Your wedding in Switzerland on Lake Thun

Marriage contract
Think about a marriage contract

Select a date
Consider public holidays and holiday seasons

Documents
Swiss citizens require a residence permit (residents' registration office of the municipality of residence) and a civil status certificate (civil registry office of the home municipality) Documents must not be older than 6 months.

Family name
Agree on your future name and discuss it with the civil registrar during your interview (see three months before)

Best man
Think about who the best man should be. Make your wishes known to the best man and provide a budget.
The best man can be very helpful in planning the wedding and can take the pressure off you, providing that they set the scene and a precise time schedule.

Create a guest list
Compile a guest list

Budget
Create a plan covering general costs

Wedding wear
Select wedding wear for the bride and groom. Renting is not always cheaper!

Wedding service
Take advantage of your contacts and experience of wedding service organisations. A consultation hour or mediation costs less than one percent of your wedding budget.

Menü suggestions
Explain your budget and wishes to the caterer. Only make a final decision two to three months in advance. First you need to know what your wedding menu should look like.

Vehicles
Decide for a car, coach, excursion boat, or car.

Printed matter
Obtain quotations from printers for invitation, place, and menu cards.

Honeymoon
Determine the destination of the honeymoon, check passports (get a visa if necessary), and think about necessary vaccinations. All papers should have the same names (passport, credit cards). Apply for leave from work for the trip.

Photographer
Select photographers and/or videographers and set the date.

Music
Engage a singer, musician, or DJ

Church wedding
Discuss the desired date for a church wedding with the priest

Wedding guests and invitation cards
Send wedding announcements including invitation cards and registration form. For distinguished guests please enclose a map of the church and restaurant. Apéro guests should also register. It has a positive effect on your budget.

Reservation
Send overnight accommodation information to distinguished guests.
The guest is responsible for booking and payment of the hotel.

Wedding night
Possibly choose a hotel room for the wedding night.

Wish list
Think about the gifts that will be on your wish list and look for an appropriate retailer

Dance course
Possibly register for dance classes for bridal couples or for private lessons at a dance class

Clothes for the registry office
Obtain your clothes for a civil wedding

Wedding service
Discuss your chosen event with a wedding service organisation

Fireworks
Contact a professional fireworks supplier. The necessary permission is usually obtained from the fireworks supplier.

Civil wedding
Discuss your wedding date with the registrar. The date can be arranged three months in advance at the earliest. The wedding ceremony can only take place at the official wedding location.

Church wedding
Discuss the final date of the wedding with the priest

Marriage ceremony
Discuss the order of the ceremony, the music, your vows, the wedding ceremony, the exchange of rings and kiss in detail.

Maid of honour
Choose the clothes together. The colour white is intended for women.

Flower children
Choose flower children and practice the process in the church with the children

Wedding Clothing
Try on the wedding dress and suit. If necessary, have alterations made.

Order of the ceremony
A rough programme for the wedding ceremony must be set out in writing. Contact a wedding planner service.

Hairdo
Arrange a first preliminary meeting about your wedding hairstyle at the hairdresser’s and fix further appointments.

Make-up
Discuss make-up with a professional. The cosmetician is responsible for skin care and ensures that your make-up is appropriate for your skin type.

Wedding rings
Choose your wedding rings, order them in the right size and have them engraved.

Stag party/hen night
Plan your stag night/hen night and create a guest list

Insurance
Have insurance policies checked; for example life, insurance, household contents, accident, legal protection, liability..

Giveaways
Possibly order thank you gifts for guests

Flower arrangements
Order bridal bouquet and flower decorations for car, church, celebration in the restaurant and for the flower children (Don't forget the corsage flowers for the guests!)

Wedding cake
Order cake for the wedding

Update Guest List
Update Guest List

Apéro for registry office
Organise aperitifs according to the registry office

Budget
Check budget

Trial dinner
In the restaurant/ at the location of your choice

Stag party/hen night
Invite friends and neighbours informally, for example by telephone, to the stag night/hen party

Master of ceremonies
Appoint a Master of Ceremonies to oversee the conduct of the ceremony.

Organisation at the reception
Set tasks for volunteers. Leave this task to the best man if necessary

Wedding Celebration
Determine the seating arrangement for your reception, draw a seating plan and present it to the restaurant so that it can be appropriately set. Remember that you are the host.

Speech
Write a short greeting and thank you

Wedding Shoes
Break in your new shoes for the wedding day

Wedding dresses
Check the wedding dresses again and all accessories. Add missing items.

Photos & video
Discuss the shots with the photographer or videographer. Where should be photographed and filmed? Create ‘script’.

Hairdresser
Confirm your appointment with the hairdresser. Have your hair cut or dyed one week before the wedding date. Also applies to the man. Applies to the bridegroom, too.

Entertainment
Pay a little attention to the kids. A children's table and the possibility to choose a children's menu in the kitchen makes the wedding celebration a special experience for a child.

Schedule/ Timetable
Draw up a detailed schedule and send it to all parties involved (priest, restaurateur, entertainer, best man, etc.). If necessary, go through the festive schedule with the participants point for point.

Restaurant/ catering service
Inform the cook or the caterer about the final number of guests and any special dietary requirements.

Honeysmoon
Last preparations for the journey: Exchange money, buy travel guides, and holiday reading material, complete holiday wear

Wedding rings
Pick up the wedding rings, check engraving and size

Gift list
Make a guest list so that all gifts can be noted.

Surprise guests
Make sure that surprise guests at a civil wedding ceremony and in church can enjoy a glass of aperitif. There should be only a few surprise guests, as all guests have to register with the bridal couple or the best man.

Gifts
Organise someone to take care of the gifts that are given to the bridal couple at the ceremony. Provide adhesive labels and pens so that the gifts can be labelled.

Tips
Write names on the envelopes with tips and hand them over to the best man

Fees
Artists’ fees are paid in cash on the wedding day.

Weather
Check the weather forecast

Enjoying togetherness in peace
Schedule the civil wedding one week in advance so that you can celebrate in peace!

Seating arrangements
Check last seating arrangement

Relax
Have breakfast in peace

Documents
Have all documents ready. There will be no church wedding without a marriage certificate!

Phone number
Have important telephone numbers with you

Wedding rings
Have the wedding rings at hand

Hairdo and make-up
Last visit to the hairdresser and make-up artist

Bridal bouquet
have someone pick you up

Dress up
Take your time when dressing

Departure
Leave in time for the wedding ceremony. Punctuality is the politeness of kings.

• Thank your guests for the gifts and congratulations
• Enclose a wedding photo with the thank you cards
• Let the suppliers, restaurant owners, photographers and musicians know if you were satisfied with their work
• Settle open invoices immediately: Good start into marriage!
• Have wedding dresses cleaned