(ARA) - Once the excitement of the proposal settles, most couples get started planning their wedding.

While the to-do checklist can be huge - depending on how large the wedding is - there are some list items you'll want to take care of early in the planning process:

1. Set your date. The sooner you get this organized, the sooner you will have an answer to the first question anyone offering their congratulations is going to ask. Setting the date also allows you to schedule and organize all other aspects of your wedding.

2. Create a tentative guest list. How many people do you want to invite? The answer to this question will determine the location of the wedding and reception, and give you direction in the catering category as well.

3. Location. Location might be determined by the time of year, month or even day of the week you are planning your wedding. Destination weddings, backyard weddings or reception hall weddings all require you to plan ahead. The earlier you plan this, the better your chances of being able to book the locations on the day you want, especially if you are getting married during the popular summer and fall months.

4. Invitations. People are busy these days, and you need to help them remember your big event with save the date cards or magnets. If you have a wedding theme and colors picked, you can nicely tie in your wedding invitations with the theme to give your guests a heads up on what to expect. To help save time, order your save the date cards and invitations online and have them arrive in the mail in less than a week at www.123print.com/wedding. More than 120 styles - sorted by themes, colors and designers - give you plenty of designs to choose.

5. Schedule the music and photography. After the reception halls, DJs and photographers get booked quickly, so make sure you get scheduled with your favorites early. If you aren't familiar with any DJs or photographers in your area, look for a wedding exhibition often held in the winter and spring months. Many wedding-related businesses visit these events, giving you plenty of exposure to the specialists.

Once you get these items organized and off your to-do list, you can sit back and tackle the smaller, more detailed items. Visit www.123print.com/wedding for more helpful hints.

Courtesy of ARAcontent