Cape Cod Wedding DJ

DJ on Cape Cod - When the Differences Matters ~ Tommy Tuttle ~ Experienced ~ Classy ~ Always Tasteful ~ FUN

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Wedding Countdown Worksheet

Cape Cod Wedding Planning Timeline by Tom Tuttle: Use this to create a timeline for planning your Cape Cod Wedding

(You can print this from your browser.)


12+ Months Before Date: _________________
[   ] Announce your engagement. Tell important family and friends the good news. Parents of the bride traditionally come first.
[   ] Envision your wedding and draw up a budget.
[   ] Pick your wedding date and time and book an Officiant. Select several options, then check with location site, Officiant, and important guests to finalize.
[   ] Start planning the guest list.
[   ] Look for and book ceremony and reception sites.
[   ] Ask friends and relatives to be in the wedding party.
[   ] Optional: Have an engagement party. You may want to register for gifts beforehand.

8 – 10 Months BeforeDate: _________________
[   ] Bride: Think about, shop for, and order your gown.
[   ] Envision reception food
[   ] Decide what type of entertainment you want. Cocktail hour musicians, DJ or band?
[   ] Think about your floral decor.
[   ] Research and book your wedding professionals. Interview vendors: photographer, videographer, reception band or DJ, florist.
[   ] Send save-the-date cards. This is a particularly good idea if you’re marrying during a tourist or holiday season or having a destination wedding.
[   ] Research and reserve accommodations for out-of-town guests.
[   ] Register for gifts.
[   ] Contact rental companies if you need to rent anything for ceremony / reception. Chairs, tables, tents, etc.

6 – 8 Months BeforeDate: _________________
[   ] Book ceremony musicians.
[   ] Order bridesmaid dresses.
[   ] Start planning honeymoon.

4 – 6 Months BeforeDate: _________________
[   ] Attend pre-wedding counseling, if required.
[   ] Shop for invitations and wedding rings.
[   ] Shop for formalwear.
[   ] Renew or get passports, if necessary.
[   ] Envision your wedding cake and research, interview, and book a cake designer.

3 Months BeforeDate: _________________
[   ] Order invitations.
[   ] Order wedding cake.
[   ] Order rings.
[   ] Hire a calligrapher, if you want your invitations professionally addressed
[   ] Attend your shower. Maybe earlier, depending on when hosts decide to have it !
[   ] Groom: Rent the men’s formalwear.
[   ] Hire wedding-day-transport. Limousines, other cars. Look into transportation soon if you’re considering renting streetcars or over-the-top travel.

2 Months BeforeDate: _________________
[   ] Mail your invitations.
[   ] Write your vows.
[   ] Purchase gifts for parents, attendants, and each other.
[   ] Book your stylist and try out big-day hairstyles.
[   ] Book a makeup artist and go for trial run.

1 Month BeforeDate: _________________
[   ] Apply for a marriage license. Check with the local bureau in the town where you’ll wed.
[   ] Bride: Have final gown fitting. Bring your maid of honor along to learn how to bustle your dress. Have the dress pressed and bring it home.
[   ] Call all bridesmaids. Make sure they have their gowns ready for the wedding.
[   ] Make last-minute adjustments with vendors.
[   ] Create a wedding program to hand out to guests.
[   ] Order and plan in-room welcome baskets for out-of-town guests.

2 Weeks Before Wedding
[   ] Run over final RSVP list and call any guests who have not yet sent a response.
[   ] Deliver must-have shot lists to photographer and videographer. Include who should be in formal portraits and determine when portraits will be shot.
[   ] Deliver final song list to your DJ or bandleader. Include special song requests and songs you don’t want played.
[   ] Bride: Get your last pre-wedding haircut and color.

1 Week Before Wedding
[   ] Give reception / site catering final guest head count. Include vendors, such as the photographer or band members, who will expect a meal. Ask how many extra plates the caterer will prepare.
[   ] Supply location manager with a list of vendor requests such as a table for DJ, setup space needed by florist, etc.
[   ] Plan reception seating chart.
[   ] Print place and table cards, or finalize list with the calligrapher you have hired to do so.
[   ] Call all wedding vendors and confirm all arrangements.
[   ] Give ceremony and reception site managers a schedule of vendor delivery and setup times, plus contact numbers.
[   ] Groom: Get your hair trimmed.
[   ] Attend bachelor/ette parties.

2 – 3 Days Before Wedding
[   ] Bride: If you need to, have your gown pressed or steamed (make sure the bridal salon approves).
[   ] Groom: Go for final fitting and pick up your formalwear.
[   ] Groom: Ask the best man to make sure all groomsmen attend fittings and pick up their outfits.
[   ] Determine wedding party positions during ceremony and the order of the party in the processional and recessional.
[   ] Hand off placecards, table cards, menus, disposable cameras, favors, and any other items for setting the tables to the caterer and/or site manager.
[   ] Reconfirm final details with all vendors. Discuss any last minute substitutions.
[   ] Call the limousine or car rental company for pickup times and locations.
[   ] Arrange for guests without cars to be picked up from the airport or train station. Ask friends, attendants, or relatives to help.
[   ] Deliver welcome baskets to the local hotel concierge; make sure to include names and delivery instructions.

Day Before Wedding
[   ] Provide all wedding professionals with an emergency phone number to call on the day of the wedding.
[   ] Write checks and/or talk to wedding hosts (usually your parents, if not you) about any final balances to be paid at the end of the reception.

Night Before Wedding
[   ] Rehearse ceremony. Meet with wedding party, ceremony readers, immediate family, and your officiant at the ceremony site to rehearse and iron out details.
[   ] Bring unity candle, aisle runner, yarmulkes, or other ceremony accessories to the site.
[   ] Give your marriage license to the officiant.
[   ] Attend rehearsal dinner.
[   ] Present the attendants with gifts at the rehearsal dinner. You’ll want to do this especially if the gifts are accessories to be worn during the wedding.

Day Of Wedding
[   ] Present parents and each other with gifts.
[   ] Give wedding bands to the best man and the maid of honor to hold during the ceremony.
[   ] Give best man the officiant’s fee envelope, to be handed over after the ceremony.
[   ] Introduce your reception site manager to your consultant or maid of honor for questions or problems during the reception.
[   ] Assign a family member or attendant to be the photographer’s contact so he knows who is who.

Post Wedding
[   ] Arrange for someone to return any rentals.
[   ] Arrange for attendants to take the bride’s gown for cleaning and return the groom’s tux to the rental shop.
[   ] Write and send thank you notes to gift-bearing guests and vendors who were especially helpful.

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