Order wedding invitations four to six months prior to your wedding day. Other options include hand-written invitations if the guest list is 100 or less; computer-designed invitations using a specialized software or have a gifted friend design them for you. Expect six to eight weeks to complete your invitations if being professionally printed or engraved.

Mail invitations eight weeks before your wedding day and not less than four weeks before. Ask for an RSVP date no later than three weeks prior to the wedding so you can confirm the guest list with caterer/reception hall.

Apply for marriage license and certificate at your local town or city hall. Many states require mandatory blood tests as well as proof of legal age, to issue a marriage license. If divorced, you'll need the original copy of your absolute divorce decree. Start planning and researching travel agencies for your honeymoon, about six months prior to your wedding. Discuss with one another your idea of the perfect honeymoon. Ask married friends for recommendations and advice on how to plan a wedding.

How to plan a wedding may involve having a hospitality committee or an unofficial attendant at the very least. The hospitality committee can be made up of family members and friends who are willing to volunteer their talents and time. The unofficial attendant is chosen among an older sister, aunt, mother or reliable friend. They're the unofficial supervisor of your wedding ceremony and reception and help to smooth out any potential glitches. Provide them with a detailed timetable of the wedding day, including all important contacts with names and phone numbers. If neither of these options appeal to you, consider hiring a wedding consultant to oversee the wedding day.

Book all hair and makeup appointments about two months in advance or earlier during the high season of June and August. Allow for adequate time between bookings so you won't be rushed on your wedding day. Advice to women: do your hair color and cut two weeks before the wedding. Hair color is at its best after the first week. If unhappy with hair or color results, you'll have time to change it!

Finally, when it comes to how to plan a wedding, book some quiet time with your future spouse, especially during the final weeks leading up to the wedding. Meet for an intimate lunch or have a quiet candle-lit dinner at home, go for a long walk in your favorite park or catch a movie. You want to be relaxed and happy as your big day approaches.

Last but certainly not least, plan on enjoying and savoring every single moment of your wedding day. Your combined energies, creativity and wills have brought you to this special moment: make your day unforgettable and intimate when you say 'I do' in front of your loved ones. Let the celebrations begin!