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For the Bride and Groom with Our Best Wishes
A Few Helpful Hints and Ten Rules to a Happy Marriage
Helpful Hints For Planning Your Wedding
The Bride's Checklist
Four to Twelve Months Before the Wedding
Determine your budget with your parents and decide whether your wedding will be formal or informal and where the ceremony will take place.
Visit you clergyman with your fianc‚ and set the date.
Plan the reception; reserve all the services you'll need.
Decide which friends you wish for attendants.
Draw up you invitation list and have your fiance do his.
Enroll with the Bridal Consultant of your favorite store and select your wedding dress, veil and accessories.
Choose attendant's dresses.
Select the photographer.
See the florist and bring in swatches from all gowns.
Plan your music.
Plan your future home and furnishings with your fiance‚.
Arrange for limousine service.
Order you invitations, personal stationary and note paper.
Order correct number of wedding favors based on reception guest list.
Make plans for honeymoon destination.
have both mothers choose their gowns.
Three Months Before the Wedding
Begin to shop for your first-year trousseau.
Visit you doctor. Check on Rubella immunization.
Finish addressing the wedding invitations.
Two Months Before the Wedding
Plan recording and display of wedding gifts.
Decide upon gifts for your attendants.
Select the wedding ring, if you have not already done so.
Go with your fiance to get the marriage license.
One Month Before the Wedding
Have your hair styled as you would for the wedding.
Make transportation plans for the wedding party.
Have the final fitting on your bridal gown.
Arrange for the bridesmaids' gowns to be fitted.
Order your wedding cake.
Arrange for the rehearsal dinner if you plan to have one.
Plan accommodations for out-of-town guests.
Plan bridesmaids' luncheon.
Prepare for the newspaper announcement of your wedding.
Make a household check.
Arrange a seating plan for the reception. If you plan to have a bride's table at the reception, write out place cards.
Two Weeks Before the Wedding
Check on attire for everyone in the wedding party.
Go over personal trousseau.
Arrange for name changes on social security, etc.
Arrange to move belongings to your new home.
One Week Before the Wedding
Have final consultations with the caterer, photographer, florist, etc.
Give bridesmaids luncheon.
Plan the rehearsal and inform attendants.
The Grooms Checklist
Six to Twelve Months Before the Wedding
Buy engagement and wedding rings.
Draw up wedding guest list.
Go with fiancee to see clergyman
Invite friends to be best man and ushers.
Select honeymoon destination with your fiancee and begin making the reservations.
Select a life insurance plan and other necessary insurance to protect your home and property.
Three Months Before the Wedding
Order wedding attire after checking with your fiancee about the correct apparel.
Give your fiancee complete guest list from you and your parents.
Finalize honeymoon plans, purchase tickets. If leaving the country, check on passports, inoculation certificates and so forth.
One Month Before the Wedding
Find out if you will be paying for any of the bridal flowers. Traditionally, the groom pays for the brides bouquet, going away corsage, corsages for both mothers, boutonnieres for the ushers, best man, fathers and himself.
Pick up bride's wedding ring at the jeweler's and make certain the engraving is correct.
Choose a wedding present for your bride, usually a piece of jewelry.
Select gifts for best man and ushers.
Be certain you and your bride have all the necessary papers, blood tests, birth certificates and passports, if going abroad.
Two Weeks Before the Wedding
Go with your fiancee to get the marriage license. Check state rules about the time required.
Arrange for bachelor dinner, if you are giving it. Sometimes your friends prefer to host it.
Arrange with best man for transportation from the reception to where you'll leave from your honeymoon.
If there is a change in weight of 10-15 pounds, you and your attendants should be refitted.
One Week Before the Wedding
Give gifts to your attendants at the bachelor party or at rehearsal dinner.
Inform your attendants of the time and place of rehearsal and take part in it.
Provide clergyman's fee in sealed white envelope and give it to the best man for the minister. The fee may be $10.00 to $50.00 or more, depending on custom, size of wedding, etc.
Be sure that you and your bride sign the wedding certificate and that it is safely put away before leaving for your honeymoon.
Send a thank-you telegram to bride's parents the next day saying how lovely the wedding and reception were.
Who Pays for What
The Bride
Groom's wedding ring, if it's a double ring ceremony.
Wedding gift for the groom.
Presents for the groom.
Accommodations for her attendants from out of town.
Personal stationery.
Her medical exam.
If the bride wishes, she may assume any responsibilities that belong traditionally to her family.
The Groom
Marriage license.
His medical examination.
The bride's engagement and wedding rings.
Gift for the bride.
Bride's bouquet and going away corsage (the brides family may want to pay for this).
Boutonnieres for the men of the wedding party.
Flowers for the two mothers.
Gifts for the ushers and best man.
Accommodations for his best man and ushers.
Optional : bachelor dinner.
fee for the clergyman.
The wedding trip.
Bride's Family
Bride's wedding attire and personal trousseau.
Wedding invitations and announcements.
The engagement and wedding photographs.
Rental for church, if any.
Fees for the organist, soloist and sexton.
Aisle carpet and canopy.
Flowers for church.
Bridesmaid's bouquets.
Transportation for bridal party, from the house to the church and on to the reception.
Bridesmaids luncheon.
Rehearsal dinner (if groom's family does not).
Entire cost of the reception; rental of club, or hotel accommodations; music; flowers; food; all beverages; fees for professional help.
Optional: license, china, silver, flatware, crystal and other household necessities for the bride and groom.
Optional: packages of groom's cake or brides cake for guests to take to "dream on".
Grooms Family
Clothes for the wedding.
Any traveling expenses and hotel bills for themselves.
Wedding gift for the couple.
Optional: rehearsal dinner.
The Attendants
Their wedding clothes.
Any traveling expenses incurred for themselves.
Wedding gifts for the couple.
The Guests
Any traveling expenses incurred for themselves.
Wedding gifts for the couple.
10 Rules for a
Happy Marriage
1. Never both be angry at the same time.
2. Never yell at each other unless the house is on fire.
3. If one of you has to win an argument, let it be your mate.
4. If you have to criticize, do it lovingly.
5. Never go to sleep with an argument unsettled.
6. Never bring up mistakes of the past.
7. Neglect the whole world rather than each other.
8. At least once each day, say a kind of complimentary thing to your life's partner.
9. When you have done something wrong, be ready to admit it, and ask for forgiveness.
10. It takes two to make a quarrel, and the one in the wrong is the one who does the most talking
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