Start to envision your wedding. Know all the things you'll need to do and when. Below is our month-by-month snapshot of all your wedding to-dos that will steer you in the right direction.

12+ months before

· Envision your wedding and draw up a budget.

· Assemble your "planning team." Consider hiring a wedding consultant.

· Pick a wedding date and time. Select several options, then check with your venues, officiant, and important guests before finalizing.

· Start planning the guest list.

· Look for and book ceremony and reception sites.

· Ask friends and relatives to be in the wedding party.

· Optional: Have an engagement party. You may want to register beforehand for gifts.

8-10 months before

· Bride: Think about, shop for, and order your gown.

· Envision reception food.

· Decide what type of entertainment you want. A pianist for the cocktail hour, strolling violinists, a DJ, or band?

· Think about your floral decor.

· Research and book your wedding professionals. Interview vendors: photographer, videographer, reception band or DJ, florist.

· Research a wedding insurance policy to protect your deposits.

· Research and reserve accommodations for out-of-town guests.

· Register for gifts.

· Contact rental companies if you need to rent anything for ceremony/reception, such as chairs, tables, and tent.

6-8 months before

· Book ceremony musicians.

· Order bridesmaid dresses.

· Start planning honeymoon.

· Send save-the-date cards. This is a particularly good idea if you're marrying during a tourist or holiday season or having a destination wedding.

4-6 months before

· Shop for and order invitations and wedding rings.

· Shop for formalwear.

· Renew or get passports, if necessary.

· Envision your wedding cake and research, interview, and book a cake designer.

3 months before

· Order wedding cake.

· Hire a calligrapher, if you want your invitations professionally addressed.

· Attend your shower. (It may be earlier, depending on when hosts decide to have it.)

· Groom: Rent the men's formalwear.

· Hire wedding-day transport: limousines, other cars. Look into transportation sooner if you're considering renting streetcars or over-the-top travel.

2 months before

· Mail your invitations.

· Write your vows.

· Purchase gifts for parents, attendants, and each other.

· Book your stylist and try out big-day hairstyles.

· Book a makeup artist and go for a trial run.

1 month before

· Apply for a marriage license. Check with the local bureau in the town where you'll wed.

· Bride: Have final gown fitting. Bring your maid of honor along to learn how to bustle your dress. Have the dress pressed and bring it home.

· Call all bridesmaids. Make sure they have their gowns ready for the wedding.

· Make last-minute adjustments with vendors.

· Create a wedding program to hand out to guests.

· Order and plan in-room welcome baskets for out-of-town guests.

2 weeks before

· Review final RSVP list and call any guests who have not yet sent a response.

· Deliver must-have shot lists to photographer and videographer. Include who should be in formal portraits and determine when portraits will be taken.

· Deliver final song list to your DJ or bandleader. Include special song requests and songs you don't want played.

· Bride: Get your last prewedding haircut and color.

1 week before

· Give reception site/caterer final guest head count. Include vendors, such as the photographer or band members, who will expect a meal. Ask how many extra plates the caterer will prepare.

· Supply location manager with a list of vendor requests such as a table for DJ or setup space needed by florist.

· Plan reception seating chart.

· Print place and table cards, or finalize list with the calligrapher you have hired to do so.

· Call all wedding vendors and confirm arrangements.

· Give ceremony and reception site managers a schedule of vendor delivery and setup times, plus contact numbers.

· Groom: Get your hair trimmed.

· Attend bachelor/ette parties.

2-3 days before

· Bride: If you need to, have your gown pressed or steamed.

· Groom: Go for final fitting and pick up your formalwear.

· Groom: Ask the best man to make sure all groomsmen attend fittings and pick up their outfits.

· Determine wedding-party positions during ceremony and the order of the party in the processional and recessional.

· Hand off place cards, table cards, menus, disposable cameras, favors, and any other items for setting the tables to the caterer and/or reception site manager.

· Reconfirm final details with all vendors. Discuss any necessary last-minute substitutions.

· Call the limousine- or car-rental company for pickup times and locations.

· Arrange for guests without cars to be picked up from the airport or train station. Ask friends, attendants, or relatives to help.

· Deliver welcome baskets to the hotel concierge; make sure to include names and delivery instructions.

Day before

· Provide all wedding professionals with an emergency phone number to call on the day of the wedding.

· Write checks and/or talk to wedding hosts (usually your parents, if not you) about any final balances to be paid at the end of the reception.

Night before

· Rehearse ceremony. Meet with wedding party, ceremony readers, immediate family, and your officiant at the ceremony site to rehearse and iron out details.

· Bring unity candle, aisle runner, yarmulkes, or other ceremony accessories to the site.

· Give your marriage license to your officiant.

· Attend rehearsal dinner.

· Present attendants with gifts at the rehearsal dinner. You'll want to do this especially if the gifts are accessories to be worn during the wedding.

Day of

· Present parents and each other with gifts.

· Give wedding bands to the best man and the maid of honor to hold during the ceremony.

· Give best man the officiant's fee envelope, to be handed off after the ceremony.

· Introduce your reception site manager to your consultant or maid of honor for questions or problems during the reception.

· Assign a family member or attendant to be the photographer's contact so he knows who is who.

Postwedding

· Prearrange for someone to return any rentals.

· Preplan for attendants to take the bride's gown for cleaning and return the groom's tux to the rental shop.

· Write and send thank-you notes to gift-bearing guests and vendors who were especially helpful.