by Nina Callaway

It's hard enough to squeeze wedding planning into your busy life. But in the month of December, when Christmas shopping, holiday parties, and Hanukkah traditions are taking up all your time, how do you still plan a wedding and keep your sanity? Here are some holiday hints and multi-tasking ideas to help you out.

Get Organized
Remember that wedding planning notebook? Well, training yourself to be organized will help make other parts of your life easier as well, and the holidays are a great place to start. Buy another 3-ring binder with tab-dividers, small enough that you'll remember to bring it along and use it. Label the sections gift ideas, recipes, events, or whatever else you think you'll need. Put a pouch or two in to hold receipts and ideas torn from magazines, as well as a few pens for making on-the-go notes.

Wedding Invitation Lists
If you're already organized with your wedding invitation lists, sending Christmas cards should be a snap. If not, this is an excellent time to get organized. As everyone in your family is gathering addresses for their own lists, and seeing distant relatives at holiday gatherings, remember to ask for the missing addresses on your invitation lists. And, if you're sure that your Christmas card list is the same as your invitation list, you can include an informal save the date with your Christmas cards!

Find the Perfect Dress
Once upon a time, no one would be caught dead in a bridesmaid dress outside of a wedding. But these days, bridesmaid dresses are fun and modern. Take an afternoon to look for bridesmaid dresses, and keep an eye out for a fun outfit for New Year's Eve or the office holiday party at the same time!

Don't forget to take advantage of the After-Christmas Sales!
You may think after-Christmas sales are limited to buying that sweater your sister didn't get you. But when you're wedding planning, you can get some real bargains. Now is the time to pick up strands of lights for decorating your reception hall, and candles for the tables. Look for chocolates wrapped in red foil for favors, or using in out-of-town welcome bags. And you can extra-justify buying that sweater if you can wear it on your honeymoon.

Hold Try-Outs
Having people to your house or throwing a party? Now is the perfect time to try-out a wedding caterer, cake baker, or florist. If you're going the DIY route, you'll have an assembled audience to help you make sure not all 50 pieces of wedding cake go to waste. For those considering DIY flower arrangements, many online flower sellers offer a "test bunch" such as this one. Order it before a big party, and hit two birds with one stone. Not only will you have inexpensive arrangements for your party, but you'll find out if you're really capable of doing your own flowers, and get some practice before the big day.

Have a Great Up-do and Perfect Makeup for Your Party
I've read many accounts of a bride going for a hair trial, only to run errands afterwards looking a bit silly. If you time things right, you can test out your wedding day hair and makeup at the big party, or holiday gathering.

Worried About Money?
If you and your family distribute Christmas wish lists, as mine does, don't be afraid to include the wedding day shoes, jewelry or other accessories on your list. You can ask for gift certificates to the salon where you plan to have pre-wedding pampering, or even individual items such as the flower girl basket, wedding cake, or wedding day transportation.

Christmas Gifts, Hostess Presents, and Wedding Favors
If you're like most people, you've been invited to a slew of parties and open houses, and have a variety of what I call "random people" to buy presents for: work colleagues, the mailman, the kids' teachers. When you're shopping for wedding favors, keep an eye out for gifts to buy in bulk. Consider boxes of chocolates, bottles of olive oil, or bath products, or goofy gifts from Oriental Trading Company. And, if you're buying the wine for your wedding yourself, order an extra case to take as hostess presents. You'll thank me later, when you realize there's yet another party to go to!

Pay Attention During Religious Services
You may have heard the term "C-and E-ers" or "culturally jewish" That's people who only attend church on Christmas and Easter and non-religious jews. Many people who don't regularly worship find themselves at church or synagogue during the holidays. These are often the same people who are planning a religious wedding, yet aren't intimately familiar with scripture, hymns, or songs. If you're one of these kinds of people, pay attention– you might hear something appropriate for your wedding. Many readings at this time of year are about celebration, new life, miracles, love, and other themes that tie into weddings. It's also an opportunity for you to introduce yourself to the priest, rabbi, or religious leader, and start planning any pre-wedding counseling.