• What comes to mind when you think of planning your own wedding? I know that my mind thinks of a million things…but how do I know what to do first? 

    It takes an average of 12-18 months for a couple to plan their wedding, and although that may seem like a lot of time, it’ll fly by VERY fast!

    We’re here to give you an idea of what your wedding timeline should look like, and if you have any questions make sure to leave them in the comments so we can answer them!

    Going from 18 months to 6 months out you should be looking for your ceremony and reception venues, finding vendors such as photographers, caterers (if your venue isn’t in-house), Dj/Band, Florist, Videographer, Cake, etc, and choosing your wedding party/yours and their attire 

    6-2 months out you should be keeping up with dress fittings, grooms/groomsmen fittings, ordering your cake, setting up a wedding registry, shopping for wedding bands, reserving rental items, planning rehearsal dinner, finding stationary, mailing out formal invitations etc.

    2 months – 1 week out you should have all of your vendors finalized and written down, confirm honeymoon reservations, review and finalize guest seating chart, get your marriage license, write/choose wedding vows, send final guest count to caterer and venue/s, get excited! 

    Planning your big day is definitely a lot of work, but in the end it’s 100% all worth it. Happy planning!

    Emily Loxtercamp is a senior at VCU majoring in Public Relations. She is currently working at The Renaissance and specializes in Social Media, Marketing and Events. The Renaissance is an all-inclusive weddings, event, and banquet venue.