This guide is an introduction to "60 Days to a Beautiful Wedding".

Most professionals in the wedding industry will tell you it takes a year minimum to plan a nice wedding. I always thought this was true as well. Last year, wedding bells weren't far off,  then our daughter "set" our wedding date. Since we are more traditional, we wanted to have a  nice wedding before our daughter was born, so 60 Days to a Beautiful Wedding was conceived.

The first thing you should do is have a romantic intimate dinner with your betrothed. Think about what you imagine that special day looking like. I wanted a traditional wedding that incorporated a  communion worship service. I wanted to be married in my church. My husband imagined a beachside wedding either at sunrise or sunset. A few conversations and we agreed on a traditional wedding with a beachside honeymoon.

There are many things to think about and think through, but the key to everything is "the big picture". What memories, momentos, images, sounds, feelings, tastes, smells do you and your fiance' want to take away from this intimate experience? Who do you want to share this day with? Who do you need to share this day with? Who will pay for the wedding? Who will make the decisions? Who will have some input?

Strife quickly crops up during the planning process, and this will be one of the first tests of your marital realtionship. Everyone's emotions are running high, so keep this in mind and take everything in stride. Once you and your loved one determine your dream wedding, the rest becomes quite simple. You will need to anticipate family and friends wanting to help, you will need to be strong and state to them that if their offer is sincere, "I need you to ______" and utilize them to benefit your special day.

Be sure to get plenty of rest, eat well and drink lots of water. You need to be your best both physically and mentally. Somehow your body does it's natural thing when it comes to wedding stress. Most people lose weight just before marriage. If you eat when you're stressed, keep healthy options available, and eat the sweet, yummy treats early in the day. Be sure to have breakfast!!!

Once you've got the "big picture" in sight, then you can make a list of who you need to contact for what:

Family, friends, location, stationer, caterer, photographer, dressmaker (wedding dress/trousseau), tailor (for tuxedo or suit), pastry chef, florist, honeymoon destination, doctor appointments, etc.

If you're not a detail person, it's recommended that you hire a wedding planner. Venues and services are usually readily available even on short notice, but you need a planner who is comfortable working with a tight deadline. Do not expect to get a "deal" on goods and services, but you can definitely plan on exceptional service with some added value from most. They are happy to fill these pockets of availability in their calendar, and in doing so will give you special attention to your wedding. They will also remember you specifically because they are working closely with you now, rather than sporadically mixed in with all their other clients over a period of months or in some cases years.