The question is popped, the ring is on, stars are in your eyes…but now what? With so many tasks to take care of and details to arrange, planning a wedding can seem overwhelming. But, if you give yourself enough time to plan and sort the tasks month by month with a wedding planning checklist and wedding timeline, the job becomes more fun and less stressful.
Though 12 to 14 months is the ideal length for an engagement, every couple’s engagement time is different. If your engagement length is shorter, we advice you to condense the schedule. If you’re getting married in six months, try to complete all the wedding-planning checklist tasks designated for months 12 to 6 in that very first month, and then you’ll be right on schedule with everything else.
We will share insights to help create this 12-month wedding planning checklist and timeline to help brides plan a stress-free path to “I do!”
12 Months Out
Determine Your budget
IIt’s time to do the math and crunch some not-so-fun numbers. Before you can start anything, you’ll want to break down the budget—what’s a priority? What’s not?—and start allocating funds accordingly. (A little market research here comes in handy.) And since these numbers will change as you plan, it’s smart to start a detailed spreadsheet from the get-go. This will help you keep track of your spending and make it easy to adjust numbers along the way.
Make a Guest List
IIf only you could invite any and everyone, right? Chances are, you can’t, which is why you have to put a cap on dishing out invites. Consider your budget (how much can you afford?) and your venue (how many people does it fit?). Figure out how you’re going to divvy up the list.
Hire a Wedding Planner
Again, this will depend on your budget. (Fair warning: Most everything will.) But if your funds allow—or if your peace of mind depends on it—now is the time to tap the manager of your big day. This person will be your right-hand woman (or man) and will guide you in all decisions, from selecting a venue to tracking your budget and handling all the logistics.
Decide Formality and Overall Theme
Now’s the time to sit down and have another heart-to-heart convo with your significant other. After all, the vibe of your wedding needs to be a mutual decision between the two guests of honor. To get the conversation flowing, pour a glass of wine/water/tea and ask yourself: What’s important to you and why? What do you value? Also, know that your venue—more on that below—is going to affect all of this.
Select the Venue
Okay, you know who you’re marrying. Now the real question is where? Trust us: Choosing the venue is one of the most important decisions you’ll make right now. Seriously, the location affects almost everything else, from how many people you invite to what kind of flowers go on the table. Chances are, it’s also the biggest chunk of change you’ve put down, like ever. That’s why you want to explore your options, visit the top contenders, and ultimately select a place that fits your guest count, style, and budget.
11 Months Out
Choose a Color Theme and Start Thinking of Overall Design
Pull up your Pinterest boards, people. It’s finally time to gather inspiration, select a color palette, and create a mood board. If you’re struggling for inspiration, the wedding planner should recommend you to take a step back to look at things that are already in your world ike how you’ve decorated your house, what you are liking on Instagram, etc. and draw inspiration from that.
Hire Vendors Who Book Up Quickly, Including Your Photographer, Band, DJ, and Videographer
These are the people who will make your night fun—and all those memories last forever (aka, they’re important). Do your research before you hire, ask all the right questions, and maybe even date your photographer. Seriously, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship.
10 Months Out
Start Shopping for Your Wedding Dress
You may know exactly what you want or you might not, which is okay, too. To get you started, here’s an ultimate guide to dress shopping.
Take Engagement Photos
Now is a great time to practice being in front of the camera, especially since most photographers include a session in your package.
Start Looking at Invitations
The wedding invitation is a guest’s first impression of your big day. That’s why you want to put your best foot forward with a personalized preview. If you’re going custom, start working with a graphic designer now to create your dream suite. If you’re going for a less involved route, you can wait until the six-month mark. (Invites will be sent out just six to eight weeks prior to the big day.)
9 Months Out
Buy Your Wedding Dress
It’s time to say “yes” to the dress if you want to avoid rush fees.
Send Save the Dates
Let everyone officially know when and where you’re making it official. And remember: Everyone who gets a save the date gets a wedding invite. No exceptions.
8 Months Out
Register for Gifts
Involve your better half in this one—after all, you two are building a life (and home) together. When registering, it’s smart to ask for staples—like sheets and pots and pans, and so on—but it’s even more genius to think about what you really want.
Meet With Potential Florists
Much like hiring your other vendors, you want to be simpatico with your florist, as well. In order to do that, we suggest polling friends for recs, scrolling through Instagram inspiration, and asking your planner/venue coordinator who they recommend in the area. It’s important that you find someone who is able to deliver on your vision and budget.
7 Months Out
Hire the Ceremony Musicians
If you’re enlisting the talents of a three-piece band, now’s the time to do so. As for the actual music, we say don’t go generic when you can go personal.
Order Rental Items, Such as Specialty Chairs, Linens, Draping, Lounge Furniture, White Dance Floor, Etc.
Great rentals essentially act as the good bones of your wedding day décor. Conclusion: Don’t skimp on upgraded chairs and cozy lounge furniture (your guests will thank you) if your budget allows.
6 Months Out
Hire a Lighting Technician
The most important detail couples forget about is lighting. Seriously, the bulbs and candles you select are what will ultimately light your perfect venue, make your photos just right, and keep the party going even after the sun sets. Here are 24 bright ideas, and another 31 of picture-perfect candle displays.
5 Months Out
Book the Honeymoon
Traditionally, wedding etiquette states the groom plans a surprise honeymoon for the bride. But, if you guys are tag-teaming your honeymoon strategy, try to have things semi-sorted out by this five-months mark. That means being on the same page about budget, timing, travel arrangements, and a semblance of an itinerary. You don’t have to schedule every minute, but each of you should share the most important takeaways you want from this trip, and act to ensure those activities will happen. Then, grab our top 13 tips to create the trip of a lifetime.
Buy or Rent the Groom’s Tuxedo
The groom walks out first, remember? Make sure that first impression on your guests is a good one. Step one is choosing between a tux or suit, based on the formality of your wedding, and then deciding whether to buy or rent. When selecting the actual ensemble, focus on fit and function. A well-made outfit will be flattering, but also allow your groom to show off any and all embarrassing dance moves without fear of splitting any seams. Finally, if you’re going the renting route, avoid these five mistakes groomsmen make when renting a tux or suit.
4 Months Out
Have Your Final Tasting With the Caterer
At this point, you’ve asked your caterer to talk through these questions. Now it’s time to taste what they’re really made of. The tasting has become increasingly important as more and more couples choose to customize everything from their signature cocktails to their desserts. If you’re nervous about heart-eyes obstructing your taste buds’ judgment, bring your planner. They’ve likely attended dozens of tastings and will be your clear-eyed troubleshooter—paying attention to the detailing of the food and the attentiveness of the service.
Choose Your Cake
We’ll hit you first with the pinspiration: Check out these gorgeous photos and delicious flavoring descriptions. Now, you and your partner should settle on a look and flavor profile, you both love. Don’t stress about pleasing every one of your guests. This is your cake as a couple; it’s about expressing you guys.
Hair and Makeup Trial
Help your stylists help you by researching some particulars before you come in for your trials. Look back at old photos of yourself so you can find something that’s worked before and ensures you still look like yourself. Next, feel free to search social media for other inspiration; just don’t delude yourself with highly-filtered Instagram expectations.
Bring photos and be as specific as possible about what you want and don’t want.
3 Months Out
Order the Invitations and Hire a Calligrapher
There are a few ground rules when it comes to ordering your wedding invitations: Order enough of them and account for some mistakes, make sure they will arrive in time, set up a system for recording RSVP replies, and confirm all addresses and spelling. But when it comes to design and wording, the options are endless. Need a little advice to rein it all in? Keep reminding yourself that the theme of your invites should match the vibe of your wedding and express you as a couple.
Create or Plan Your Menu
Once you’ve undergone a successful tasting, you’ll have a good sense of your caterer’s style and offerings, so you’re ready to finalize your food. Maybe you’re the couple who’s hand-selected every hors d’oeuvres, main, side, dessert, and drink situation. Or, perhaps you just told your chef to “handle it” and called it a day. Either way, now is the time to stamp your approval on a completed menu that fits your budget, tastes, and timing.
Brainstorm Guest Favors and Gift Bags
You don’t have to do favors or gift bags, but now’s the time to decide. Here are some of our favorite options for favors, Go forth!
Book a Photo-Booth Rental
Photo booths have become a reception staple, but if you’re hoping for something with a little more pizzazz than your standard step-and-shoot, check out these seven creative alternatives.
2 Months Out
Send the Wedding Invitations (With RSVPs Due One Month Before the Wedding)
You already did the hard part—the selection process. Now, just print and assemble.
First Dress Fitting
We know you’ve been following along on our Ultimate Wedding Dress Shopping Timeline, but just to remind you: Your first fitting should be anywhere between two to three months after ordering, and your second one around the six-week mark.
Do a Floral Mock-Up With Your Florist
Floral samples vary depending on your florist and your own wedding décor choices, but most of the time they’ll include a mock reception table setup, centerpiece, and bouquet. Now is also the time to talk tweaks and finalize your delivery and care strategy.
Give the Song Selections to Your Band or DJ
Guys, if you need music suggestions, here you go
Buy All Small Items
Just off the top of our heads, those include table numbers, toasting flutes, cake topper, cake stand, cake knife, guest book, card box, ring-bearer accessories, flower-girl accessories, a cute hanger for your dress, and a garter. Also consider purchasing pashminas, flip-flops, and/or sunglasses for guests to change into at the reception, as well as baskets to hold them. Then, don’t forget your signs (“Welcome,” “Guest Book,” “Dancing Shoes,” etc.).
1 Month Out
Pay Your Vendors in Full
The last awkward situation you want to deal with right before your wedding day is a vendor chasing money. Avoid that by keeping careful track of when and how much you pay each vendor. If there are some vendors who must be paid the day of, or you’re distributing tips, give your most trusted relative a heads-up that come wedding day, you’ll be counting on them to handle the labeled envelopes you’re going to put together.
Create a Seating Chart
You thought the guest list was a pain in the hiney, and now you’ve arrived at the seating chart challenge—another daunting balancing act of relationships, egos, potential, and crisis management. You’ll want to think about your venue’s floor plan, whether or not you’ll have a head table and who will be sitting at it, and choosing a cool design.
Order or Make Your Escort Cards and Place Cards
First, you should know the difference. While both place cards and escort cards designate where each guest will be seated at a wedding, place cards are more specific—and also more formal—than escort cards. A place card not only directs guests to the table where each will sit during the reception, but also points each guest to his or her particular seat at the table. Whichever you choose, you’ll want your cards to complement the overall theme of your wedding, but again, the possibilities are unlimited.
Have a Final Venue Walk-Through
Make a list of questions beforehand, and bring your planner or another close friend or family member to bring up anything you forget.
Final Week
Congratulations! You’ve made it all the way to the final week of your wedding planning. Deep breaths now, most of the hard work is over at this point. Now all that is really left is the nitty-gritty details. Take care of things like:
- Refreshing your hair color
- Getting your eyebrows done
- Manicure/pedicure
- Getting a massage (why not make it a couple’s massage?)
- Final dress fitting
- Pack your bags for the honeymoon (don’t forget your passport if you’re leaving the country), and confirm your travel arrangements
- Clean your ring (head to your jeweler to get your engagement ring professionally cleaned so it’s extra sparkly on your wedding day)
- Chase any RSVP stragglers and deliver the final headcount
Night Before and Day of the Wedding
The big day is finally here. All your careful preparation and creative planning have come to fruition, and it’s time to enjoy the wedding. Here’s what to do:
The Night Before:
- Eat a healthy meal
- Pack a clutch or small bag of personal items
- Drink water
- Get a good night’s sleep
- Put any boxes, suitcases, bags, and survival kits to bring to the ceremony or reception in the car (you’ll thank us tomorrow)
The Morning Of:
- Stay off your feet as much as possible
- Eat breakfast
- Drink even more water
- Take your dress and veil out of the bag early on and have someone steam them if needed
- Lay out all the items (rings, invitations, etc.) that you want your photographer to capture
- Say thank you to everyone around you
