As the lucky bride, you will likely find yourself with a team of family members, bridesmaids, and friends willing to lend you a hand in planning your wedding. But even if you hire a wedding consultant, there still should be one person ultimately in charge: you. The following is a brief sketch of what you’ll need to think about.

Getting Organized
Begin by making lists: Write down each task to be done, the date by which it needs to be completed, and who will do it. Devise a system for recording your plans and for remembering who is helping you with what. Buy a wedding planner, or create one in a three-ring binder or accordion folder; or just set aside a section in your daily planner. Make sure you include a section for filing away inspirations from magazines or old family photographs and one for recording the names and phone numbers of vendors and their references.