Now it’s Crunch Time- Only 4 Months Before Your Wedding!
Take a minute to pat yourself on the back. There are only 4 months before your wedding and so much has already been done! You’ve scouted and booked your venue(s), set your budget, finalized your guest list, sent your Save the Date cards, created your wedding website and set up your registries, booked your wedding vendors, reserved room blocks, shopped for and ordered your wedding gown, searched, tasted and ordered your wedding cake, finalized your wedding flowers, and taken your engagement photo.
You found your hair and make up artists and booked your trials, selected your bridesmaid’s dresses and partner’s attire, bought your wedding day accessories, made your wedding night accommodations, booked your honeymoon, searched for and ordered invitations and stationary, finalized your menu, got bridesmaids’ accessories, chose groomsmen and ring bearer attire, bought wedding rings, updated your registry, searched for favors, planned and invited guests to pre-wedding parties, searched for readings, confirmed gown fittings, and booked transportation.
What a mouthful, I’m out of breath just reading all of that!
This month is jam-packed, too. Only 4 months before your wedding, let’s get to it!
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Invite Guests to Your Wedding
Address, stuff and send out wedding invitations. Make sure to include directions and dietary restrictions on your RSVPs.
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Set up a Gift Tracker Spreadsheet
If you set up a wedding website it probably has a built in gift tracker. Best of all, it’s linked to your guest list! You should log gifts as you receive them, then schedule a few minutes each day for a hand written thank you note using your new stationary. If you don’t want to use the gift tracker on your website, or decided not to set up a website, you can set up a basic one with four columns- gift, date received, received from, and thank you note sent date.
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Check on room blocks
Call the hotel(s) to see how many rooms have been booked and let them know if the remainder can be released. Are you missing anyone? Call guests who have RSVP’d but haven’t booked their room, especially older relatives, to see if they need assistance making their travel arrangements. It may turn out they just booked at another hotel.
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Programs and Menu Cards
Fold your ceremony and menu cards and store them with other items you’ll be taking with you to the service. If you haven’t already, designate a corner in your home for all things wedding related. The last thing you need on your wedding day is to be ransacking the house looking for something!
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Marriage license Research
Did you know your marriage license can be from any county in Texas? You do have to show up in person, provide identification, and wait 72 hours, but you can get one from any county clerk’s office. In fact, Rockwall County has been known for more than 70 years as the “Marriage Capital of Texas” because their licenses are so pretty. You can download the application from their website, then make a day trip to pay the $82 fee and present your IDs.
If you can’t swing a day trip to Rockwall County, you can head over to the Travis County clerk‘s office on Airport and pick up yours locally. Your license is good for 89 days from the issue date. Make sure you both appear with your IDs, social security numbers, and $81. Recent divorcees (within 30 days) need a copy of the divorce decree.
Let me reiterate- your marriage license is only valid for 89 days. You will need get it in the next planning period- 3 months before your wedding. This month, 4 months before your wedding, you’re just looking into and deciding where to get it.
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Shop for a guest book
Your guest book can be plain, quirky, or highly customized, with a hand painted sign or set discreetly at the entrance. It’s up to you!
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Bridesmaid and Attendant Gifts
Purchase or start making gifts for your bridal party and close family 4 months before your wedding. Don’t forget ushers, flower girls, ring bearers, and readers!
Move on to 3 Months before your Wedding.