The iVillage wedding planner

Legally you're allowed to get married as many times as you want, provided you can document that your previous marriages ended in bereavement or divorce. After you've done that, any type of civil wedding will be open to you.

The Church of England and Wales used to forbid divorced people to re-marry in church, but now it is up to the descretion of the minister to decide whether he or she is willing to perform the ceremony. If you do want to get married in a church, expect a long and serious talk with the minister. Most of them will be sympathetic, but they may want to be sure of your commitment.

Decide on your budget
Along with the venue, now is the time to do the sums. Decide on the size and style of your wedding and list all the costs. A good budgeting tip is to make a spreadsheet listing how much you expect to pay, later adding the real price against the predicted price; Weddings don't come cheap and watching the pennies as you spend them saves pounds later.

You should also consider taking out wedding insurance. This will cover you against a whole host of potential problems - the marquee falling down, bereavement, illness, the wedding photos not coming out, and so on. Although it's best not to dwell on potential disasters, if you're planning a large budget, insurance will give you peace of mind.

Celebrate your engagement
Try to organise an engagement bash - it's a great way of letting all your family and friends know your intentions. If you are planning to have a small, intimate wedding, your engagement party is a great way of including more people in your celebrations.

This is also the time to announce your engagement in the papers if you like the traditional touch.

Introduce the parents
It is often nerve-racking when the prospective in-laws meet for the first time. If your parents and his have never met, make it easy by arranging a meeting on neutral ground and remember: they will all be as anxious as you to make that good impression!

Choose attendants and bridesmaids
It's time to involve all your nearest and dearest family and friends. Don't forget that on the day itself, bridesmaids, attendants and ushers can take a lot of the organisational weight off of your shoulders, but you must make sure that they are fully briefed on their responsibilities.

Other things to do 12-18 months before:
Organising the following in plenty of time will give you the opportunity to shop around and make more informed decisions. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for local wedding fairs - these provide great opportunities for meeting wedding service providers.

• Choose a photographer
• Choose a videographer, if desired
• Choose your gift list
• Choose musicians/DJ for reception
• Book wedding cars
• Think about your honeymoon plans