Estate Wedding Planning Timeline

Planning a wedding can feel like a giant puzzle, with you being the only one missing your first few pieces. Every moment feels like another challenge to overcome when you're trying to organize a wedding.

Weddings ARE stressful when you don’t have the right support, and it is natural to feel overwhelmed. With so many details to keep track of and decisions to make, it's easy to panic about not having enough time to get everything done. However, with careful planning and organization, you can make sure that your special day runs smoothly and stress-free from start to finish. 

You need a detailed plan of attack if you want to pull this off within a minimum of 12 months! Because let's face it – there are so many important things that need our attention before we say "I do." 

In this blog post, we are going to walk you through the intricate process of The Wildflower 301 with their estate wedding planning timeline to make sure your big day goes smoothly:

12 months out: Venue and catering

You'll want to start looking at the most important things as early as 12 months before your wedding date, and these are the venue and your catering food options.

Venue

Finding the perfect venue is crucial for an estate wedding. Before you even begin to consider a date, narrow your list of estate wedding venues where you'd love to have your special day at. Visit these venues, and see how they feel in person. You'll want to think about capacity, accessibility, and price – all of which will vary depending on the venue.

However, you won't have to waste any of your time with the 200-year-old estate of the Wildflower 301. It has two acres of English-style gardens with paths that evoke the grandeur of an English castle, a 7,000-square-foot wedding venue, a 5,000-square-foot manor for on-site accommodations, bourbon gardens, a first-look platform, a two-story cottage, a magnolia terrace with strung lights, making it the ideal location for your big day. As we like to say, our venue is a visual representation of your love story.

Catering

The catering options depending on the type of wedding you are planning. People generally plan the caterer for the rehearsal dinner, reception, and sometimes the after-party. 

At The Wildflower 301, as foodies at heart, our on-site caterers believe strongly in the power of food and family to connect us. We provide a wide range of options, from casual buffets to formal sit-down dinners. Each package includes staffing, white china, and the highest quality silverware. Learn more about our on-site catering here.

9 Months out: Florals and Tastings

At nine months to go, you'll want to start planning your floral arrangements and taste-testing your menu alternatives after deciding on a catering service provider.

Submitting floral ideas

Most brides become overwhelmed when it comes to picking out florals and matching it up with the overall theme.  Not the case with Wildflower brides.  Since we have an in house florist it is a seamless experience between your vision, the venue and the florals.  

They know that your wedding flowers, like all the other aspects of your wedding, are unique and individualized to you, your love story, and your big day. They can assist you in finding the perfect arrangement for your specific needs and venue. It is common for brides to choose flowers that are in season at the time. A gorgeous and fresh bouquet always adds a special touch.

Tasting of food options

Tasting the food you're considering for your estate wedding is crucial. Food is such a big part of the wedding experience for your guests, and it's even more so for you and your spouse-to-be. 

As part of your dinner package with The Wildflower 301's in-house caterers, you and up to six other people will get a private tasting on the property after your reservation. If you want to make your wedding meal special, you can choose from up to six different options.

8 months out: Bridal Registry and Outfits

With eight months remaining, this is the time that it is advised for the couple to finalize their bridal registry and select outfits for their bridesmaids and groomsmen.

Finalize bridal registry

Depending on the registries you're using, this task can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months. First, make a list of items you and your fiancé would like to have for your marital home. By requesting these products eight months in advance, you're giving your guests plenty of time to plan and shop for them.

You may want to consider a charity registry as well. You can find numerous ones online where guests can make a donation to a charity of their choice instead of buying you a gift.

Our wedding planners will help guide you to the best options to establish your bridal registry.  The most important thing to remember with setting up your registry, to have FUN! It is a time to picture what you want in your life together as your journey begins.

Select Bridesmaids/Groomsmen Outfits

We usually advise couples we work with to incorporate their bridesmaids and groomsmen in the wedding planning process as early as possible. An 8-month window is ideal for picking out the attire for your bridal party.  We all know unexpected situations happen, so it is best to not leave this to the last minute.

This also includes the time required to choose from a vast range of fabrics, colors, and styles. To avoid a last-minute scramble, everyone should start looking for an outfit as soon as possible, whether online or at a physical store. Get their outfits custom-made, or at the very least get them ahead of time so that they have time to get modifications done.

Having a well dressed bridal party really puts a stamp on the whole visual.  Don’t worry this is absolutely another area we guide you in.

3 months out: Invitations, Favors, Vows

As the wedding day approaches, the little details will begin to take shape. These include preparing the invitations, picking on wedding favors, drafting custom wedding vows, and applying for a marriage license.

Order/Send out Invitations

After finding a venue, selecting a caterer, and finalizing your bridal registry, you're ready to send out invitations. Decide what information you want to put in the invitation, and get them out.  This is where some couples will procrastinate a bit which can lead to late replies.  Which affect different parts of your wedding like catering. Check with your invitation vendor to ensure they have all the necessary information, including addresses, start times, and other details.  The details matter especially when it comes to your invites!

Select Wedding Favors

Even though wedding favors aren't essential, now is a great time to start thinking about what you'll be giving out on the big day.

Consult your event planner for suggestions if you're unsure about what you want your guests to take home as a souvenir. Attendees will appreciate and enjoy something that is keeping with your event's theme. Succulents, candles, food, and flowers are just a few possibilities.

Begin Prepping Vows

Creating the perfect vow can take a while, but it's worth it in the end. In other words, you should begin writing down your vows to your partner.  It sounds silly since you know you love your fiance so much, but sometimes turning that into words can be more challenging than expected.

There are many ways to accomplish this. For example, you can write them on your own or write them together and make a date night out of it. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and you'll want to give yourself plenty of time to make any last-minute adjustments that will enhance the heartfelt message you want to share with your soul mate.

1 month out: Layout meetings and walkthrough, vendors, and a seating chart

The clock is ticking down to your estate wedding day, and you feel the strain. The finalization of everything from your venue to your vendors to the seating design is necessary at this point of preparation.

Attend the layout meeting and walkthrough 

All of our brides and grooms at Wildflower are booked for a layout meeting with your wedding planner. During this discussion, you are going to talk about where you would like everything to be placed. You will also visit the event space to discuss the set-up process and any concerns that you may have. This is the time when all the little details are ironed out so nothing is left out.  Proper preparation is key when it comes to pulling together an event like a wedding.  At Wildflower we are like the little fairy godmother pulling all the strings and making sure your big day is nothing but stunning.

Pay vendors in Full

In the last month leading up to your big day, many of your wedding providers will begin to ask for the remaining amount of money for their services. Therefore, you should start planning to pay up so that you won't have to deal with any uncomfortable situations before or on your wedding day.  That is the last thing you want to be handling on that day.  Which is why we advise our couples to plan for 30 days out to have all payments completed.

Create a seating chart

This is especially important for huge weddings where there are many guests. When it comes to putting it all together, you can ask your wedding coordinator. Assuming your guests have confirmed their attendance, you can now begin creating a seating chart for your formal seated event.  

Your planner at the Wildflower will also be able to assist you with creative ways to display your seating chart that matches the theme of your wedding.  These special touches go along way and really let your personality be felt.

2 weeks out: Final Head Count

It is now time for the location and those providing catering to gather a final headcount of those attending the wedding. The final head count at the venue and the caterer, which you will need to confirm, will determine the final seating capacity at your event as well as the number of dishes for each meal.

Wedding Day

Finally, it's time to let loose and be fully in the moment. This is absolutely a top 10 moment that will be unfolding in your life.

Now that you've completed the preparations, you can now take some time to relax and enjoy yourself on your actual wedding day. In the end, it's all about having a good time and celebrating your love for each other. Taking a moment to yourself before the ceremony will help you relax and appreciate the moment. And above all else, we hope you enjoy this wonderful new chapter of your lives together as a married couple.

Celebrate! We'll take care of everything for you, so all you have to do is show up there and walk down the aisle.  Going through this blog it may seem like a lot to accomplish.  To be honest there is more to do then what was shared.  It is not a small task to bring any event together let alone a wedding.  Which is why our team and wedding planners are right there every step of the way helping you navigate the different tasks while taking the stress off of you.

We invite you to start the process by first getting access to our price sheet.  From there you can share your desired wedding dates, and our team will be in touch to set up your private estate tour. All of our couples truly become a part of the Wildflower family.

Get your estate wedding planning timeline started by clicking here and scrolling down for our price sheet.

Your love story starts here,

The Wildflower Team