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Twelve months guide before you get married

It is not uncommon in India, that marriages are planned and organized by the parents and the relatives of the bride and the bridegroom. But in recent times, couples are interested in stylising their wedding themselves than depending solely on their family and relatives.

Batul, a PR executive engaged to a CA, planning to get married by the end of 2007. One year to go from now, but both are working professionals and have very little time to prepare for their forthcoming wedding.

With such little time, and so much to do, it has now become essential to plan your wedding atleast 12 months in advance. Marriage Mantra has for you, a comprehensive step by step guide which will help you plan your wedding more effectively.

12 months before

• Buy a wedding planner or an organizer to coordinate various arrangements.
• Talk to your fiancé and parents about the wedding theme, budget, style, possible dates, reception,
  clothes, honeymoon, flowers, music, photographer, car and the wedding cake to start with.
• With the help of a pandit or a fortune teller find out various auspicious mahurats and finalize a
  date for the wedding, as per the convenience of all the family members.
• If you are getting married in monsoons, make sure you have made indoor arrangements.
• Purchase a guest book, make a list of invitees and discuss the invitation list with both families and
  finalize it.
• Put down various venue options keeping in mind the approximate number of people expected and
  your budget.
• Decide upon the wedding ceremony and reception venues and reserve both. Wedding venues in
  major cities may need to be booked an year in advance.
• Take professional help to design a ‘save the date card’. You can also email or send an e-invite. You
  could design the same keeping your wedding theme in mind.
• If you’re marring on a holiday or over a weekend or some place where your guests have to travel,
  inform them in advance in case they need to make ticket reservations, and also so that they can plan
  their schedule accordingly.
• Maintain a budget book to note down all the expenses of the marriage. This will make calculating
  easier and faster.

10 months before

• Talk to your recently married friends and relatives for recommendations of various professionals
  whose services will be required. Caterers, decorators, photographers, make-up artists, entertainers,
  dress designers, decorators are some such recommendations that you should take.
• Start scouting, budget wise from a wedding directory for a caterer, baker, florist, musician,
  photographer, videographer etc. List down at least 4-5 professional services from the Wedding
  Directory and contact them. See photos, discuss budgets, and boil down to the best and book the date.
  Caterers may also be willing to provide you a trial meal .
• Visit your clergy member with your fiancé if you’re having a religious ceremony.
• Find out and finalize the auspicious Mahurats (date and time) for the small ceremonies like Mehendi,
  Peethi, Sangeet, so that you can inform close relatives and friends in advance.

6 months before

• Sign up for a pre-marital counseling if required. It might sound like it is not required, but there
  are certain aspects that you should know about each other, like the compatibility levels, comfort
  area, sex related discussions. It will help to better your relationship, especially if it is an arranged
  marriage.
• Start listing places that both of you enjoy and would like to visit on your honeymoon.
  Find out the suitable climatic condition to visit the selected place. Decide on the budget for the
  honeymoon. Meet at least 2 to 3 travel agencies/agent to get the best bid.
• Plan the details with all wedding professionals in picture. Decide on the menu with the caterer,
  choose your beverages, decide on the theme for the wedding with the decorators, the music with
  the entertainers etc.
• Book the transportation to the marriage venue for yourself, as well as for your guests if needed.
• The bride-to-be should make a list, and start shopping for her trousseau. You may need to travel
  to places out of town to buy specialties
• Start your health and fitness plan, You could also take other initiatives such as joining a face gym,
  taking regular spa and sauna treatments, aroma therapy etc.

4 months before

• Put in your leave application from work now. Take into consideration your wedding as well as your honeymoon days while applying for leave.
• Book your honeymoon. Apply for your passport/visa if needed. Verify all details with hotels/agents and arrange the required documents, tickets etc. Also verify if the hotel rate includes meals. If not,
  allot budget for the same too.
• Finalize the guest list for the wedding and other functions. Note down the names and addresses with Pin code, so that it’s easy to invite people. Also make different lists for different occasions.
• Start finalizing your wedding outfit with your designer. Choose the colour, embroidery, fabric and place an order.
• Start shopping for jewellery for the wedding. Selecting trousseau jewellery will also take lot of time. So start purchasing or placing an order for the same.
• There are a lot of gift registry sites that you can be a member of. If you wish to receive gifts of your choice, inform your family to be a part of it. It’s a nice way to have a personalized gifting system.
• Decide on the look you want on your wedding day. Fix a budget and finalize a beautician for the same. Also take a trial appoint.
• Start scouting hotels according to your budgets and book a hotel room for the wedding night.

2 months before

• Shop for lingerie and honeymoon clothes.
• Take a trail with your stylist and makeup person. Also get a photograph clicked during the trial to see how you look in pictures
• Take an appointment with your doctor for a medical check up. Some states in India require a blood test before marriage.
• Mail your invitations to the guests from out of town or start inviting people personally if you choose to do so.
• Arrange to transport your belongings if you are moving after marriage. Send change of address information to the post office.
• Apply for registered marriage in the court, so that the government official is present during the ritual and your marriage is registered.
• Get your name changed from departments of motor vehicles, banks, ration card etc, if you choose to
  take your fiancé’s name.

6 weeks before

• Schedule dress fitting appointments. Get photos of the same to see how you look, and start collecting your jewellery from the jeweller.
• Start picking up the “made to order” stuff that you’ve shopped. Also make sure that payments are
  made for the same.
• Contact the guests who have not responded to your invitations for their final attendance decisions. (This is specially required if you have a sit down dinner for any of your wedding functions).
• List down the activities that can be taken up or places that can be visited while the guests are in town. Also send them an informational e mail which will help them plan their trip.
• Plan guests' hotel room, especially if you wish to decorate them in a particular manner.

2 weeks before

• Decide on a family member or a friend to transport gifts from the reception venue, back to your or your parents' home. Make sure that he is well informed of the same.
• Finalize with caterers, the number of people attending the wedding.
• Pack for the honeymoon.
• Make sure that all arrangements are made for the pre wedding ceremonies like mehendi, peethi etc.

1 week before

• Verify if your ATM cards are acceptable at your honeymoon destination. If you are travelling abroad,
  remember to purchase some local currency.
• Give the final number of guests to the caterer, in case of any last minute changes.
• Give your parents or a relative the envelopes with the cheques that are to be paid to the vendors on
  the day of the wedding, plus envelopes with tips.
• Confirm with the hotel, the rooms that are booked for the out-of-town guests'.
• Most Indian wedding ceremonies begin at least three days before the wedding day. Start giving reminder calls to close friends to be present for all the days.
• Most importantly - Start relaxing and sleeping well to look fresh and healthy on your wedding day.

On Your Wedding Day

• Leave early enough to reach the ceremony on time.
• Allow at least two hours for dressing.
• Be relaxed before the ceremony.
  

Don’t forget to have great time on the wedding day and have a lovely beginning of your new life.

ENJOY….HAPPY BEGINNING

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