From announcing your engagement to departing for your honeymoon weddings take a great deal of time to organise but with a bit of forward planning the preparations should run smoothly.

For most weddings the preparations need to start at least a year in advance and if you are looking to hire out popular venues during the summer months then you may even need to book them 18 months to two years ahead.

Before you go public and announce the date you should make sure that the venues you want are going to be available.

  • Budget

Before you do anything you need to sort out your budget. How much can you afford to spend on the wedding?The average cost of a traditional wedding in the UK is estimated to be between £11,000 and £15,000, depending on what area of the country you are getting married in, so if you haven't saved up in advance you could find that you start your married life in lots of debt. If money is no object then go for it and start planning the wedding of your dreams, if you are working to a tight budget though you may need to start thinking of cheaper alternatives. Perhaps you could hire your wedding outfits instead of buying them or get a friend to do the catering or take the photographs.

Maybe you could arrange to hold the reception at a friend or relative's if they have a spacious house and garden. You may need to limit the number of guests but remember this is your special day not your parents' and so it is your friends you should invite not theirs.Don't invite people for the sake of it. Only ask those who you really want to be there.

Saving money on the wedding will also give you more cash to spend on your dream honeymoon.

Remember a personal wedding with close family and friends will be just as memorable, if not more, than a huge Posh and Becks-style affair.

  • Venue

Once you have agreed on a budget you need to get your venues booked for the wedding ceremony, reception and evening do, if these are to be held in separate places.

You need to decide where the wedding will take place. Do you want to get married in a church or register office or do you want a civil ceremony? You can get married virtually anywhere as long as the venue you want has a licence to hold weddings.

You need to decide what time you want to hold the wedding. If you have guests travelling long distances you may not want it to start too early but remember to leave enough time after the ceremony for photographs before the reception starts.

  • Photographer

Your wedding photographs will serve as a constant reminder of your special day for many years to come and so it is important that you are pleased with them. If you want to book a professional photographer who is in demand you will need to do this at least a year in advance. Look at their portfolios and see which style of pictures you would like most importantly make sure you get on with your photographer. This way you can ensure you will end up with the wedding pictures you want.

  • Best man and bridesmaids

At this stage you need to start thinking about who you choose as your best man and bridesmaids.

The best man is one of the key figures ion the wedding day as it is up to them to ensure everything goes smoothly and of course they need to make a speech. Generally the best man will be the groom's best friend or brother but you need to make sure whoever you choose will be reliable, has good people skills, a sense of humour and is not afraid to speak in public. You also need someone who is not going to offend any of the guests during the speech. It needs to be funny and entertaining without being rude.

They also need to have good organisational skills as it is their job to organise the groom's stag night.

The bride will also need to choose her bridesmaids out of her close family and friends. It is often wise to choose a chief bridesmaid who is arrange your own age and can help pick outfits and stop you getting flustered on the big day. If all your bridesmaids are young children it may add to the stress on the big day. Older bridesmaids can also look after the younger ones and make sure they know what they have to do.

As with the best man the chief bridesmaid will be responsible for organising the bride's hen night.

You also need to decide at this stage if you are having ushers or page boys.

  • Outfits

Once the wedding party has been agreed you need to start looking around for outfits. The bride will generally have a say in what sort of outfits the groom and best man wear but traditionally the bride's outfit is kept a secret from her husband until the day.

The bride will also choose the bridesmaids dresses but it is important to get something they are going to feel comfortable in so make sure you get their opinions on anything you like. It may take a while to find the dresses you want so the sooner you start looking the better. If you are having your dresses made then it can take up to six months, so make sure you plan for this in you schedule.

  • Other touches

When the outfits are in hand start to think about the cake and flowers. Like photographers good florists can get booked up so make sure you leave plenty of time and have lots of contact with your florist about colours and the kinds of flowers you would like. By now you will know what colour the brides and bridesmaids' dresses are going to be so avoid any colours that may clash.

  • Adding details

About four months before the wedding you need to start sending out invitations, include a gift list and details of which shop this is being held at or if you just want vouchers or money make sure you say. Confirm all the arrangements with the venues. Think about what music you would like and decorations etc. Also organise your transport to the venue and go shopping for your rings.

  • Seating plan

When you have received all the replies to your invitations you will need to sort out a seating plan for the reception. Try to put people on tables with other people they already know or people you think they are going to get on with. Avoid a round top table as this will obscure the view of the bride and groom and the best man and bride's father who will be giving the speeches.

  • Stag and hen dos

This is one thing you don't have to worry about as traditionally they will be organised by the best man and chief bridesmaid. Make sure you hold them a few weeks before the wedding. The tradition of holding them the night before is quite unusual now, afterall you want to be looking healthy and radiant on your wedding day not bleary-eyed and hungover.

  • Hair and beauty

Make sure you have a trial run before the big day with the person who is going to be doing your hair and make-up. The day itself is not the time to be experimenting with new hairstyles and colours and so make sure you know what you are going to have before hand. On the wedding day make sure your appointment is as early as possible, especially if your hairdresser and beautician will also be sorting out your bridesmaids.

Tips for organising your wedding

  • Decide what kind of wedding you want a church service or a civil ceremony, a small gathering or a huge event
  • Set your budget and make sure you stick to it
  • Talk to your families and let them know what is going on from the beginning. Involve them in your arrangements as much as possible but don't let them take over
  • Choose your best man and chief bridesmaid wisely
  • Make a list of everything you need to do and buy and tick off each one as it is accomplished
  • Make regular contact with your florist, venue and photographer to make sure they know what your requirements are and update them on any changes as soon as possible
  • Take out wedding insurance just in case anything does go wrong
  • If you begin to feel stressed just remember why you are getting married and everything will seem worthwhile again