Wedding Info and Wedding Planner Six Months Before: Once you've chosen to wed in Hawaii, choose your island. Next, select a wedding date and time. Early reservations are mandatory especially, if your wedding will take place during a popular month or near a holiday. Once you've chosen an island, make necessary accommodation reservations for yourself and your guests. Bride: Discuss wedding budget with your parents; if you'll share expenses, include your fiancée and his parents. Together decide on the wedding style--everything from flowers to food and to how many attendants you will have. Decide how many guest may attend, then let your fiancée's family know how many they may invite, and by what date you need their guest list. Choose your location site for wedding ceremony and reception. Plan your reception and make the necessary reservations. If your reception is to be at home, choose a caterer; if at a club or hotel, check their catering facilities. Decide what type of music will be appropriate, and if necessary, book the musicians. Plan the color scheme for the wedding and reception. Make arrangements to visit the clergymember or other ceremony official with your fianceé. Choose and order your wedding dress, veil and accessories. Remember that dresses often require fitting and adjustments. Go with your fiancée to shop for and pick our your engagement ring and/or wedding rings. Discuss ideas for your new home with your fiancée, and begin household shopping. Select your china, crystal, silver, linens, and other household needs for your registry at your preferred store. Choose the friends you'd like as your bridesmaids and honor attendants as well as ring bearer and flower girl (if you'll have them.) Set the date to order dresses and accessories for your attendants. A versatile style that will go to parties after the wedding is most suitable. Discuss honeymoon plans with your fiancée so reservations can be made. If you plan to travel outside the county, check on passports, visas, and inoculations. Three Months Before: Complete your guest list as well as an additional list for those who will receive announcements (if you send them and they are different from guest list.) Check for duplication with your fiancée. Order a sufficient quantity of invitations and announcements. If the envelopes are sent to you right, they can be addressed and ready to mail when the printed invitations arrive. Order any personal stationery you may want to use for thank-you notes. Groom: Order your attire and for your attendants as well, according to the style of wedding you two have chosen. Bride: Plan a trousseau (if you are going to get one!) Let your mother and your fiancée's mother know the wedding color scheme so they may choose harmonizing dresses in appropriate lengths for the big day. Confirm the delivery date of your won dress and if you haven't already, make the final selection of the attendant's dresses. Schedule the appointment for your bridal portrait to coincide with your wedding dress arrival. Find a photographer/photographers for all pre-wedding day photos, formal shots and candids at the celebration. Notify the above with the location so they may be familiarized with the site for the photos. Arrange with fiancée to get any necessary blood tests and/or physical exams as needed for your marriage license. In Hawaii, no blood tests or physical exams are required. Discuss all details of your ceremony and reception with your clergymember or chosen officiant. If you haven't viewed your wedding site/reception site yourself, do that now, or have your consultant/coordinator or other trusted person in your stead, do this for you. Remember, on the big day, it will be a little late for changes! Be prepared for bad weather. Discuss all details of your reception with the person/persons who will be in charge of arrangements, i.e., hotel manager, caterer, whomever you are renting equipment or other services from. Consult with florist and order flowers that will match color scheme and will be in season too! Complete your wedding/honeymoon reservations by buying and picking up all necessary plane tickets. One Month Before: Mail your invitations to arrive preferably three--but no later than two--weeks before the wedding. Order your wedding cake if it wasn't included with a wedding package or catering service. Have the final fitting of your wedding dress, veil and accessories. Order/purchase gifts for your wedding party. Usually, bridesmaids presents are identical as are the grooms attendants gifts, while the best man and maid-of-honor are slightly different/special. Pick up wedding rings if you haven't yet. Make sure they are sized properly and or soldered (as is usual in the bride's case for the wedding band and engagement ring). Confirm accommodations for out-of-town guests and/or yourself, if you are not from Hawaii. Make arrangements for bridesmaids luncheon or rehearsal dinner. Choose a wedding present for your fiancée (if you decided to exchange them.) Make sure all legal documents are in order, including adding or making changes to existing life and health insurance policies. Two Weeks to One Week Before: Begin packing for your trip and/or honeymoon. Schedule your rehearsal. Wrap any gifts you are giving to wedding party or fiancée. Give the caterer a final estimate on the number of guests expected. Check final details of ceremony and reception. Arrange for wedding gifts to be transported/shipped to your new home. Prepare thank-you notes. If you do not live in Hawaii, or on the island you've chosen to wed, please try to get there as many days before your wedding day as possible to make any final changes or decisions and to get your wedding license! Telephone your local paper to submit a wedding announcement. Compile and submit. Arrange transportation for all members of the wedding party and reception if you are hiring limousines or other transportation service. If you have friends who are chauffeuring, confirm arrangements. Plan with a hairdresser/makeup artist (and/or make necessary appointment) what your hairstyle and makeup will look like for the big day. Helpful hint: Don't try out anything you have never seen on yourself before or are the least unsure of! Be considerate of the headpiece or flower arrangement you plan to wear when deciding on hairstyle.) Try to relax and pamper yourself before your big day! (A massage or facial is wonderful!) Plan any bachelor or bachelorette parties and confirm or make arrangements as necessary. Don't forget before the big day, to have all monies/fees in envelopes and given to responsible parties to be given to officials, caterers or other service providers on day of wedding/reception. Live happily ever after! Additional Information: Wedding License Ask Auntie Anela