Dating With A Purpose
by Pastor Jack Schaap
Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana
Chapter Twenty
A Wedding Checklist
6-9 MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING
- The man should seek permission from the lady's parents to become engaged.
- Have a formal engagement with a ring.
- Place engagement announcement with pictures in local papers.
- Set up pre-marital counseling appointments with pastor or counselors.
- Obtain a list of recommended books on marriage from pastor and begin reading.
- Bride's father should determine
budget amount for wedding.
4-9 MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING
- Decide on the type of wedding you desire. This will be determined by your gown, the men's attire, decorations, formal or informal reception, and the number of attendants. Keep your budget in mind as you make these decisions.
- Set the date, time, and place.
- Select your attendants.
- Considering both families, make up your guest list.
- Choose your wedding gown.
- Choose your bridesmaids' dresses and men's attire.
- Secure the services of your church wedding hostess or a bridal consultant, if possible.
- Plan your future home furnishings.
- Buy your wedding rings.
- See your pastor.
3 MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING
- Plan your reception. Make arrangements with a caterer (if planning a formal reception), and secure a location for your reception.
- Order the cake.
- Plan your music.
- See your florist, and order your flowers.
- Select a photographer, and confirm the date.
- Order your invitations, announcements, and stationery.
- Set the date for rehearsal.
- Plan your wedding trip. Make the necessary reservations.
- Begin shopping for trousseau.
- Have your mother and mother-in-law confer with each other concerning their gowns.
- Secure birth certificates from the court house in the county in which you were born.
- Bride should consult with doctor
about marriage and health questions.
2 MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING
- Plan a method of recording your gifts.
- Make arrangements for the display of gifts.
- Keep up with thank-you notes as each gift arrives.
- Address the wedding invitations.
- Consult your fiancée about the rehearsal dinner plans and the guests to be invited.
- Make appointments for medical and dental checkups.
- Make an appointment with your hairdresser.
- Arrange a final fitting of your gown.
- Select gifts for the bridesmaids and the groom.
- Set the date for your bridesmaids' luncheon (if one is planned).
- Arrange housing for out-of-town guests.
- Arrange transportation to the church.
- Have a formal portrait made, if
desired.
1 MONTH BEFORE THE WEDDING
- Mail the wedding invitations.
- Endeavor to have friends who are planning showers for you to do so now.
- Buy necessary items for your new home, and make any moving arrangements.
- Set up a gift display, if you plan one.
- Set aside everything you will wear on your wedding day, and keep it together.
- Check on bridesmaids' apparel and be sure ensembles are complete.
- Send wedding announcements and glossy prints to the newspapers.
- Make final arrangements with your caterer, baker, reception hall, florist, photographer, and wedding consultant.
- Arrange place for bridesmaids to dress together.
- Plan seating arrangements for the rehearsal dinner and the reception, if necessary.
- Attend parties in your honor.
- Have your hair styled as you desire for your wedding day. Take along your headpiece to be sure it will fit.
- Appoint a special aide to help you with details and unexpected events.
- Read books on the physical aspect of
marital love.
2 WEEKS BEFORE THE WEDDING
- Apply for your marriage license with your fianee. Be sure to take your birth certificates with you.
- Send the rehearsal dinner invitations.
- Assign attendants tasks, such as taking gifts to your home, removing keepsakes from the church, retrieving the cake top, guest book, etc.
- Make a final check of bridesmaids' dresses and accessories.
- Select gifts or write checks for pianist, organist, soloists, custodians, P.A. workers, nursery attendants.
- Select a special gift or personal
expressions of gratitude for parents and pastor.
1 WEEK BEFORE THE WEDDING
- Be sure you are current with all thank-you notes.
- Collect your trousseau items and have them ready to pack.
- Pick up your marriage license.
- Confirm necessary reservations.
- Be aware of your health needs, and don't neglect to eat correctly.
- Relax! Spend some time with your family.
- Change name and address on your
legal documents, i.e., driver's license, social security number, etc.
1 DAY BEFORE YOUR WEDDING
- Pack your luggage.
- Leave your honeymoon itinerary with your parents or someone responsible, in the event that you need to be contacted.
- Arrange for someone to check your home occasionally while you are away.
- Make a final check of your luggage,
and go to bed early.
THE WEDDING DAY
At last the day has arrived! Calm yourself, pamper yourself, relax, and enjoy your wedding day!
Share a breakfast or a cup of coffee with your parents.
Speak to your fiancé/fiancée on the phone. (My traditional upbringing does not allow for the groom to see his bride before the wedding.)
Make a call or two to a friend, a special convert or a bus kid, or a close relative unable to come to the wedding.
Don't neglect your Bible and your
Saviour on this day that symbolizes His love for you.
AFTER THE WEDDING
- Be sure to send photograph and wedding announcement to local newspapers.
