Wedding Checklist

• 12 Months Until the Wedding
• 11 Months Until the Wedding
• 10 Months Until the Wedding
• 9 Months Until Your Wedding
• 8 Months Until the Wedding
• 7 Months Until the Wedding
• 6 Months Until the Wedding
• 5 Months Until the Wedding
• 4 Months Until the Wedding
• 3 Months Until the Wedding
• 2 Months Until the Wedding
• 1 Month Until the Wedding
• A Week Before the Wedding

Work Out Your Budget

We know, it’s a boring one to start with, but creating a solid wedding budget early is fundamental to long-term planning success. It’s critical to know just how much you can afford, and are comfortable in spending before engaging in conversation with any vendors or venues. Because if not, you may find that further down the line you suddenly don’t have the budget for critical bookings or purchases.

To effectively work out a wedding budget, you’ll need to do some research into the average costs of vendors in your area. Which can be as simple as Googling local vendors and grabbing numbers from their websites, just to get an idea. Whereas others will need to be contacted directly for pricing, as particular services find it harder to give guide prices online.

However you get your numbers, create a spreadsheet early, and note down the figures you’ve obtained in priority order. For instance, venue, photographer, catering etc. The real prices for each item will change as you progress, but by having a detailed list from the start you’ll be able to keep track.

Insure that Rock!

Your partner probably paid more than they’re willing to admit on your engagement ring, and we bet it was worth every penny! Therefore, it would be a crying shame for you to lose it down a drain while running for the bus… Or damage it while you’re doing things around the house.

Take out researched insurance for your engagement ring that’ll cover any eventuality. And give yourself some peace of mind. While you’re looking at quotes for the ring, it may also be wise to check out wedding insurance, just in case anything major affects your big day.

Start Creating a Guest List

The size of your venue and the size of your budget will dictate the number of people you can invite to your wedding. Which is why it’s so crucial to follow a wedding planning checklist such as ours, and attempt to complete tasks in order.

During the formulation of a wedding budget, couples typically start to get an idea of how much each guest will cost them. Especially when they start to discuss numbers with catering companies and venues. Use this information, and your budget, to help put together a maximum number of people you can invite.

At this stage, your list of invitees should very much be at the draft stage. Just names on the page. Further down the line, you’ll start to filter and fine tune the guest list based on how wedding plans are progressing, both aesthetically, and financially!

Talk to Each Other About Priorities

Start your marriage in the right way, by discussing what you both want from your wedding. Do you want it to be a large family affair? A celebration of the union between your families. Or would you prefer the day was more about you? With just close friends and family invited. These two wedding styles are both ends of the spectrum, and it’s likely you’ll know by now which of these camps your partner fits into. But you should make sure.

There are many critical aspects to a wedding that your partner may have strong feelings about. And it’s essential you discuss these points before planning can really progress.

You should both feel like you’re on the same page, putting together a wedding that satisfies both of your desires. Ask each other what is important to you about this celebration? For you, what should be a priority? Write every thought and feeling down, and after enough discussion, you should feel like the wedding is taking shape in front of your very eyes!

Choose a Wedding Venue

The wedding venue you select will impact every other planning decision you make. Unquestionably.

It will likely be the biggest expenditure in your wedding budget. Therefore, it will dictate how much you can spend on everything else. Its location will determine which vendors you can hire. Its style will guide the theme of your big day, sometimes quite dramatically. And its size will certainly impact how many guests you can invite.

With all of this in mind, explore all the options you have in your local area, or chosen wedding destination. Visit as many venues as you can, ask questions while you’re there, and try to remain critical when selecting between one space and another.

During this early period in the wedding planning timeline, it’s easy to get swept up in the emotion of it all, and start making decisions with your heart, and not your head. Of course, your desire for the perfect venue, a place that matches your fantasy, should be met. But not at the expense of the rest of your wedding plans. Lean on each other at this time, and try to keep each other in check.

Pick a Date

It’s good to have a range of dates in mind when contacting venues and pivotal vendors. Remaining flexible on when exactly you want to tie the knot. The availability of your venue will likely be the deciding factor in your wedding date. But if there are VIPs in your family or circle of friends who you cannot imagine getting hitched without, it’s best to consult them too before finalizing anything in the diary.

Book the Most In Demand Wedding Vendors

Vendors such as photographers, videographers, musicians, and caterers play such a critical role in the feel of a wedding, that they get booked up many months, if not years in advance.

Photographers in particular are responsible for capturing your memories. They are the only vendor whose value can be truly felt long after the big day. Which is why they are considered an ‘investment’, and are selected with much higher scrutiny than other services.

All the vendors mentioned above will be in high demand during peak wedding season, and the last thing you want is to miss out on the perfect person or team. Decide on the priority suppliers for you, and book them early to avoid disappointment.

Begin Putting Together Your Theme

Fun stuff, finally! And this is such a fun time because no major design decisions have to be made right now. You should just be feeling out what works for you, and what suits the space you’re marrying in.

Get lost on Pinterest, create some physical mood boards and get playful with color ideas. If you’re struggling for inspiration, or you’re feeling overwhelmed with the number of influences online, talk to loved ones. They don’t even have to be married. Just pull together a bunch of friends, and family who you feel will be creatively useful, and see what you all come up with. Worse comes to worst, you have a fun night together!

Wedding Dress Shopping

It may surprise you just how long wedding dresses take to order (6-8 months depending on the designer), and be ready to wear on the big day. Not to mention the time, it can take to find ‘the one’.

Therefore, it’s good to allow yourself plenty of time for wedding dress shopping, to ensure it’s a pleasurable, non-rushed experience.

Create Your Wedding Website

Having a thoughtfully designed wedding website is such an effortless way to keep your guests informed about the big day. And, it has never been easier to create one! At Online Wedding Planning Assistant, you can create yours for free on our website! Using our intuitive software, we’ll ensure the whole process is easy and quick, with results that’ll impress your guests.

Once you’ve published your site, be sure to keep it up to date with any new information that’ll be relevant to your guests’ experience. Such as whether you’ve block booked hotel rooms, where the confirmed venues are exactly, and the timings of events. By adding as you go, and potentially taking away incorrect information, you’ll ensure guests always have the latest updates.

Arrange an Engagement Shoot

Choosing the perfect wedding photographer based on their style is one thing. But knowing whether you’ll get along with them on the big day, without any real interaction, is another.

Your photographer will be following you around throughout your wedding day. Talking to you, requesting things and chatting to your guests. They will play a fairly pivotal role in your experience on the day. So, you need to like them!

Of course, it’s normal to have a meeting with a photographer before hiring them. And that conversation will prove critical in your decision to hire them or not. But, requesting an engagement shoot will help you even further. As not only will you be able to assess their personality in a work environment. But you’ll also understand whether you feel comfortable under their direction.

An engagement shoots offer couples invaluable experience in front of the camera. Especially for the photo-shy, or those not used to having their picture taken. It can seem strange at first to think so much about what your face is doing, and how your body is positioned. Which is why it’s good to have some practice, to ensure you feel comfortable on the big day itself.

Once you’ve got the engagement shoot pictures back from your photographer, pop a selection up on your website and/or use them on your wedding stationery.

Pick Your Wedding Party

You may have known for some time who will be in your wedding party, but your friends and family will be waiting anxiously for confirmation! At this stage, if you’re still deliberating, there’s no need to make a final decision. But it’s good to think about it seriously, before you get too far into the wedding timeline, and need to order suits, dresses etc for the group.

Nail Down Your Guest List

Finalizing the guest list is a tough task for any couple. Cutting people from the list, picking one guest over another – it can all feel like a hard pill to swallow. But, it has to be done before you can start ordering stationery or officially confirming numbers with vendors.

Send Out Save the Dates

The perfect companion to your wedding website is the save the date. That piece of card that falls on the mats of everyone invited to your big day, and officially kicks off the adventure you and your guests are going to go on together!

By this time, you should have a fully formed theme and know what color scheme and style you’re going to be using. Hint at that on your save the dates, and give guests a little insight into what to expect on the day.

Select & Purchase Your Wedding Dress

To avoid extra stress, and any potential fees for rush deliveries, now is a good point on the wedding planning checklist to order your bridal dress.

Book Other Priority Vendors

You should have already booked your photographer, catering and any other pivotal vendor for your big day. But there are many others who also play a significant role in the overall ambiance, and logistics of the celebration.

Are you marrying and dinning outside, for example? You’ll need to order a tent, heating, potentially extra power and rentals to help complete the alfresco experience. These types of rentals, especially the in-demand or more unique ones, will certainly get booked up during peak season. Get in quick and secure what you need.

Book the Florist

Florists are another vendor that tends to fill their diaries early, especially the good ones! Therefore, it’s wise to request recommendations, thoughtfully browse social media for looks and find the right person as swiftly as you can. After all, it cannot be overstated the effect flowers have on the overall feel of a wedding day. Therefore, it pays to get the appropriate florist for you.

Create a Wedding Gift Registry

Couples usually fall into two camps when it comes to wedding gifts. Those who feel a bit weird about requesting gifts from loved ones, and those who know exactly what they want! If you do feel uneasy about the prospect, remember that your guests will buy you gifts regardless of any registry. So you might as well request items you actually want, and need.

Talk to each other, go over gift lists together, and decide as a couple what things would best set you up for the future. You may feel you have everything you need, and actually some cash towards the honeymoon or your new home would be better appreciated. Charity is another option.

Whichever route you take with the gift registry, make it clear on your wedding website and invitations.

Go Bridesmaids Shopping

It’s good to ensure your bridesmaids feel like they have some choice in the dresses they wear on your big day, but it’s also wise to enter boutiques with a vision in place. An idea of preferred colors, fabrics, and styles.

Research bridesmaids dresses online, and when you actually visit a store, encourage your girls to experiment with their look. Forcing bridesmaids to wear a dress they don’t like never works. They’ll feel miserable, and you’ll end up with a look that’s a lot less joyous than you dreamed of.

Instead, set boundaries, and get your girls to pick styles within those parameters. That way they get to wear a dress they like, and you get a coherent wedding day look.

Order Reception & Ceremony Dressing Rentals

If you’re not going down the all-inclusive route, and you need to style the space yourself, now’s the time to book what you need. Linens, chair covers, furniture, and dance floors all feel like items that can be left to the last minute. But you’d be surprised how quickly these ‘extras’ get booked up.

Aside from options becoming unavailable if left, it’s also wise to get your ducks in a row, so to speak! The sooner you know exactly what large items you’re going to have present at your reception, the sooner you can move onto picking out the smaller, more decorative pieces. Such as individual lighting, centerpieces, guestbook etc.

Book a Rehearsal Dinner Space

It may well be that your family are arranging this part of the celebrations themselves, but that doesn’t mean they cannot adhere to the timing of your wedding planning checklist. Otherwise, the ideal spot may not be available.

To get the very best out of the evening, some planning may also need to be done in terms of theme, and styling. We know this event is a lot more chilled than the ones to follow, but that doesn’t mean it should be any less thoughtful.

Book an Officiant

For those not going down the religious route on their wedding day, it’s important to hire an officiant who reflects the vibe you want for your ceremony. Your vows are, after all, the main focus of the day. Therefore, your experience during them should be perfect.

Much like when hiring a photographer, you should get on well with your officiant and believe that they get you, and your ambitions for the day. Especially if they’re taking a creative approach to the ceremony, and actually penning something original about you for the ceremony. A task that also requires time to prepare.

Hire Wedding Band/Music

If you’re dreaming of dancing the night away to a live band, or would like musicians to play during your ceremony and other events during the day – now’s the time to book them!

Choosing an artist capable of performing in a style reflective of your big day vibe is not always straightforward. Therefore, give yourself time to find the perfect band, musician, or artist. And avoid missing out on booking the ideal performer.

Book Wedding Day Transport

Even if your reception is taking place in the same place as your ceremony, there will likely be journeys that still need to be made during the day/evening, by yourselves and your guests. The cars or buses you choose should reflect the style of celebration you’re planning, while also, obviously, be suitable for the number of guests you’re inviting. Which can be tricky to work out!

Be sure to look at your guest list carefully, and track who and where movements will take place. Then try to book the right number of vehicles for each journey. Remember, it’s much better to have one car with only one person in because you overbooked vehicles, than to frantically try to hire taxis on the day.

Some specialty vehicles, such as limos and horse-drawn carriages etc, do get booked up well in advance and will sometimes only do one job a day. Which makes this a good time to tick off the hiring of all vehicles, just to be sure.

Taste and Decide on the Menu

For us, this is the highlight of the wedding planning timeline! A checklist task that does involve a fair bit of pressure because you’re deciding the meal for potentially hundreds of people. But also involves eating lots of delicious food!

Whether you’ve gone down the external catering route, or something more in-house. It’s good to sign off on the menu, and the various dietary choices early, so you can plan accordingly. Especially if you want guests to select their dishes ahead of time. Doing this will speed up service on the day, but will require you to get requests in well ahead of the wedding, either via your wedding website or RSVP.

Book Hair & Makeup

Having professional hair and makeup done on the morning of your wedding is a great way to prepare for the day. For both you and your bridesmaids. Plus, it’ll ensure everyone has a coherent look in your wedding photography.

Each hair stylist and makeup artist will have their own style, and approach. Therefore, finding the right professional for your wedding will take some research. Be sure to look through as many real bride pictures as possible, and pay close attention to reviews, as these will illustrate just how that vendor works on the day. An important aspect when you consider the typical wedding morning is often a joyous, yet stressful time. Therefore, you need to find a professional who will orchestrate a calm environment.

Book the Dream Honeymoon

During this, rather hectic part of the wedding planning checklist, booking an incredible honeymoon adventure can offer quite a cathartic experience. Whether you’re planning a dreamy getaway to the Maldives, or something more low-key closer to home. It’s nice to know you’re both working towards a blissful break.

Honeymoons offer the ideal way to tick off bucket-list destinations, and live the life of luxury for a short while. Which is why it’s key to plan yours well in advance to ensure every aspect of your trip is covered, and limit the chance of regrets.

Hire or Buy the Groom’s Suit

It’s important your partner feels as good in their outfit as you do in yours. After all, they’re going to be sharing the spotlight with you, so they should look their best!

Whether you’re investing in a suit for life, or choosing something just for the day, it can take time to find the right look. The perfect outfit should flatter, while also work with the many different body movements groom’s typically make during celebrations. Hugging, dancing, twisting and turning should all feel possible in their suit without fear of splitting a seam.

Finalize Your Wedding Website

By this stage in the timeline, if you’ve decided to create a wedding website, it should be live, even if all the final details aren’t present yet.

Your guests will find it useful to check in on your site throughout the journey to your big day, and love it when you make updates.

The bulk of the details guests will need to prepare properly for your wedding should be confirmed now, and reflected on your website.

Buy Your Wedding Rings

Choosing a wedding band/ring can seem like a relatively simple task, as they are typically quite an uncomplicated piece of jewelry. But, keep in mind, you’ll be wearing your wedding ring 24/7 for the rest of your life, so it’s important you’re happy with the piece you choose.

For those wearing an engagement ring, it’s key that your wedding band complements it, while also potentially slotting together nicely. Stacked rings are a trend, and do offer a timeless look that feels put together.

If you really want a look that reflects your style wholly, then going down the bespoke route is a wise investment. Just keep in mind that it will take time. When going custom, maybe avoid any last-minute stress, and start the process earlier than 5 months before the big day.

Organize Outfit Accessories

By this point, both of your outfits should be picked and being prepared on your behalf. But to complete said outfit you’ll need certain accessories. Items like shoes, veil, certain hair accessories and underwear are all actually key to successful wedding dress alterations. Which is why it’s a good idea to purchase them before you start fittings.

Shoe height will alter the length of your gown, and different types of undergarments can actually change the fit of your gown.

For those wearing suits, it’s also a good idea to purchase accessories in advance, as cuff links, shoes, and even belts can also affect fit.

Decide on the Finishing Touches

You’ve probably been picking up decor pieces throughout the wedding planning timeline, and by now have amassed quite a collection of things. Now’s the time to tick off any other smaller items you haven’t purchased, organized rental of, or DIY’d yet.

If you are choosing to make wedding details by hand, don’t leave their creation to the last minute. You’ll only add extra stress onto your shoulders, and the end result may not look as spectacular as you envisioned.

Many small decor items are actually quite pivotal to the guest experience. Things like place cards, signs, order of service, favors, and guest book will all be greatly missed if not present, or put together without thought.

Decide on the Wedding Day Schedule

Many of your vendors will need to know exactly-ish when they’re going to be required on the big day. Therefore, it’s wise not to leave the planning of your wedding day timeline to the last minute. Besides, it’s fun to imagine just what you’ll be up to on the big day!

Once you’ve got a set schedule in place, send it to your vendors. However, if you feel like big day elements will develop over the next 2–3 months, maybe hold off sending anything out unless strictly necessary. Instead, create a draft and update it as you go. It’s best to avoid sending out multiple evolutions of your wedding timetable. You’ll only increase the risk of confusion.

Choose a Wedding Cake

Before this point in the wedding checklist, it’s a good idea to have already made contact, and potentially booked a wedding cake maker. As during peak wedding season, many of the most popular vendors will have filled their diaries already.

When choosing your wedding cake, go for a flavor profile you both like. It can be tempting to try to please guests with your choice – but you never will! For every one guest who adores the red velvet sponge creation you selected, they’ll be another two or three who are unimpressed. Instead, choose something that suits the celebration and you think is delicious!

Organize a Hair & Makeup Trial

If you intend to have an engagement shoot, arrange to have your hair and makeup trial on the same day. That way you’ll have a professionally put together look for your photos, and you’ll be able to test out what’ll work best on the big day.

Don’t go in cold to your hair and makeup trial. Put some time aside on your checklist to research wedding looks and styles you want your artist to be inspired by. You may end up not having exactly the same look, but it’ll at least give your vendor a good idea of the vibe you desire.

Order the Wedding Invitations (if you haven’t already)

The timing of ordering wedding invitations will very much depend on the style you have chosen. For instance, if you’ve gone down the calligraphy route, and either yourself, or an expert is writing out the invitations and envelopes – that takes time. And you should probably give yourself another month. Whereas those who are simply getting everything printed, around the 3-month mark is perfect.

Of course, there will be mistakes, there will be last-minute changes, but as long as you give yourself enough time, it’s possible to deal with any situation with it causing a real issue.

Before sending the invitations out, be sure to create a system for capturing RSVPs. Whether it’s an online system (such as ours, which makes the whole process seamless). A spreadsheet, or a simple sheet of lined paper, just be prepared. As the information guests will give you will be invaluable further down the wedding timeline.

Enjoy your Bachelor, Bachelorette, Stag or Hen Party

Traditionally, these wild nights of last-minute freedom were enjoyed in the days leading up to the wedding. However, we feel it’s a much wiser, safer option to celebrate further away, time-wise, from the big day. To avoid any chance of injuries, mishaps, or illness ruining a day you’ve both put so much effort into creating.

This is the one item on the wedding planing checklist that should technically be out of your hands. As it’s normally up to the wedding party to arrange events. Which, at this hectic stage in the timeline, is usually greatly appreciated.

Plan Completion of DIY Decor Items

Most weddings involve some element of DIY decor, on varying degrees of scale. If you’re someone who loves to create, and has planned to put together most of the decor yourself – please don’t leave things to the last minute! You’ll cause yourself more stress, and the things you produce will not live up to the ideal you had in your head to begin with.

Set a date for when you need to have everything sown up by, and stick to it. Even if that means some of your bridesmaids need to work an all-nighter with you! It’ll be worth it.

Finish Off All the Little Jobs

Your own wedding planning checklist will need to include countless smaller jobs that we cannot possibly list all of here. But here are a few things that should certainly be dealt with around this time.

• Print or have written all of your on-the-day wedding stationery. Such as menus, order of service, place names, table numbers etc.
• Purchase or make welcome signs and directions for your reception.
• Gather items for special moments during the day, such as a cake cutting knife, ring bearer pillows and cake toppers.
• Put together wedding favors/gifts for your guests.

Send Wedding Invitations

Now that your wedding invitations are in, and checked, it’s time to send them out to all of your excited guests! If you have guests coming from overseas, be sure to allow more time for their invitations. And maybe even give them each a call before popping them in the post, just to allow each of them to make their travel arrangements without feeling pressured.

Arrange Marriage License

Depending on where you’re tying the knot, the laws, and timings for getting a marriage license will differ. With this in mind, don’t leave this planning task to the last minute. Research early what needs to be done, and whether you need certain individuals, such as guests and/or an officiant present when obtaining the paperwork.

Write Your Vows

If you’re going down the non-religious route, crafting your own vows offers such a lovely way to make a ceremony feel unique, and personal. Considering how ‘momentous the moment’ is, don’t leave writing your vows to the last minute. Get ahead of the game, and tick this task off your wedding planning list while your mind is fizzing with excitement, and not pre-wedding nerves.

Schedule a Day/Weekend Off Either with Your Fiancé, Yourself or Friends

The last 12 months have been a whirlwind of wedding planning, with little to no time for thoughts about anything else. We’re sure you’ve had some downtime, but have you really reveled in being a ‘fiancé’? Enjoyed a relaxing moment just being engaged? Now’s the time to do it.

Depending on your time constraints, and budget, book yourself a day, or a weekend somewhere that’ll help you relax. Whether that’s a spa experience, a night in the countryside, or even just a few hours somewhere relaxing – like a trip to the beach.

Just take yourself away from all the stresses of planning, and embrace the excitement of the wedding itself.

Have Your Final Wedding Dress Fitting

Every wedding dress fitting schedule will be different, and yours may well be rapped up by now. For most brides, their dress is typically completed and ready for the big day around a month before. Which is perfect, as it leaves one-less thing to worry about!

Pay Wedding Vendors

Some wedding vendors you’ll need to pay on the big day, whereas others can be paid in full beforehand. Try to get all the payments you can make in advance out of the way as soon as possible, to avoid any awkward conversations about money on your wedding day.

When it comes to the vendors who’ll need to be paid during the celebrations, avoid paying them yourselves. Doing so will take you out of the flow of the day, and stop you from truly relaxing. Instead, prepare cash envelopes for each vendor, with the exact amount inside, plus tip. And assign the most trusted member of your wedding party the job of handing out the money. Let your vendors know who’ll be paying them too, just so they know who to look for when the time is right.

Finish Your Seating Chart

At this point in the timeline, you should have got all of your RSVPs back. Meaning you can finally tackle the seating chart! A task that many couples dread, but now, with online software such as ours, you can quickly and easily put together the perfect arrangement for your reception and ceremony. Without too much stress.

Using an online seating chart instead of paper and pens, allows you to instantly upload your guest list onto your seating chart and start arranging people straight away. Our seating chart uses a simple drop and drag system that allows you to effortlessly try out positions, without the need to start from scratch. Plus, everything can be created to scale.

Once your finished seating chart is ready, simply download it in A1 size, and email it over to your catering team, planner, and anyone else who needs it.

Break in Wedding Shoes

We’ve all bought shoes thinking they’re the perfect fit, only to find after walking two blocks they’re causing massive blisters. Avoid this on your big day and wear wedding shoes around the house in the week leading up to the rehearsal dinner.

Have Last-Minute Beauty Treatments

There will be some beauty and grooming treatments you shouldn’t leave to the week of your wedding. Just in case you get an allergic reaction. Waxing, Botox, skin peels and spray tans, for example, all need to be done in advance. To avoid adverse effects, or not having any effect at all!

Manicures, haircuts, and non-aggressive skin treatments can all be done in the week before your wedding.

Complete Some Final Little Tasks

These jobs may be small, but they can make or break your wedding day experience.

• Pack wedding day emergency kit.
• Collect groom suits, bridesmaids and bridal dress if not already in-hand.
• Go through the jobs your wedding party will need to do on the day.
• Pack overnight/weekend bag if marrying away from home.
• Practice your vows and speech.
• Do something special for your partner, like buying them a gift for the day or just writing a note they’ll find while getting ready on the morning of your wedding.

Ready to put together your own wedding planning checklist? Create your own project on Wedding Planning Assistant, and you’ll find our free checklist tool! An easy-to-use, shareable and fun way to stop any tasks being forgotten.