So your boyfriend has surprised you with an engagement ring and popped the big question! You replied with an enthusiastic "YES!". Suddenly you have gone from "girlfriend" to "fiancee".

After the excitement of telling your family and friends that you are officially engaged, you'll probably start to realize that the two of you have a big chore ahead - planning your wedding.

Whether you have decide to have something simple with only close friends and family in attendance or an extravagant event with hundreds of people, you will still have plenty to do in order to make sure your wedding day is as enjoyable and fun as possible. Remember, advance planning and open communication are the keys to a stress-free wedding day.

What follows below is a common timeline that you may find helpful as you begin your wedding planning.

A Wedding Planning Timeline:
10-12 Months Before:
To start your wedding planning you will want to pick a date for your wedding! On average, most couples plan a wedding date about 11-12 months from their engagement. Picking your date will involve looking at a ca lender and noting holidays that may fall on the weekend you are planning on getting married. You don't want to plan a wedding on a holiday, only to find many of guests will be out of town on a vacation.

Next, you'll want to start your wedding planning with an open, honest conversation with your partner about your wedding budget. Are either of your relatives going to contribute to the expenses? If so, you will want to find out as soon as possible so you can adjust the amount of money you will be budgeting for the wedding. A Wedding Planning Tip: Services and products have a higher demand at certain times of the year, which means you'll pay more. Examples include New Years Day, Christmas and Fourth of July and Valentines Day.

After your date and budget have been discussed and set, next you'll want to visit venues in person to see if they can accommodate your wedding date and the size of your wedding reception. After you have made your choice, you will sign a contract and give a deposit to the hall to hold your date.

9 Months Before:
At this time you will want to start interviewing photographers, DJ's and florists. This is the time to ask many questions and get referrals. Ask them if you can see them "in action" at an upcoming ceremony they have been booked for. Often the service providers will put on a nice show and sales pitch at their offices, but seeing them in person while working a wedding may tell a different story. Again, once you have chosen your vendors you'll sign a contract and pay a deposit.

Wedding Dress - This is one element of your wedding day that you want to spend a lot of time on! Be sure to go to a Bridal Boutique with a few friends or family whose opinions you can trust. You'll want to try on various styles to see what looks best for you! The staff there will spend lots of time with you asking questions to help you find your style. After you have shopped around, made your choice and purchased your dress the shop will take preliminary measurements for any tailoring that needs to be done. Don't forget to bring your wedding shoes if you have already chosen them.

6-8 Months Before:
If you are planning on traveling abroad for your honeymoon, be sure to get your passports updated. You'll also want to start looking at invitations and wedding cake designers to find the cake style that is just right for your day. Don't be afraid to get creative here - these cake designers can accommodate almost any request and enjoy the challenge of creating new wedding cake designs. One trend we have recently seen making a comeback is a "Groom's Cake". This was a cake made in the shape of a golf green with a golf cart as a decoration. These add a very unique touch to that wedding as they let everyone see a personal side of the Groom.

At this time you should also talk with hotels near your reception hall and negotiate a block of rooms for you and your guests that will want to spend the night after your wedding reception.

You will want to have your Bridesmaid's dresses chosen and have initial fittings with all your attendants. Be sure to include the flower girl if you are having one!

4-5 Months Before:
Now is the time to book your honeymoon vacation and travel plans. You guest list should be mostly final by this point as well, so this is the time to send out your invitations, don't forget to include the hotel information with your invitations. You should also get in touch with any ceremony musicians to book them for your wedding date. Many churches have "in-house" musicians that can be contacted and booked for a small fee. You'll also want to reserve the Groom's and Groomsman's tuxedos.

2 Months Before:
We recommend calling your vendors 2 months before your date to confirm that your event is on their schedule. You should also book your limo, if needed, to get you to the reception from your church. Be sure they know the location and the timeframe when they can set up on your wedding day. You will also want to book your hairstylist and makeup appointments for your wedding day.

You should also make sure to get to your local courthouse and get a wedding license (if required).

1 Month Before:
Call anyone that hasn't sent back their RSVP. Start to set our your seating arrangements for your reception. You'll want to confirm the music with your ceremony musicians. Your final fitting for your wedding dress should be arranged. Print your wedding programs.

1 - 2 Weeks Before:
Confirmation time to ensure everything is in place and in order for your date:
Have someone confirm vendors one last time.
Photographer - Provide them a list of photos that he must get.
DJ - Provide list of music that must be played (and those that must not!)
Officiant
Wedding Cake Designer
Limo
Finalize all duties for your wedding party.

Days Before:
Call caterer with final head count
Give hall final seating chart
Grooms pick up their tuxedos
Set up a separate area for all that will need to be brought to ceremony site and reception hall, for ex: Table decorations, table cards, cake cutting set.
Pack for your honeymoon if you are leaving the day after your wedding.
Give list of all vendor phone numbers to your "wedding-day" assistant

Day of:
Get up early! Nothing will give you more stress than having to scramble around trying to make up time!
Eat a substantial breakfast to give you energy throughout the day.
Get to hair stylist/makeup person
Get to church early to get into your wedding gown
Smile and have fun - this is YOUR DAY!

Download Your Free Wedding Planning Timeline from a2zBridal.com (.pdf format)