omg. . .im already stressed out?

[Keri Z]

so i just got engaged about a month ago. . .im not getting married for a while (march '09) but i dont know what to do. . .i dont know how to get started. . .and no i dont want to hire a wedding planner. . .im not made of money!!

[2006 Bride]

While most vendors will probably look at you like you're crazy if you try to reserve anything this early, you can definitely start researching and getting ideas for what you will want on your big day. Buy all the bridal mags and use the Internet to check out locations, dresses, photographers, florists, DJs, and all the other things that go along with a wedding. Be prepared, and have a good idea of what you want before you meet with vendors. This way, they can work with you and offer suggestions on how to make the most of your vision. And, even though you have a lot of time right now, don't wait till the last minute to get things done!! Give yourself a good 12 months to organize everything. Organization and planning is key! Good luck, and enjoy this very exciting time!

[Yamadog]

Bride magazine. Ah, make your own dress? and stuff...stitch all your plans together, so to speak, outline who what where, etc. GLuck

[bestadvicechick]

Calm down - everything will be ok. Don't give in to the hype that planning a wedding has to be all drama. It's all in YOUR attitude and how you organize things. Don't worry.You need to start with a general budget - how much can you or your parents afford to spend? That will give you a good starting point. Next, pick a date - knowing the season (march) will help you when it comes to picking colors and locations for the ceremony. Get wedding magazines and start cutting out pictures of things you like. Get a 3 inch binder from Walmart of someplace like that and get dividers -make categories called "finances,""venues,""photography,""music,""wedding clothes," etc.As you research, just punch holes in stuff and put them in your divider. It will help you get organized and put your thoughts together. Go to a bridal store and just start trying on dresses. Just b/c you think a certain style looks good in a magazine, doesn't mean it'll look good for your body type. Goodluck and don't stress!

[Yazoo]

Try a couple of Internet sites like "Brides" and "The Knot". They're great! They have other brides in the community to answer your questions and tons of beautiful pictures. It is not to soon to start planning and buying for your wedding.

[Pretty Girl]

Start with a couple of good bridal magazines. I would try buying some local ones that list bridal services in your area. They will also have helpful suggestions and suggested time-lines for completing tasks by. You can also register with a bridal website. The very first thing you should think about is your venue. You should book your venue at least a year in advance. Before you can do that, you need to have an approximate idea of the number of guests you will have. I'm sure after browsing through magazines and websites you'll get plenty of ideas for a great wedding. You have plenty of time so don't worry.A good wedding website to check out is: www.weddingchannel.comGood luck!

[maigen_obx]

Buy some wedding magazines. They have time lines and checklists. You can also get a wedding planning book.