of delivery. Ensure that the best man will receive the boutonnieres for the groom and ushers, and that the bride will receive her bouquet as well those for her bridesmaids .

[ ] » Finalize arrangements for your transportation.

[ ] » Check that all the clothes for the bridesmaids and ushers will be ready on time. Make sure that they have the appropriate accessories to go with their dresses and suits.

1 TO 2 WEEKS BEFORE THE WEDDING

[ ] » Organize your honeymoon wardrobe and luggage. (Camera, medicine, etc...).

[ ] » Inform your employer of your leave of absence.

[ ] » Finalize arrangements with the hall, confirming the final number of guests (preferably in writing). This may involve a friendly phone call to any guests who have not yet responded to the invitation.

[ ] » Organize your honeymoon wardrobe and luggage. (Camera, medicine, etc...).

[ ] » Inform your employer of your leave of absence.

[ ] » Finalize arrangements with the hall, confirming the final number of guests (preferably in writing). This may involve a friendly phone call to any guests who have not yet responded to the invitation.

[ ] » Finalize arrangements with the pastry shop regarding your wedding cake and the delivery.

[ ] » The bride should pick up her wedding dress and the bridesmaids' dresses as well.

[ ] » The groom should ensure that the best man is coordinating the final fittings for their suits.

[ ] » Prepare envelopes with payments for the ceremony, the reception hall, and the disc-jockey, musicians, or master of ceremony.

[ ] » If you are having a wedding rehearsal it may be an ideal time to present your gifts to the wedding party.

[ ] » Ask your priest / minister when he/she would like to receive your marriage licence.

[ ] » Begin packing for your honeymoon.

THE NIGHT BEFORE THE WEDDING

[ ] » Finish packing. - You may entrust the payment envelopes to the best man, who will deliver them after the ceremony and the reception.

ON THE DAY OF THE WEDDING

[ ] » Finish packing!!! See to any last minute details for the honeymoon.

[ ] » The bride sees her hairdresser, makeup artist, and manicurist.

[ ] » Check to see that the car keys, wedding rings, marriage licence (if not already given),keys to the new house, airplane tickets, hotel confirmations and the honeymoon spending-money are all assembled.

[ ] » Arrange for your car, your going - away outfits, and your luggage to be delivered to the reception hall.

[ ] » The bride should ask someone to bring her some kleenex tissues and lipstick to the reception.

[ ] » Be dressed and ready for the picture taking two hours before the ceremony or according to the arrangements made with your photographer.

[ ] » The bride should transfer her engagement ring to her right hand.

[ ] » Most important ... Relax and enjoy your big day , from here on it's all easy!

WEDDING DAY PLANNER

AT THE BRIDE'S HOME: ESTIMATED TIME

____:____ Hairdresser

____:____ Makeup

____:____ Maid of honour - bridesmaids arrive

____:____ Bouquets for the bride,maid of honour, bridesmaid; corsage for the mother and boutonnière for the father

____:____ Getting dressed (approximately two hours prior to the ceremony)

____:____ Photographer / videographer

____:____ Limousine

____:____ Leave for the ceremony (bride should arrive at the ceremony site approximately five to ten minutes prior to the beginning of the service)

AT THE GROOM'S HOME: ESTIMATED TIME

____:____ Hairdresser

____:____ Best man arrives

____:____ Corsage for groom's mother; boutonnières for the groom, his father, best man and ushers

____:____ Getting dressed

____:____ Photographer / videographer

____:____ Limousine

____:____ Leave for the ceremony (best man's job to assure that the groom arrives on time, about half an hour prior to the ceremony)

AT THE CEREMONY SITE:

____:____ Florist arrives to decorate the church / chapel

____:____ Ushers arrive to seat the guests (half hour before the ceremony)

____:____ Groom and best man arrive

____:____ Parents of the groom, bride's mother, and maid of honour arrive

____:____ Bridesmaids arrive (five to ten minuets prior to the ceremony)

____:____ Bride and her father arrive

____:____ Ceremony begins