TO DO LIST

9-11 MONTHS
November 14, 2009 through February 13, 2010

• Get organized! Start a notebook/file folder to house all your wedding-planning paperwork in one place, browse our Wedding Planning Basics area, and download The Knot Toolbar for easy access to all your online planning tools.
• Begin envisioning your wedding style and wedding colors -- formal, eggplant-and-gold hotel reception? Or a modern, black-and-white loft? Colorful, tented, backyard barbecue celebration? Or exotic, orange-and-yellow beach wedding?
• Decide on a wedding budget and hash out who's contributing to the wedding. The Knot Hint: For a quick and easy way to determine your budget, use The Knot Wedding Budget Tool.
• Choose a wedding date and time, and finalize after okaying with important guests (parents, siblings, and grandparents), ceremony and/or reception location, and ceremony officiant.
• Begin interviewing wedding coordinators (if you'll have one) -- look online and ask family and friends for local wedding coordinator recommendations.
• Brides: It's never too early to begin thinking about your wedding dress. Start by figuring out what wedding dress style will look best on you.
• Start taking better care of yourself. Get in wedding day shape by eating right, joining a gym, and/or even hiring a personal trainer.
• Hire a wedding coordinator (if you're having one) and sign the wedding coordinator contract.
• Interview wedding caterers look online for wedding caterers in your area and ask recently married friends for recommendations.
• Scout out reception sites in your area until you find the perfect reception location.
• Look for a ceremony officiant in your area (if you don't already have one in mind) and/or a premarital counselor who suits your style and spirit. Interview prospective officiants and start prewedding counseling if it's right for you.
• If you're having an engagement party, set a date, draft a guest list, and order the invitations.
• Book your reception site as soon as you see something you love that's available on your date. Before you sign the reception contract, make sure it includes everything you discussed.
• Begin working on a preliminary online wedding guest list and decide approximately how many people you want to invite. Request "wish lists" from both sets of parents, then compile.
• Put together your bridal party. Choose your bridesmaids, pick your groomsmen, and decide on your flower girl and ring bearer. Also consider giving a part to those very important friends and family outside of the bridal party (ceremony readers, guest book attendants, candle lighters).
• Find a ceremony site (if one hasn't already been determined by your choice of officiant or reception site).
• Brides: Start your wedding dress search. Begin by looking at pictures of wedding dresses online and in magazines.
• Choose your wedding colors (if you haven't already), taking into account the existing decor of your ceremony and reception spaces.
• Decide on a caterer. Hash out a rough price per head and start planning your reception menu.
• Sign your catering contract and send in a deposit.
• Finalize your wedding guest list. The Knot Hint: When you're done, make your lives easy by entering everything into your Guest List Manager.
• Envision your wedding flowers and set up appointments with wedding florists in the area to discuss options.
• Start looking for and auditioning local reception bands or DJs.
• Brides: Once you've found photos of wedding dresses you like, make appointments and head out to bridal salons to try them on.
• Envision your wedding invitations. Look at invite photos and decide who will make your wedding invitations. The Knot hint: Coordinate all your wedding stationery from the save-the-dates to your invitations and place cards.
• Set up appointments with various florists to discuss options.
• Decide on your officiant and set up a meeting to plan the wedding ceremony and talk about any religious requirements (such as premarital counseling).
• Research, interview, and get price lists from several wedding photographers in your area and local videographers. Before you start, read up on wedding photo and video basics.
• Start a wedding registry at one or more of your favorite stores. Even if you start with just a few pieces, you can always add more items later. The Knot Hint: Do it all in one place at Registry Central.