Your wedding planning checklist is essential to getting your wedding day details in order. From wedding invitations to picking out your bridesmaids’ outfits and groom’s tuxedo rental and all the details in the middle. Relax and be sure to have your Wedding Planning Checklist near.

A timeline of what you will need to do is essential in your wedding planning. The further away your date is the better off you will be. A year off is a good place to start your planning. However, if you’re short on time you might think about hiring a wedding planner to help you out.

Let us begin. These are the critical points for brides and grooms to plan:

Choose the date of the wedding - the bigger the wedding and more popular the reception locale the more time you need to book your reception.

One Year to Wedding: Determine your budget and pad this amount by 5-7%. Separate your must haves from your desires. Write it all down and keep it with your wedding planning checklist. Talk about your plans with the groom to be and your parents and get an idea of how much each will assist. Think about your location, theme and number of wedding guests. Discuss how many bridesmaids and groomsmen you will to have. Decide if you need to hire a wedding planner.

Six-Eight months: Go shopping for bridesmaids’ attire and the mother-of-the-bride’s outfit. Pick out the kind music you want. Contact your travel agent and reserve your honeymoon. Get your passport and whatever documents you will need for your trip. Save the date cards that should be sent to out of town guests.

Four-Five Months: Buy your wedding invitations. Shop for the groom's tuxedo and decide if you will rent or buy. Shop for the groomsmen and ushers’ attire. Pick out your wedding rings. Select the bakery for your wedding cake and make reservations.

3 Months: Enlist the help of your friends and family with planning the rehearsal dinner arrangements. Be sure wedding invitations are accurate in every detail.

2 Months: Get your wedding invitations in the mail. Buy wedding party gifts. Reserve a date at the salon and choose your hair style and make up for your wedding day. Create your vows.

1 Month to your perfect wedding day: Contact all vendors and confirm. Apply for your marriage license. Review the seating chart.

One day: Have lunch with friends or family and know that your wedding planning checklist has helped keep you on track.