The first item in your checklist is to decide on the venue. If you do not plan to host your wedding in your home, identify and reserve the venue at least six months ahead of the ceremony.

Organise transport for the Marriage Registrar and make sure he/she is looked after.

You should ensure that your guests are looked after. They should be received, ushered to seats, served, entertained and spoken to. 

• Your parents should be ready to receive them at the entrance, and spoken to.

• Reserve sufficient seating arrangements for the Bride’s and the Groom’s family members, so that they can be seated at the same table.

• Entrust the serving of cakes, welcome drinks etc., to a reliable friend or a family member. 

• The bridal couple should introduce each other to all invitees that are present while thanking them for having honored your invitation.

• Decide on the mode of entertainment, it can vary from dancing, live music - vocal or instrumental, DJs etc.

• Select and print your invitation cards on time. There will be many orders for your printer to fulfill.

• Make sure that your invitations reach the guests well in advance. You need to give a minimum of two weeks' notice. After all it is a wedding they have to attend! 

• Have a personal touch in your invitation. It is best if it can be hand delivered by you, your parents or a close family member.

• Mailing is accepted if you can follow-up with a telephone call; Otherwise at least insert a small note.

• This indicates that you value their presence! 

• Make sure that the Bridal Couple look their best and least stressed on this important day of their lives.

• Ensure maximum rest for both of them over the last two to three days prior to the wedding, especially on the wedding eve.

• Avoid unnecessary to and fro traveling for dressing up and photographs.

• Organise the photographs to be taken before the ceremony. The couple will be fresh to face the camera than after.      

The wedding cake is one of the salient features of the wedding. The cake structure should be transported, set up and returned with utmost care. Entrust this important task to a patient, considerate driver and a gentle assistant, preferably a female! It is best if the structure could be set up by the very person who designed it.

• Ensure that all accessories required for the ceremony are available at hand.

• Assign a custodian for the jewellery, one who is less busy but responsible. He/She should stand close to where the ceremony is going on with the jewellery well in tact. 

• Not many will have the luxury of having a rich uncle willing to fund for lost valuables in a hurry!

• Reconfirm date and times with all suppliers and professionals

Delegate responsibilities on hall and decoration to a close responsible relative or a friend. Your parents may not be able to look into them, as they will be needed for the photographs 

Assign a friend or a relative to take charge of the gifts