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Lets us help you by providing you with a checklist to make the planning
of your special day as easy as can be...
SIXTEEN TO NINE MONTHS PRIOR
Ο Start a wedding folder or binder. Begin leafing through bridal, lifestyle, fashion, gardening,
design and food magazines for inspiration.
Rydges Wedding Brochure
Ο Work out your budget. Determine how much you want to spend, based on your families
contributions and your own.
Ο Pick your wedding party. As soon as you announce your engagement people will start to
wonder who your bridal party will be.
Ο Start the guest list. Start with a basic list with columns for names, contact details, RSVP's and
relation to bride/groom (This will assist in the later planning stage for the seating plan).
Ο Book your date. Once you have selected a preferred date book in your venue with our talented
wedding
planners. Rydges Tradewinds Weddings
Rydges Esplanade Weddings
Ο Book your officiator.
Ο Research photographers, bands and florists. Let our
wedding planner assist you with getting you in touch with
the best wedding suppliers in Cairns.
Ο Throw an engagement party. Celebrate your
engagement with friends and family. Ask our wedding
team about fantastic engagement party options at Rydges
Hotels & Resorts.
Rydges Tradewinds Events
Rydges Esplanade Events
EIGHT MONTHS PRIOR
Ο Hire the photographer. Organise the photographer that you feel comfortable with and
understands what memories you want to take away for the day.
Ο Book the entertainment. Meet with your music provider and ensure that they can assist with
your music, even if you want to pick every last song or leave it up to the experts.
Ο Meet with your dedicated wedding planner. Meet with our team and start to discuss what
details are required and when to start planning your menu, theme, layout etc.
Ο Purchase a dress. Pick the perfect dress. Ensure to have a couple of fittings.
Ο Set up a gift register. Set up at least three retailers if you decide to have a designated gift
register.
SEVEN TO SIX MONTHS PRIOR
Ο Select and purchase invitations. Decide if you wish to write each card yourself or have chosen
words printed onto the invitations.
Ο Start planning a honeymoon. Why not check out our fantastic Rydges Hotels & Resorts
Honeymoon packages across Australia and New Zealand. Rydges Honeymoon Packages
Ο Shop for bridesmaids dresses. Have a look with your bridesmaids at what styles and colours
you like and allow six months for ordering and sizing.
Ο Meet with your officiator. Have a run through of how the ceremony will run and ensure that all
the necessary paperwork has been provided.
Ο Send save-the-date cards. Ensure to include your accommodation code for your guests to book
the special rate offered with your Rydges Wedding.
Contact us: Tradewinds 07 7053 0300 reservations_tradewinds@rydges.com
or Esplanade 07 4044 9000 reservations_esplanadecairns@rydges.com
Ο Book a florist. Make an appointment to meet with the florist to talk through colours and themes,
bring pictures of what you like along to help your florist understand your vision.
Ο Arrange transport. Decide which transport you would like to make your grand entrance with.
Ο Start making a schedule for the day. Start to place everything for the day in order. If you are
unsure of the order of events that will best suit, contact your talented wedding planner to assist.
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FIVE TO FOUR MONTHS PRIOR
Ο Check on the wedding invitations. Ask for a sample if you are getting them made to have a
look at the design to ensure they are perfect.
Ο Select and order the cake. Have a tasting of your cake and have a look at all the different styles,
designs and flavours to make it fit your wedding day.
Ο Purchase wedding shoes and start dress fittings. Make sure to bring your shoes along to
wedding fittings so that your dress will sit at the right height.
Ο Schedule hair and makeup artists. Make a few appointments with local experts to try them out
and take photos so you can look back if need be.
Ο Choose your music. Start to think of all the times you want your music to play such as first
dance, entrance songs, cake cuttings, background dinner music etc.
THREE MONTHS PRIOR
Ο Finalise the menu and flowers. Start to lock these items in so that you
have them ticked off your list.
Ο Order favours. Some of our favourites are handmade chocolates, scented
candles, little wine bottles but the ideas are endless.
Ο Make a list of people giving toasts. Ask your nearest and dearest to start
thinking about what they would like to say.
Ο Finalise the readings. Look through poems and readings to determine
which ones you would like said at your ceremony and by whom.
Ο Finalise the order of the day. Think about preparation times, ceremony
times and reception times.
Ο Purchase the rings. Make sure you leave time for resizing and engraving.
Ο Send your event schedule to all vendors. Send this to Rydges so we can
match your schedule as well as your celebrant, DJ/Band, Master of
Ceremonies etc.
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TWO MONTHS PRIOR
Ο Meet with the photographer and DJ or Band. Discuss locations for your photo shoot and your
wish list of songs.
Ο Send out invitations. A good rule of thumb is to send the invitations 8 weeks before and set the
RSVP date 3 weeks before the ceremony.
Ο Enjoy a bachelorette and bucks party. Arranging a night out with all the girls and all the guys
usually falls to the Maid of Honour and the Best Man but why not suggest they check out
Rydges Hotels & Resorts Hens Party Packages
ONE MONTH PRIOR
Ο Enter RSVPs into your guest-list database. Anyone that hasn’t responded call them to check if
they will be coming.
Ο Get your marriage license. This can take a little while and is usually organised by your officiator.
Ο Visit the dressmaker for your last fitting. Well hopefully your last, but for peace of mind make
an appointment for the week of the wedding just encase a last minute adjustment is required.
Ο Finalise numbers. Now that you have a better idea of numbers start to let your suppliers know
your final number of guests.
Ο Pay as many final payments as you can. This will make sure that you do not have to organise
payments on your wedding day.
Ο Confirm times for hair and makeup.
Ο Email or print directions for drivers of transport vehicles. This gives them time to plan their
routes.
Ο Design a seating plan. Draw tables on a layout of the room (We can help with the table layout
for you and give you and example plan) and then with sticky notes place the guests at each seat so
you can move them around easily until you find the perfect fit.
Ο Purchase the bridesmaids and groomsmen gifts. These can be presented during a rehearsal
dinner or on the morning of your wedding.
Ο Write your vows. If you are writing your own vowels take the time to plan them out.
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THE WEEK OF YOUR WEDDING
Ο Reconfirm arrival times with vendors.
Ο Delegate small wedding tasks. Choose someone to bustle your dress, someone to carry your
things, someone to be in charge of gifts, someone to be the point of contact for each supplier.
Ο Send a timeline to the bridal party. Include contact details for all the people in the bridal party
and any other key people.
Ο Pick up the dress. Or make arrangements for it to be delivered.
Ο Check in one last time with the photographer. Supply them with a list of moments that you
want to be captured.
Ο Pay any outstanding amounts to suppliers.
Ο Book a spa treatment. Book in your manicure and pedicure the day before your wedding. Why
not utilise our onsite Spa: Spa by the Sea
Ο Send the final guest list to your onsite wedding planner.
Ο Break in your shoes.
Ο Pack for your honeymoon.
Ο Make an emergency kit for the day. With tissues, safety pins, cosmetics and sewing kit.
Ο Make sure to take all the wedding in from start to end and enjoy ♥
Contact Us
For more details or to arrange you site inspection,
please contact our wedding coordinator
P: Tradewinds: 07 4053 0362 / Esplanade: 07 4044 9022
E: functions_tradewinds@rydges.com / functions_esplanade@rydges.com
W: www.rydges.com
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