A Wedding Day Timeline

A wedding can be the most exciting time in a person’s life, but figuring out where to start can be overwhelming so we wanted to share a detailed timeline of the steps along the way. From the overall concept of your Colorado wedding celebration to a single detail Gold Leaf Event Design & Production has the vision and practical knowledge to make sure your intents are met every step of the way. Planning a wedding can take anywhere from 2 years to 6 months, our month-by-month timeline of all your wedding to-dos will steer you in the right direction along your path to wedded bliss!One year out

• Pick wedding venue & wedding date

• Contract the following vendors

  • Caterer

  • Cake design – Tasting

  • Contract event planner

Find a Colorado wedding planner to help you navigate through the ins and outs of wedding planning. Someone you connect with and who you will speak with often, someone who understands your vision and who will keep track of the planning schedule for you!11 months out

• Collect guest’s email and mailing addresses

• Schedule make up trials

• Create room blocks for your wedding guests

• Website Creation

Establishing a wedding website to share with your guests with a few basic pieces of information on site, location, nearby hotels, local and planned activities so everyone is aware what will be going on the whole weekend.10 months out

• Create overall wedding budget

• Reserve honeymoon

• Contract the following vendors

  • Makeup

  • Entertainment

Let’s Party!! Music, entertainment and dancing are always one of the top 3 things couples say is the most important part of their Colorado wedding celebration. A planner can help you realistically decide the big questions DJ or band? Finding the right emcee to follow the timeline so speeches, cake cutting and your first dance go right on track.9 months out

• Begin designing paper suite (save the dates, invitations, programs, menus, etc.)

• Reserve rehearsal dinner, brunch or “extra” event spaces

• Create menu with caterer and schedule a tasting

• Present floral and décor options/proposals

Hiring the right vendors will be a breeze when you understand the vision of what your wedding day will be like. The florist will bring a concept in terms of the décor, coherent with the time of year, the venue and always representative of the story you want to tell with your wedding day.8 months out

• Find a wedding dress!

• Decide on all attire/accessories for yourself, your wedding party and family (they like suggestions)

• Finalize bridesmaid dresses and make sure all bridesmaids dresses have been ordered, Groomsmen attire purchased or rented

• Contract a photographer

Like Colorado wedding venues professional wedding photographers book up well in advance. It is important to use a professional photographer who sticks to a timeline to get all of your family captured during the big day! Professional wedding photographers aren’t always expensive they have many different price points and are capable of working a timeline and getting all the detail shots you had put so much thought into to be sure you can keep these memories forever.7 months out

• Finalize/print Save the Dates

• Engagement photos

• Contract specialty entertainment vendors (if applicable)

  • Photo booth

  • Welcome bag/box gifting company

  • Oxygen Bar

  • Astronomer

  • Officiant

Many people have their friend perform the Colorado wedding ceremony for a personal touch, make sure they get ordained in time!6 months out

• Work with entertainment on reception song selections: first dance, father/daughter dance, mother/son dance, etc.

• Work with entertainment on ceremony music: processional, recessional, interludes

• Register for gifts

• Mail Save the Dates!

5 months out

• Consider something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue

• Decide where groomsmen and bridesmaids will be getting ready

• Wedding programs, reserved signs, welcome booklets, & specialty signage to be designed

4 months out

• Write wedding vows (if applicable)

• Design flow of ceremony/program w. officiant

• Mail wedding invitations (10 -12 weeks prior)

3 months out

• Create wedding party processional (order in which wedding party attendants walk down the aisle)

• Finalize a hair/makeup schedule with stylists for wedding day

2 months out

• Create wedding day photo list for your wedding photographer

• All scheduled deposits are paid

• RSVP’s due (4-5 weeks prior)

1 month out

• Order customized paper products (cocktail napkins, hand towels, etc.)

• Purchase guest book, welcome bags (and fillers)

• Create seating diagram for reception

• Finalize menu count with caterer, finalize transportation and pickup locations, finalize décor concepts.

Wedding Month

• Confirm final payments with vendors

• Final timeline to be sent out!