Six months to go

Last month flew by. This month begins DIT Projects! (DIT or Do-It-Together Projects is a term a fellow WeddingBee coined for DIY Projects). It's going to be fun getting together to work on invitations, tablescapes, programs, and wedding favors.

We've accomplished a lot. To make sure we weren't missing anything big, we logged into one of the wedding industry's most trusted sources, Martha Stewart Weddings, and discovered we're pretty much on track - 6 items outstanding and 189 days to complete the remaining 81 tasks.

We noticed that their checklist doesn't include "subtasks" for couples who have DIT projects. For example, invitations fit succinctly in one line item - "Search for a vendor to create and address your invitations. They may also assist with creating place cards and menu cards." In case you haven't been reading along, we're designing and printing our own invitations. In DIY terms, this should be:

1. (Done!) Design your invitations.
2. (Done!) Search for paper and ribbon vendor(s).
3. (Done!) Order invitation supplies.
4. (In progress) Find paper cutter, glue, etc. and order missing tools (corner punch) and more supplies (deckle and scoring blades, cartridges of ink, etc.) as needed.
5. Print invitations, information inserts, and reply cards.
6. Cut invitations and information inserts to size.
7. Assemble invitations.
8. Determine and verify needed postage using scale at post office.
9. Address envelopes.
10. Stuff envelopes.
11. Seal envelopes.
12. Apply postage.
13. Drop completed, addressed invitations in the mail and wait patiently for RSVPs to come in.

In one month, we've completed the following (most of which were not on the checklist):

• Established a budget.
• Ordered our rings.
• Determined theme of wedding.
• Chose our photographer.
• Selected designers to custom make our wedding clothes and accessories.
• Selected venue.
• Chose color palette.
• Selected fonts for stationery and website.
• Designed and created our website, as well as setting up social media accounts.
• Styled our reception tables; purchased Real Touch Silk Dahlias; and ordered linens.
• Selected a vendor to produce custom stamps and designed and ordered postage.
• Designed, printed, addressed, and mailed Save the Dates.
• Designed our invitations and ordered paper and ribbon.
• Hired a "month of" wedding coordinator.

Did you use a planning checklist? Which ones did you find useful? Did you have tasks that weren't included on the checklists?