Where do I start??

The first thing you have to accept is that no wedding day ever is perfect. No matter how much planning goes into the event, something will either go wrong or not quite as you wanted. Even the Hollywood star's weddings, that are planned by the top Professionals have a glitch happen during the day. That said, let's go over some of the things that need to be done to reach near perfection.

After you, the new Bride-To-Be, accept the engagement ring, it's time to consult with both families, and decide on a tentative time and place for the wedding and reception. You should also start to make up a guest list to have an idea of how large your reception hall should be. Then it's time to talk to your priest, minister or Rabbi to choose a firm date and time for the ceremony. You also want to check on any restrictions that may apply to your individual situation.

Then it's time to start the actual planning. You really should allow at least a year in advance to do this, if at all possible. Many churches/synogogues, caterers, entertainment and halls are booked that far in advance during the peak wedding season which normally runs between Mid-April to mid-October, depending on the part of the country you live. Some Brides will seek out a wedding planner/coordinator to help with suggestions and a lot of the leg work. That is another option. Whether you plan this yourself or hire a coordinator, it would be a good idea to make an outline, on paper, of all the things you want to accomplish and put a tentative date for completion next to each one. Go to an office supply store and get a couple of legal pads and an expandable file folder that has at least 5-6 pockets in it. This way you can label each pocket with the major items and keep them all separate and organized. Label the pockets for things like the Gown Shop, reception hall, caterer, entertainment, accessories and miscellaneous. Use more if you need it. This way when you need to find a contract, notes you made, etc., they are right there. Believe me, this one step will save you so much time and headaches in the future.

Next, start budgeting for the various things you will need, such as the reception location, food, clothes, honeymoon, flowers, music for the ceremony, entertainment, photographer, limousine, wedding cake, etc. See our "Budget How To" page for more help with this. Also, check out "Who Pays For What" for additional help.

As soon as you have set the wedding date, start reserving your restaurant for the rehearsal dinner, your hall for the reception, your entertainment, etc. 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 depending on the time of year.

Your computer is an invaluable tool to find a lot of what you are going to want. With a few clicks of your mouse, you can find passages for wedding vows, wording for your invitations, wedding gown, bridesmaids gowns, tuxedos, limousines, flowers, caterer, DJ, and any other needed service, from the comfort of your home or office. When you find a site you like (like ours), save it in your “favorites” list. This will enable you to remember what you saw and take you back to it.

Naturally, some items require an in-person visit, such as the venue for the reception, wedding gown alterations and tuxedo fittings. However a great deal of the time and effort can be saved by finding the styles and colors of gowns, tuxes, the types of invitations and more in the on-line world.

Take your time with all the planning and try to relax by taking a break, even for a day or two, in the process. Involve your families, the Groom-to-be, your bridal party members in helping with certain tasks. Don't try to do it all yourself. It's guaranteed to drive you nuts if you do.

Here are a few insider tips you may not think of to help make the day go more smoothly...

Practice wearing your wedding shoes before the big day.

Select a pretty handkerchief to tuck into your bouquet for those sentimental moments.

Pack a small emergency bag for those unexpected needs-- a small travel iron, needle and thread, hair spray, aspirin, nail polish, safety pins, extra panty hose, etc.

If you're having an outdoor wedding,have a colorful supply of umbrellas on hand to help ward off the possibility of inclement weather

Arrange in advance for a relative to transport gifts that are brought to the reception.

If you're planning on having candles, be sure to appoint someone to light them.

Send a romantic note to your fiancé just before the ceremony.

The morning of the wedding, allow time to take a warm bubble BATH. Soak for at least 15 minutes. You'll be amazed at how smoothly the rest of the day will go.

It's important to have a light snack before leaving for the ceremony to keep your energy level up.

And try to get a good nights sleep before the wedding. You'll be glad you did!

If you have a cell phone, make sure the battery is charged AND you have it with you on your wedding day. Give it to the Best man or Maid of Honor before you leave for the church. Make sure you have programmed in the phone numbers of ALL the vendors, the reception hall, parents, etc. If the vendors have cell phones (and most of them do for their own emergencies) ask them for that number so if there is a problem on the day, you can reach the necessary person. Use the cell phone only in an emergency, car breakdown, running late to/from the church, etc. Also, be sure to give YOUR phone number to the caterer and DJ so you can be reached if they need you in an emergency at your reception site.

Be sure you or your Groom-To-Be has extra cash on them for little things that might crop up, such as a quick stop at a drug store on the way, extra last minute fees that might come up, overtime for the entertainment, etc.

With the cost of a wedding today, many brides consider buying wedding insurance. Most policies range in cost from around $150.00 to $400.00 but the peace of mind they offer can be priceless. Wedding policies normally reimburse all non-refundable deposits if you have to cancel or postpone the wedding due to illness, damage to the wedding or reception site, weather catastrophes or if a vendor is a no show. To find out about wedding insurance call WedSafe at 877-723-3933 or visit them on line at WedSafe.com.

Most important, do not let little things grow into big ones. Try to handle each one individually and don't be afraid to ask for advice and help from your family, friends and especially the professionals you hire. They are a great resource for problem solving because they do their work on a day to day basis. You are doing this once so take advantage of their expertise. Which brings up another point. You may have decided exactly what you want and how you want things to go on your big day. Just remember, not everything is doable from the standpoint of how it will be percieved by your guests. Let your professionals make alternate suggestions to acomplish what you want but perhaps in a different order or look. Be somewhat flexible with your ideas. Go for MEMORABLE rather than perfection!

Well congrats!!

First you'll want to sit down and think about what has always been important to you for your big day. What have you always pictured ? Make a list of what stands out in your mind. Then, with your fiance, choose a date that fits your schedule (schoool, special events, etc.) and will probably be best for the people that you especially want to be a part of your big day. Take the season and probable weather into account as well.

Think of the number of people you want to attend and to be invovled. What location would be fitting?

Who will officate?

How formal/informal does your day feel?

From here, you can begin to get a feel for what kind of budget your wedding would demand, so quickly determine what your budget ACTUALLY will be so that you can plan accordingly. The list of important things are where you'll want to actually put more of your money because it means more to you.

When I was planning my wedding, the dresses, music and photography were the most important to me, and that's were I allowed most of my attention to go. I was able to be more flexible with the flowers and decor, I gave the cake maker general instructions, then told her to be creative (it was fantastic!), I did my own make up and told my hair stylist to be creative (also amazing!) and I didn't have to stress over everything. All of the "important" things were taken care of personally by me and I was able to enjoy the whole process.

Pick what's most important NOW before things get rollin' and everthing feels like it's most important (only when you look back, only the things that really mattered to you will stand out in your memory~trust me!)

Hi and congratulations!!!

~ Yes, pick the date first.

~ THEN....the next thing you absolutely need to do is to figure out your budget. The reason being....everything you want or "wish for" revolves around the budget.

Then go on from there to:

~ Pick a venue for ceremony

~ Pick a venue for reception

~ Ask your attendants

~ Book a photographer

~ Book a DJ or band

~ Meet with a caterer (unless supplied by the reception venue)

~ Shop for a dress!

~ Pick out bridesmaids dresses

~ Meet with a few florists to get quotes

~ Decide on a cake

~ Pick out invitations

I'm sure I am forgetting things. Go to theknot.com

They have a month by month guide as to what you should get done when!

Good luck!

before you go online, sit down and write what you want. you need to have an idea of what kind of design you want for everything from flowers, to cake, to dress, to bridesmaid dresses (if you decide to have bridesmaids), to invitations... if you don't have some sort of idea of what you want, all the choices that the web sites offer will become overwhelming way too fast. (not that they're not already overwhelming) good luck and have fun! remember, it's not about the wedding, but about the marriage!

The date, location, guest list and wedding party.

Decide what kind of mood you want to set. Formal or informal? Fun, relaxed, romantic......? When you have an idea of atmosphere, you can get an idea of where you would like to have hold it, the kind of ceremony and reception you would like, colours, decorations.....

Don't worry, once you find a direction, things start to fall into place.

the very 1st things are: the date, location, then the band/DJ. those are the most important ones. after all that you need the dress, carter, tux, bridesmaid dress, priest/judge, marriage license, decorations, cake, invitations, rings, rehearsal dinner, bridal/wedding shower.

Get a planning book, or hire a planner

go to the knot.com, and create an account- it gives you a schedule, budget help & everything else about weddings.

to lower the stress, & so that you know you're on the right track and everything, I suggest you hire a planner, that's what I will do, cause I know by myself, I will be stressed & not know if i'm on the right track

congrats