The Pretty Perfect Events team is once again here with some more pre wedding planning advise! Your wedding is approaching slowly and now what to do, see what easy steps they have prepared to guide you through the process.

What to do 12 to 9 months before the wedding.

Here at Pretty Perfect Events we keep a detailed timeline on what aspects of your wedding should be completed when - and today we're sharing this knowledge with you!

Planning a wedding on your own can be overwhelming - you want to make sure you think of absolutely everything and that no stone remains unturned so that the day runs nice and smoothly. Today we are jumping into the planning process - what should be confirmed when so that there are no surprises along the way.

We start with what items should be on the list about 12 to 9 months before the big day. Most weddings get planned about 9 to 12 months before the actual wedding date, so this is a good place to start. In the coming weeks we will reveal every step of the timeline so that by the end of the series you will have a detailed list of everything that needs to be completed along the way.

Naturally you can do things in any order that you like, however this timeline spaces all the tasks out evenly so that the process is less overwhelming, making it a happier time in both your and your fiance's life. Let's jump in shall we?

What you should be doing 12-9 months before the wedding:

1. Work out your budget

As a starting point, you and your hubby to be should decide what aspects of the wedding day are most important to you - is it food, photography, flowers, décor? This will help guide your budget in terms of where the bulk of the money will be spent, and also give you a clear indication of what type of venue you can afford and how many people you can invite. Having a clear idea on what's most important to you and your fiancé will make the planning process that much simpler and you'll have a clear direction on the way forward.

2. Draft a guest list

You can either do this before or after you've drafted a basic budget. Your guest numbers will impact logistically on what venue you can choose and also influence catering costs. The more people who attend, the higher your food bill will be. Guest numbers impact a lot of elements of a wedding, so do this carefully. And don't bargain on inviting 150 guests and expect only 100 to say yes. People love a wedding and will usually make an effort to be there - you don't want to have booked a venue that cannot accommodate your full guest list.

3. Hire a planner if you like

This is totally optional. In the coming weeks we will outline the benefits of hiring a planner to assist you in planning your big day, or to simply be there on the day of your wedding to make sure it all runs smoothly.

4. Reserve your venue

After you've drafted a provisional guest list and have an idea of how much you can spend on a venue, this is the next most important item on the list. If you're planning on having your wedding in peak season (September to April), then you'll need to book your wedding venue as soon as possible. Popular venues get booked many months to years in advance and if you and your fiancé have your heart set on a particular one, make sure you reserve this early to avoid disappointment. In the next article we will share tips on what to look for in a venue.

5. Reserve your marriage officer

Whether you want your family pastor or a legal marriage officer to marry you - book this early too. Wedding season is a busy time for these folk and reservations get made months in advance. Simply put, if you don't have a marriage officer, you can't get legally married. Reserve this early.

6. Pick a wedding party

This is the fun part where you ask the special people in both your lives to be part of the big day. We've got some tips on picking a wedding party as this can sometimes be a challenging process for some brides - stay tuned in the coming weeks.

7. Research photographers, videographers, DJ's, florists and caterers

Now you're wedding is starting to take shape! You will need the above key suppliers to make your wedding day come together and make it memorable, so start googling. Since you've already drafted a budget you will be able to see where you'd like to spend more money on certain suppliers or areas of your wedding.

8. Engagement shoot

If you've picked and confirmed your photographer, this is a great time to set up an engagement shoot. Chances are you and your fiancé haven't been involved in a professional photo shoot together and it might seem awkward to have a camera in your face. Having an engagement shoot is a fantastic ice-breaker and it allows you to get to know your photographer and her style of shooting. With your engagement shoot done, come wedding day you will be relaxed in front of the camera which will help in getting those magical shots that you will keep forever.

9. Get quotes for extras at the reception and ceremony

This requires more research and getting an idea of what extras you're going to need to bring in that your venue does not offer. Does your venue offer chairs for the ceremony? If not, this is something you're going to need to get a quote on. There are many extras that you can add if you like, so this is where you need to sit down and make a wish list of everything you'd like to add. Once you have this you can start getting costings and if need be cut down or add more to the list based on your budget.

Congratulations - once you've done all of the above you are sorted for the first 12 to 9 months leading up to your wedding! In the next few articles we will be covering tips on some of the items above, what to look for and what to keep in mind.

Happy planning!