As the lucky bride, you will likely find yourself with a team of family members, bridesmaids and friends willing to lend 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 primary things to think about as you begin planning are budget, size, location and style for your wedding. Then you'll need to consider the important details, from the guest list to the music and flowers — all within a reasonable timeline.

Get organized 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.

As part of the TODAY Throws a Martha Stewart Wedding series, Darcy Miller, editorial director of “Martha Stewart Weddings” magazine, shares tips and a smart checklist for planning the perfect wedding:

For more helpful wedding planning information, visit MarthaStewart.com.

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