FIRST things first.... nail a date on the calendar (after checking with
the priests if you’re doing it the traditional way). Decide the size of the wedding: The number of functions you need to organise, the time, dates and venues and most importantly your budget. Then it is full steam ahead for W-Day.

Six months...

Make the bookings. The venue is the most crucial, whether you are getting married in a church, temple, gurdwara, park or even in the HDB void deck, you need to make a booking early.

If you don’t book the venue at this juncture said Ms M.R. Sivarani, Rupini’s creative director who is also a wedding consultant, it will be difficult to get the venue you want.

“All the best venues and hotel ballrooms will be snapped up six months ahead. In some cases a year ahead. Once you’ve decided your wedding date, this is the first thing you have to do.”

Then book the photographers, videographers, caterers, wedding transport, henna and make-up artists, florists, the priest, the cake as well as a wedding planner, if you’re not planning it yourself. Pay the deposits.

Once that is out of the way, you need to come up with a wedding theme, plan the wedding outfits, bangle or sangeet ceremonies, parties and any other rituals that are part of the wedding celebrations.

Ms Sivarani suggests sending an e-mail blast to family and friends to let them know about the wedding date. “That way if anyone needs to travel to the wedding, they can block off those dates,” she added.

Rally the troops. Start delegating the jobs to both sides of the family as well as your friends. If you are having the marriage legally registered on the same day as your traditional ceremony, please head to the Registrar of Marriages to book the date and sort out the legal paperwork. And book the honeymoon.

Five months...

Many couples head to India to shop for wedding outfits, shoes, jewellery and accessories for the wedding parties.

Executive Preeti Dhillon, 26, who got married last month, bought her wedding outfits as well as gifts meant to be given to both sides of the family in Amritsar and Delhi. “There are many choices there and the prices are affordable,” she said.

However she cautioned that before heading for the big nuptial buy, one should plan the shopping list, budget thoroughly and get the help of relatives.

It is also around this time that personal trainers like Jay Devaraj Thevar gets requests from brides-to-be to whip them into shape.

“By this point, they know what their wedding outfits are going to be like and they want to look very good for that wedding photograph,” he said.

“Most of the brides want to lose around 10kg by their wedding day. The grooms are forced to lose weight because their brides pester them,” he added.

Four months...

Draw up the guest list. Give your caterer a rough idea about the number of people attending the wedding.

Personal assistant Ela Kumar, 35, points out that many members of the Indian community, especially the older relatives, do not understand the concept of RSVP.

If you’re having a sit down dinner like she did, be prepared to fight fires on the wedding day.

“I personally called my guests to get a confirmation that they were coming. Even then, some people pulled out at the last minute and another family brought more people than they said they would. You just can’t lose your cool over it,” she said.
The four-month marker is a time to start the beauty regimen.

Three months...

Send out the invitations. MsDeepa Thanaseelan (left) who got married last month advises brides-and grooms-to-be to follow up with a phone call or e-mail to guests to make sure they have received the wedding cards in order to avoid embarrassment. “We found out after the wedding that some of our guests didn’t receive our cards sent by mail. They called us later to find out when it was,” she said.

Organise wedding favours for the guests and presents for your helpers. Have a trial run with your hair stylist and make-up artist to confirm the look you want on your wedding day.

Two months...

If you haven’t started your beauty regimen by now, this is your last call. Dr Komathy Rajaratnam, who runs The Lifestyle Clinic, suggests getting a chemical peel with treatment creams for acne problems that might pop up due to stress. Brides can also consider microdermabrasion with a vitamin mask which is supposed to give the skin a glow.

Another problem area she suggests brides consider is the back. “The skin we prepare for the day is not only facial. Clear up spotty backs for that sexy sari blouse,” she added.

One month...

Reconfirm wedding arrangements. Have the hen and stag nights. Tie up any loose ends. If you don’t have a wedding planner, ask a trusted friend or family member to run around for you on the wedding day to put out fires and make final payments, so you can focus on being a goddess.

Seven days...

Have a manicure and pedicure for yourself and your groom. Have your henna, bangle and sangeet ceremonies. Organise with a close friend to have an emergency wedding kit, containing make-up and a repair kit for the wedding outfit in case of any minor hiccups through the day.

If you have a wedding planner, they should have a list of all the wedding services involved in your wedding day. If not, delegate that task to that trusted friend or family member who will do the running around for you.

The Day Before:
Relax, breathe and get an early night.

>> The six day plan for men