Your Colorado Wedding Planning Schedule: 12-6 Months Out
Planning a wedding takes time and organization. Building a schedule for planning your wedding can help keep you and your tasks organized. While a wedding can be daunting, keep your big day in mind and before you know it you’ll be saying “I do”! Wherever your planning takes you, your Colorado wedding is sure to be stunning with the beautiful venues and views throughout the state. I’ve been planning weddings here for over seven years and have gathered some of the basics to start building your Colorado wedding planning schedule. Here are the tasks you should add to your wedding calendar 12-6 months before your wedding day.
12 Months until Your Colorado Wedding
Budget
When you first sit down to start planning your wedding, make the big picture decisions before moving onto the details. The first step is to determine what your budget looks like — this will influence many of your other decisions. Consider who will be paying for your wedding and start building a spreadsheet to budget and keep track of your spending as you make decisions.
Time of Year
While you likely won’t have a set wedding date until you reserve your venue, consider the time of year that you want to be married in. You may already know exactly when you’re looking to tie the knot, but if you’re still exploring your options, choose a general date range and use that time period to consider venues. A year is typically the recommended time it takes to plan a wedding, but if your ideal date range is sooner, you can make it happen — especially if you have the help of a wedding planner.
Image of J&R at Blackstone Rivers Ranch captured by LD Photography. Floral by DIY Designs Inspired by You.
Guest List, Venue, and Theme
Once you have a general idea of what your budget will be, you can consider your guest list and the size of your wedding along with what type of venue you and your partner are looking for. Narrowing down your selection of venues can also help you determine your theme, and vice versa. If you have a theme in mind, look for venues that will fit your vision. A few more questions to keep in mind:
Do you want an outdoor wedding or an indoor celebration?
Is there a specific location where you have always envisioned your wedding?
Do you want a small wedding or a larger celebration?
9 Months until Your Colorado Wedding
Reserve Your Venue and Vendors
Make sure to get your venue reserved as early as you can for your chosen date. This is important for most of your other planning, including reserving vendors that may book up quickly like photographers, musicians, or caterers.
Buy Your Wedding Dress
Morgan found her perfect dress at Boca Bridal.
This is an important step you likely won’t forget, but make sure to buy your dress with enough time to have alterations and fittings completed before your big day.
Send Save the Dates
Let your friends and family know that you’re getting married! While you want to give your guests advanced notice, make sure to have two key details ironed out before sending — your date and your guest list. Everyone who gets a Save the Date should also get an invitation to the wedding.
Save the Date and Invitation package created by Designs by Sarah Meyer and adorned by Fairytale Florals. Image compliments of Elevate Photography.
Your wedding planning schedule will depend on the celebration you’re planning, but these big tasks are common to most weddings and are important to keep track of. While a year can feel like a long time, you’ll be surprised how quickly time flies when you’re planning a wedding! If you’re looking for help planning your Colorado wedding, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Keep an eye out for the next blog in this series, which will cover the big ticket items you’ll need to add to your wedding planning schedule from 6 months out up until your big day!