You've waited all your life for your wedding day, and finally, your dream is coming true.

Most important, you've got the man. Now, it's time to get the dress. Register for gifts. Pick some flowers. Plan the ceremony, the reception and the honeymoon. The list goes on.

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Obviously, it's easy to become overwhelmed by how much there is to do. But there's no need to panic. By planning ahead and staying organized, you can successfully bring all the details together for the big day.

First things first

First, set the wedding date. This is a crucial first step in planning all the other nuptial details. Don't get too far ahead of yourself. For example, if you plan a long engagement, and your wedding date is more than two years away, there's no rush to make all the plans now. A lot can change between now and then — what flowers you want, how many people will be in the wedding party, the reception menu, the wedding budget, and so on. If you have less than 24 months to plan, however, get started as soon as possible.

Setting a budget will help narrow your choices for everything else: ceremony and reception sites, dress, invitations, photographer, caterer, etc.

Then start searching for your ceremony and reception sites, especially if they'll be at separate venues. If possible, make these choices between nine and 12 months before the wedding date.

"Once these elements of the wedding are booked, the details can begin coming together," said Chasity Jordan, wedding consultant for SeaLand Events in Kennesaw. This also applies to selecting a caterer and deciding on the menu, if your reception site permits off-site caterers.

"Allow six months to a year to choose your caterer," said Lauren Alanskas, special events coordinator for Art of Food Catering in Atlanta. "Also, allow extra time for popular venues and wedding dates."

Musicians for both the ceremony and reception also should be booked within this time frame. "It is better to decide on vendors earlier than later, to have the best selection," Jordan said.

Within six to nine months of the wedding, brides should make final decisions on wedding gowns, bridesmaids dresses, shoes, veils and accessories.

"They [dresses] can take three to four months to [arrive]," said Rachel Esposito, owner of Bel Fiore Bridal in Marietta. If you have to rush your dress order, expect to pay anywhere from $150 to $750 extra to get the dress in time. Otherwise, three to four months should allow adequate time for fittings and alterations. In addition, bring your wedding shoes to all fittings so the hem will be correct.

Remember, too, that you should break in those new shoes.

"If you are wearing silk shoes, you want to be careful [about] wearing them too much in advance, but certainly scuffing up the bottoms and walking outside a few times is advisable to avoid slipping," said celebrity wedding coordinator Jo Gartin, author of "Jo Gartin's Weddings: An Inspiring Guide for the Stylish Bride" and owner of Love, Luck and Angels in Los Angeles.

Gartin's book also suggests having an extra pair of comfortable shoes on hand in case the new shoes start to hurt.

Perhaps next in line is to finalize orders for flowers. Nikki Binaco, event director for Carithers Florist of Distinction in Atlanta, suggests choosing flowers three to six months in advance. "Try for six to eight months ahead if your date is around a holiday weekend," she said. "Also, expect to pay around 10 percent to 15 percent more around Valentine's Day and 5 percent to 10 percent more around other holidays."

In-season flowers will be less expensive than those out of season.

While out-of-season flowers can be obtained outside the United States, there is a price to pay. "It's anywhere from 20 percent to 50 percent more for something out of the U.S. seasonal period," Binaco said.

Beauty secrets

Since all brides want to look their best on the big day, beauty issues should be addressed and included in the planning timeline. The type of treatment dictates the amount of time needed to complete the task.

For example, Don Shaw, owner of DASS Salon-Spa in Atlanta, said a practice run of the hairstyle should be scheduled using the veil, tiara or other headpiece.

This gives the bride ample time to experiment with a variety of styles. Shaw also suggested scheduling the final haircut six weeks before the wedding and any color or highlights at least one week before the wedding.

Any waxing treatments should be done three to four days before the wedding, facials at least three days ahead, and manicures and pedicures the day before.

Of course, this doesn't mean calling three or four days before the big day to schedule appointments. "Book three months from the wedding date for treatments," Shaw said.

While one of the most fun things to plan is the honeymoon, this, too, requires adequate planning.

"No matter where a couple chooses [to go] for their honeymoon, I'd recommend allowing two or more months," Gartin said. "If you are planning to go somewhere during the high season, rooms can book up as far as a year in advance. My advice is to book it as soon as you know where you want to go."

Finally, when selecting vendors and finalizing plans, be sure to get everything in writing.

"It is of utmost importance to have written contracts with each and every vendor," Jordan said. "Couples should make certain that all services discussed and agreed upon are in writing. This will help decrease the possibility of unpleasant surprises on the wedding day. Payment schedules and arrival/delivery times should be outlined in contracts as well."