Guess who's back, back again! Yup, you got it right - we're back for the second installment in our wild ride of planning a wedding in just 12 months! But hold onto your veils and bowties, because this time around, we're honing in on the exciting and oh-so-crucial 6-8 month mark. It's like the sweet spot of wedding planning - not too early to lose momentum, and not too late to break a sweat.
As we venture into the 6-8 month planning phase, the excitement is palpable. This is the time where the wedding vision starts to take shape, and the possibilities seem endless. Amidst the flurry of decisions, we'll navigate through floral arrangements, DJ dilemmas, and delectable tastings, all while keeping our eye on the prize - a perfect wedding day.
So what should you be focused on during months 6-8? See below for our suggestions:
Meet with potential caterers (this means lots of yummy tastings!!!)
Work with your caterer to design the perfect menu for your wedding day. Consider dietary restrictions and personal preferences to create a memorable dining experience.
Hire remaining vendors (at this point you should have a photographer, DJ or other entertainment, bakery for your cake/desserts, and Hair/Makeup)
Secure appointments with hair and makeup professionals for yourself and your bridal party.
Schedule a trial run (or utilize them for engagement photos!) to ensure you are satisfied with the
look you'll have on your wedding day.
Go dress shopping - and bring the special ladies in your life! Also- pick out your wedding party attire!
You, and your bridal party should have an idea of their attire at this point. If not, work together
now to finalize their outfits as well as pick up your dress. This gives everyone plenty of time for ample
fittings and alterations!
Send out save the dates
Ensure that your guests mark their calendars by sending out save-the-date cards or
notifications. This step is especially crucial if you are having a destination wedding, or one where
many of your guests will be coming from out of town!
Plan out accommodations, or use a room block company!
We have a great resource for our brides to help work on room blocks! We can connect you 1:1
with a room block representative who will do all of the research and keep you updated as rooms are
being booked!
Register for gifts
This part is SO FUN! Complete your registry and be sure to give guests a variety of gift
options to choose from. We always remind couples to include items at various price points to
accommodate different budgets. Make sure to add your registry to your wedding website!
Work on wedding website
Now is the perfect time to launch your wedding website! Include important details like the
tentative schedule, venue information, accommodations, and of course, your registry!
Research and purchase wedding insurance
Sometimes wedding insurance is included at venues, and sometimes it's not! Talk to your venue
at this point in the process and see if you need to purchase wedding insurance. If you do- we have a
free resource to help!
Send out thank you notes for any gifts received at your engagement party
As painful as this can be...it's the right thing to do :). Tip* Have guests at your engagement
party or bridal shower pre-fill an envelope on their way in the door- this takes a LOT of time off the
back end of the process!
Help Mother of the Bride and Mother of the Groom select their dresses
This is oftentimes one of the more special moments in the process for the MOB and MOG.
Don't forget to do this!
Schedule engagement photo session, if desired.
This is why it's nice to have the photographer booked at this point. Your engagement photos
can go on your save the dates, wedding website, and more! Plus, it's a great way to preview how your
wedding photos might turn out and start building that relationship with your photographer!
Design place settings and determine additional rental needs (charger, dishes, glassware, utensils, napkin fold, etc.)
This is typically at the 6ish month mark. At Magnolia Collective, we like to make this a special
and interactive part of the process, and is probably one of our favorite meetings to attend with you!
We will try out different linens, chargers, glassware, etc to see what speaks to YOU! Typically- the
rest of your vision will come to life once your tables have been designed!
While we are thinking about beautiful tablescapes and place settings- let's take a look at some of our faves from 2022:
So that's it for month 6-8! At this point, your wedding planning journey is in full swing. Think of it as your own personalized reality show, complete with checklists, appointments and a cast full of vendors who are about to become the stars of your special day. By embracing organization, keeping the lines of communication wide open, and sprinkling in a dash of flexibility, we can help become the director of a wedding masterpiece that will have everyone talking for years to come.
In our next Playbook post...we will start inching closer and closer to the big day! Keep your eyes peeled for a look at months 3-5...coming soon!