Nobody will ever tell you that wedding planning is easy! In fact, planning a wedding can be made a lot easier with plenty of organization and a realistic timetable. Of course, the amount of time that you will require to complete the full wedding planning procedure will depend on the type and size of wedding that you are considering. Wedding Planning Getting Started Set a realistic timetable. A great deal of the stress involved in wedding planning is due to the amount that needs to be accomplished, in a short space of time. To reduce this stress, give yourself more time! Of course, you may be restricted, in terms of venue availability, but if you are given a choice, it is always worth extending your timetable rather than reducing it. There is often a great temptation to get caught up in the moment and to try and push the wedding date forward; resist this, as you could be heading towards a wedding planning headache! Wedding Planning Suggested Timetable Depending on the venue that you are planning on using, you may need to book your wedding up to three years in advance! With this in mind, you should select a venue for both your ceremony and reception, at the earliest possible opportunity. Wedding planning experts suggest that all other aspects such as dresses, flowers and invitations should be planned over an 18-month period. One of your first considerations needs to be the size and type of wedding; in fact, you will need to have a rough idea of numbers, before you even approach venues. However, if you have fallen in love with a specific venue, it is may be that you have to alter your guest list to fit in! The wedding dress is something that will be considered, at a relatively early stage. Bear in mind however, that a bride may change her shape in the run up to a wedding so always schedule in a few staged fittings to make sure that there are no nasty surprises, on the big day. Wedding Planning – Key Tips When wedding planning, it is important not to lose sight of the ultimate aim. Remaining flexible on the smaller items that you are not really bothered about will save you many sleepless nights and will also do wonders for your budget. Get others that you trust to help with the planning. This way you do not have to shoulder the whole burden and you can also brainstorm to produce new and novel ideas. The real key to success when it comes to wedding planning is to allow yourself plenty of time. Write lists and stay ahead of the game!