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6 Months to Go: An Assessment

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    It’s November, which means we are at the 6 month mark (OMG! and terrifying!) and I’m starting to feel a little bit like this:

    It has been a while since I’ve compared my wedding planning achievements to the “experts,” so let’s compare my progress to this 8-6 month checklist from Real Simple.

      • Hire the photographer and the videographer. No need to talk specifics yet, but be sure that the people you hire are open to doing the shots that you want.

      Done and done! Root Photography was the first vendor we booked (after the venue), and some friends of ours graciously agreed to handle the video for us.  Gotta love talented friends who own expensive video equipment!

        • Book the entertainment. Attend gigs of potential acts to see how they perform in front of audiences, then reserve your favorite.

        Done! We booked our ceremony musician months ago and just recently locked in a DJ.  Both came with stellar reviews from friends.

          • Meet caterers. If your wedding venue doesn’t offer its own catering service, look for one now and hire the service this month or early next.

          Not applicable!

            • Purchase a dress. You’ll need to schedule time for at least three fittings. Veil shopping can be postponed for another two to three months.

            Done! Dress is in my closet and just needs to be altered come January. I am hand making my veil and I have all the components, I just have to put it all together.

              • Reserve a block of hotel rooms for out-of-town guests. Pick three hotels at different price points close to the reception venue.

              Done, kinda? Disneyland doesn’t really do a room block but guests who mention our special wedding code get a discount.

              • Register. Sign up at a minimum of three retailers.

              Done! It was rough but we did it and we did exactly three locations (two brick and mortar and one online).

                • Launch a wedding website. Note the date of the wedding, travel information, and accommodations. Then send the link to invitees.

                This was one of the first things we did after becoming engaged.  Soooooooo DONE!

                • Select and purchase invitations. Hire a calligrapher, if desired. Addressing cards is time-consuming, so you need to budget accordingly.
                Oof. This is something I’m really procrastinating on, but I’m finally getting the ball rolling with the help of Wendy from Ever After Printables.

                • Start planning a honeymoon. Make sure that your passports are up-to-date, and schedule doctors’ appointments for any shots you may need.
                Oof x2. We don’t get a honeymoon, at least not right away.  But we are booked on a Disney Cruise for our one year anniversary!  After the wedding we will wait and see if we can afford to keep it.

                • Shop for bridesmaids’ dresses. Allow at least six months for the dresses to be ordered and sized.
                Not applicable, praise Jebus.

                • Meet with the officiant. Map out the ceremony and confirm that you have all the official documents for the wedding (these vary by county and religion).
                Our officiant is selected and officially ordained through the internetz, but that’s about it. Why does our ceremony need a map, where is it going? No, but seriously folks, I guess we should start writing it, or something.

                • Send save-the-date cards. 
                Done! A long time ago.

                • Reserve structural and electrical necessities. Book portable toilets for outdoor events, extra chairs if you need them, lighting components, and so on.
                Not applicable, hopefully?

                • Book a florist. Florists can serve multiple clients on one day, which is why you can wait a little longer to engage one. Plus, at this point, you’ll be firm on what your wedding palette will be.
                We have very little real floral, so I think we will end up going with Disney for floral. But I still need to do a little research.

                • Arrange transportation. Consider limos, minibuses, trolleys, and town cars. (But know that low-to-the-ground limos can make entries and exists dicey if you’re wearing a fitted gown.)
                Not applicable, unless you count the horse and carriage that I really want but can’t afford. Sigh.

                • Start composing a day-of timeline. Draw up a schedule of the event and slot in each component (the cake-cutting, the first dance).
                I believe I don’t need to worry about this just yet, besides, I think my awesome coordinator from Rebel Belle will assist with this.

                After reviewing this I feel like I’m in a pretty good place. Still a lot to do but I’m on track.

                About Mindy

                Mindy Marzec is a life-long Disney fan who grew up in Los Angeles. She started This Fairy Tale Life to share Disneyland travel tips for adults. When not at Disneyland, you can find Mindy at home snuggling with her cats and re-watching Thor: Ragnarok for the billionth time.