Planning Your Wedding - 6 Months Out

Photo credit Hillary Leah Photography

At 6 months out, things start to come together quickly.  You'll have several final orders to place, final decisions to make on food, design, etc.  We've got them all listed for you below!

1.  All the dresses.  Once you've found that perfect dress, get it ordered!  You'll need time for it to come in, get fittings and alterations done before you walk down the aisle. 
​Confirm your bridesmaid dresses.  Thank goodness it's OK to mix and match bridesmaid dresses - sometimes it's too hard to pick just one!  Look for inspiration on Pinterest for ideas on how to mix styles, shades of the same color, different colors, prints and more.

Photo credit Hillary Leah Photography, Hair by Honeycomb Charm Beauty Parlor

2. Book your hair and makeup artist.  Decide where you will be getting hair and makeup done - salon, house, venue, etc.  This will help you narrow down your options on who you want to work with.  Look through their previous work and talk with them about the style you want to make sure they can give you the perfect look.

3. Save the Dates and Invitations again.  It's time to get your Save the Dates in the mail!  After that you can finalize all your invitation details and get them ordered.  Double check ALL the information - ceremony time, venue address, spelling of names, etc.

4. Schedule tasting with caterer and set menu options.  Selecting a menu that provides plenty of options for all your guests and dietary needs can be stressful.  A great caterer can help you choose a delicious menu that provides options for everyone.  Ask your caterer to label items as Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, etc. on the buffet so guests can easily choose what they need.
If fresh and flavorful food is right up your ally, consider a Farm to Table menu.  Farm to Table menu's work with local farmers to source fresh, sustainable meats paired with the freshest, in season vegetables.  The menu will reflect your tastes and the flavors of the season making for a unique dining experience for your guests!

Photo credit Kaptured Photography

5. Schedule your cake tasting.  In our opinion, one of the best meetings!  Enjoy tasting the cake and icing flavor combinations.  Talk through design ideas with the cake designer, also.  Wedding cakes are truly an art that should be both beautiful and taste delicious!  If cake isn't your thing, get creative.  What about a pie bar?  Donut wall?  Or dessert bar with lots of options.  At our wedding, my husband and I had a dessert reception - it definitely reflected my personality.  Instead of one cake, we had several of my family favorites plus pie, cheesecakes, cookies, brownies and more.  Yummm...

6. Start the playlist for your DJ.  Think through ceremony songs as everyone walks down the aisle and again after you're pronounced man and wife!  Go through options for your first dance, parent dances, etc.  Your DJ can be a great resource on which songs or types of music will get everyone on the dance floor!

7. Design your table settings.  So many options!  Choose your linen colors, place settings, specialty chairs for sweetheart or head table, centerpieces, etc.  There may be several vendors involved in creating your table settings - florist, rental company, planner, venue, china vendor, etc.  Make sure you connect them all to ensure your design flows seamlessly.  Once you have a plan in place, get those items reserved!

Photo credit Shannon Ford Photography, Florals Stems Atlanta, Design Winey Blonde Events, China The Prissy Plate Company, Linens BBJ Linens

8. Book transportation.  For your guests and yourselves after the wedding!  Make sure everyone is taken care of.

9. Reserve any rentals.  Need a dance floor?  Specialty tables or chairs?  Anything your venue or vendors aren't taking care of, you need to get reserved.  You don't want to wait until a month before the wedding and realize the gorgeous handmade farm tables you were dreaming of have been booked for another wedding.

10. Rehearsal dinner plans.  We'll end on another food topic!  Start researching options for your rehearsal dinner.  Will you host it at the venue?  Are there nearby restaurants with private dining room options?  Or perhaps the groom's parents would like to host it at their home.  Talk about who will be invited to the rehearsal dinner.  Start with those in the wedding party and immediate family.  If you have close friends or family traveling from out of town, you may want to include them also.

You're getting closer to the big day! 6 months may still seem like forever when you're waiting to begin your life with the one you love, but it will fly by.  As always, let us know what questions you may have for us.
And if you haven't already started to consider it, a full service wedding planner can take A LOT of stress off of you by managing this list of to do items for you!
- Becky
Next steps - 4 months out.
Previous planning for 9 months before your wedding.