Wedding Planning Guide: Six Months Before
the Big Day

Congratulations on your engagement. Now that you have said yes, it's time to start planning your big day for "I do". Planning your wedding should be a fun and exciting time, so make the most of it. It can also be stressful if you don't know where to start. This handy guide will help you get your planning off to a good start.

Six months before your big day:

Setting the date
Together with your fiancé, decide on the date. Think about the season and what type of wedding you would like to have. Ideally, it would be wise to consult with both sets of parents, to ensure that the date suits them too.

Determine your budget
Before all else, get out a piece of paper and a pen and start working out your wedding budget. There are lots of links online that will help you breakdown your budget so that you can see exactly how much everything will cost. Without a budget, it's easy to break the bank. So get it down on paper and stick to it as much as possible.

Create a guest list
Sit down together with your fiancé and compile a list of guests that you would like to have at your wedding. Remember to include how many adults and children are being invited. This will help you get an accurate number of people.

Choose your bridal party
Start thinking about who you would like to have as your bridesmaids and ask your fiancé about his choice of groomsmen. Carefully consider who you want by your side on your big day and finalize this with them as soon as possible.

Book the venue
Decide on a venue and book it as soon as you have made your decision. Most venues require a booking fee, so be prepared to pay for this.

Choose the caterer
Most venues have caterers on hand; if not this is a good time to start looking for one and again, book them as soon as you have found one that you are happy with.