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Wedding Checklist Timeline & Guide
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Now is the time to start planning your wedding day, and the best way to begin is with a solid checklist!
The idea of wedding planning, post-engagement, is, for some, very exciting. A whirlwind adventure, full of wedding dresses, honeymoon planning and almost too many tiers of wedding cake! But for others, it can feel a little daunting. Especially if event planning is a relatively new experience. And we're not going to lie, there will be a lot to do. But with thoughtful planning, teamwork, and a structured timeline. You'll be a wedding planning expert in no time! Plus, we have every tool you could need to become a wedding planner available for free on our site!
Time is the most important thing to give yourself when getting married, no matter what your wedding planning timeline is. The more time you give yourself to complete each task, the more likely you'll be proud of what you've accomplished, and it will certainly be more enjoyable! Nobody wants to plan their wedding in a rush, but that's precisely what'll happen if you delay putting together your big day.
The best way to allocate your time is by breaking down every wedding checklist task into a bite size chunks. There's no way you can do everything at once, but by allocating certain tasks to each month, it's easy to methodically work through them all. Checking off little job, after little job.
If you're struggling to envisage what topics will need to be worked on over a 12-month wedding planning period, a great place to start is with a Wedding Day Timeline Template. By looking at the various events that typically occur on the actual day of the wedding, you should quickly see what needs to be planned. And we have an easy-to-use, editable and free template available as part of our huge suite of wedding planning tools. From wedding website maker to a seat chart generator, to a guest list organizer and budget calculator. Every tool you could need to plan a wedding is available now, and all of it is absolutely free.
Once you've gone through our wedding day timeline template, and worked out which checklist tasks you have to plan — it's time to schedule them!
Start your wedding timeline
PLANNING . WEDDING — is easy to remember and even easier to use.
12 Month Wedding Checklist: Planning Guide & Timeline
Our free wedding planning checklist is spread out over a 12-month period, as that is similar to a typical engagement. Plus, a year offers a good amount of time to plan a wedding. Ample schedule space for thinking, crafting and organizing. Without feeling too rushed.
If you are getting married within a shorter timeframe, say six months. Aim to complete all the checklist tasks set for months 12 to 6, in the first month of wedding planning. That will be a pretty hectic month, but by getting ahead, you'll keep yourself on schedule for the next 5 months of the wedding timeline. If you're planning a destination wedding, you will have to bring forward the sending of invitations. Potentially two to three months before we've listed below. Sending out invitations three months before the wedding simply doesn't allow guests enough time to make travel arrangements and get time off work.
Admin over, ready to start planning the wedding of your dreams? Lets's do it!
Get started with your timeline
- 12 Months Until the Wedding
- 11 Months Until the Wedding
- 10 Months Until the Wedding
- 9 Months Until the 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
- 1 Month Until the Wedding
- 2 Weeks Until the Wedding
- 1 Week Before the Wedding
- The Day Before the Wedding
- The Big Day is Finally Here!
12 Months Until the Wedding
- Research wedding themes, wedding venues, browse plenty of real weddings
- Look through a wedding day timeline template to get an idea of what needs to be planned
- Discuss wedding budget & who is paying
- Discuss your personal wedding vision and priorities with your partner
- Decide if you want/need a wedding planner or not
Start your wedding timeline
11 Months Until the Wedding
- Finalize the wedding ceremony and reception venue
- Select your wedding date
- Settle on wedding style
- Make a rough guest count
- Begin booking priority wedding vendors (photographers, videographers, caterer, officiant, planner etc)
- Decide on wedding party members
10 Months Until the Wedding
- Begin wedding attire shopping — especially the wedding dress, as that will take time to arrive and be altered
- Book transportation for the big day
- Arrange accommodation for yourself and guests
- Now's the time to finalize your guest list
9 Months Until the Wedding
- Pick out wedding stationery, save the dates being the priority but also start to look at wedding invitations
- Book wedding band, DJ and any other entertainment
- Arrange rentals for the reception (tables, chairs, tents, generators etc)
- Create your wedding website
- Arrange engagement session
- Schedule hair and makeup trial
8 Months Until the Wedding
- Send save the dates
- Arrange wedding insurance
- Set up a wedding registry
- Discuss rehearsal dinner with the hosts
- This is also the time to browse honeymoon locations
7 Months Until the Wedding
- Finalize wedding dress and attire
- Have all wedding vendors booked — florist is a priority
- Book rehearsal dinner location
Get started with your timeline
6 Months Until the Wedding
- Shop for wedding rings
- Book hair and makeup team
- Finish putting together and ordering your wedding invitations
- Consider premarital counseling
5 Months Until the Wedding
- Decide on the wedding menu with your caterer
- Time to plan the honeymoon!
- Begin beauty and grooming treatments
4 Months Until the Wedding
- Invite guests to bridal shower
- Finalize any unique wedding details
- Work out the program for your ceremony
3 Months Until the Wedding
- Have the best bridal shower ever!
- Arrange wedding favors and gifts
- Send out wedding invitations
- Finalize all wedding stationery (place cards, menus, welcome signs and any other important wedding decor)
- Go over the wedding day timeline template to see if any events or vendors have been missed
1 Month Until the Wedding
- Apply for your marriage license
- Complete alterations to wedding attire (marrying couple and wedding party)
- Create the seating charts for your rehearsal dinner, ceremony, and reception
2 Weeks Until the Wedding
- Collect last remaining RSVPs
- Make wedding planning team meetings
- Share shot list with the photographer
- Share the wedding day timeline with all vendors who require it
- Arrange any final beauty and grooming treatments
- Finalize vows and ceremony with your officiant
1 Week Before the Wedding
- Share final head count with venue and caterer
- Confirm details with every vendor
- Pack a bag for the wedding night
- Practice your vows with a member of your wedding party
- Make sure all members of your wedding party know their roles before the big day
The Day Before the Wedding
- Share contact information with all vendors
- Collate tip envelopes for vendors and give them to someone trustworthy to hand out the next day
- Hand in your marriage license
- Arrange for decor items to be taken to the reception venue
- Time to enjoy your rehearsal dinner and attend the ceremony run through
- Give wedding bands to your wedding party or officiant
- Say well done to each other for making it through the wedding planning process!
The Big Day is Finally Here!
- On the wedding morning, get out your printable wedding timeline for the day and start checking off tasks/events
- Eat a healthy/filling breakfast and drink plenty of nonalcoholic fluids
- Enjoy the wedding, you deserve it!
Conclusion
In conclusion, a wedding checklist timeline is an indispensable tool for any couple navigating the intricate journey of wedding planning. It transforms the overwhelming task of organizing a wedding into a manageable to-do list, ensuring that no detail, big or small, is overlooked. This printable wedding checklist serves not just as a guide, but as a reassuring companion, helping you to track your progress and stay on top of deadlines. With every item checked off, you move one step closer to the wedding of your dreams, confident that you have everything under control. Whether it's booking vendors or finalizing your guest list, this timeline empowers you to orchestrate your special day with ease and enjoyment.
Explore other topics related to wedding timeline
The online Wedding Planning Assistant provides a wide range of professional tools, including a detailed wedding timeline, meticulously designed to aid you in the coordination and organization of your special celebration.
We offer an international wedding planner service, open to all. Soon we hope to make our software available in all languages, so far, we have created versions for these languages: