Call the officiant.
Couples often get wrapped up in securing the reception space for the wedding day, and for good reason since popular venues often book up as far as a year in advance. But don’t forget about the officiant, who will actually be marrying the two of you. Houses of worship--along with the officiants--also book up far in advance, so you’ll want to secure that person and/or place as soon as you have that date.
Notify your inner circle.
Make sure you let your nearest and dearest (parents, siblings, best friends--anyone who must be there) about the date, either by email or phone. This isn't a formal invite, so communicating this way is fine. You just want to make sure it is on their calendars right away.
Choose your bridal party.
Of course, you'll also need the members of your bridal party to mark their calendars, so don't forget to let them know you want them to be a part of your special day.
Hire priority vendors.
You don't have to rush through the planning, but there are a few vendors--specifically the photographer and entertainment--that tend to book up well in advance. So if you have a must-have wedding pro, be sure to secure them as soon as you have your date set.
Make your guest list.
You should have a rough idea of how many people you want at your wedding, and while you don't need to finalize the list right now, you should have your top-tier guests down so that you can
Send out save the dates.
There tends to be a lull between the date selection and sending out the save-the- dates so couples often forget that some guests may benefit from having the date as soon as it's set, says Paula Ramirez of Historic Mankin Mansion. If you have international guests, pregnant guests or those who travel frequently for work, you will want to give them a heads up far before the save-the- date is sent out.
stringed foil-pressed save the date cards
Book a hotel block.
With hotel occupancy rates hitting record highs in 2016 and 2017, it’s good to get that part of the weekend secured for your guests, says Amy Green of Where Will They Stay? "Most of our clients contact us an average of nine months in advance of their big day, but in high-demand cities, we recommend getting started on options as soon as your venue is secured, and at least a year in advance where possible."
