Wedding Planning Checklist – Getting Ready for the Wedding
- Announce that you’re engaged!
- Choose an overall wedding vibe. Do you want it informal, at a beach? Or formal, at a church? Something in between?
- Plan Your Budget. Factor your spouse’s contribution and your family’s contribution into the budget. Make sure to always leave a 15% to 20% buffer for unexpected expenses.
- Start some kind of bookkeeping or expense tracking system. Throughout the process you’ll be paying a lot of different people for different things, often not paying in full for a service all at once. Having a good system to track all these expenses can save a lot of headaches later on.
- Select a wedding date.
- Choose an Officiant, Minister or Priest.
- Start building your guest list. Go through your phone book, address books and email contacts to compile a list of everyone that might be invited.
- Book the wedding venue. The earlier you can book it, the better. You may choose to book two different sites for the reception and ceremony.
- Look into whether or not you want to hire a wedding planner. They can really help take stress out of the process.
- Start looking at wedding photographers, catering companies and other professionals you want at your wedding.
- Choose and purchase a bridal gown.
- Gather all the paperwork you need to file a marriage license.
6 to 9 Months Before
- Start a wedding registry.
- Purchase your wedding invitations.
- Browse and select your bridesmaid dresses. Ideally you should have a six month window for them to be made.
- Book your DJ or band. Try to see one of their shows in person first before booking.
- Book your photographer and/or videographer. Check their samples to make sure their style matches your taste.
- Interview and book a florist. Again, look at photos of their previous designs to make sure they match your style.
- Determine the overall colors of the wedding. You should have just one or two main colors, with the rest of the colors to match.
- Look into honeymoon spots. Plan how long you want the trip to be, where you want to go and let your employer know you’ll need some time off work.
- Start drafting a list of responsibilities for each person / role. This will save a lot of time and confusion on your wedding day, as well as the weeks leading up to it.
- Start drafting a timeline for the wedding day.
3 to 6 Months Before
- Hire a decorator or interior designer.
- Select and order a wedding cake.
- Decide what the groom will wear. Start making the arrangements.
- Finalize your invitation list.
- Sign up helpers. Family members and friends who will help make the wedding go smoothly.
- Choose which version of the bible is being read for scriptures, if applicable.
- Hire a limousine or other transportation for transportation between the reception and the ceremony.
- Plan your toasts and readings. Ask the people who you want to give a toast or reading at the wedding to do so.
- Buy your wedding rings.
- Print schedules and cards for the guests.
- Book your hairstylist and makeup artist.
- Hire any babysitters necessary.
- Talk to performers and DJs about specific songs and sets to play for the wedding day.
- Arrange for transportation to and from the wedding site.
- Sort out merged finances, bank accounts, etc.
- Sort out living arrangements for after the marriage.
1 to 3 Months Before
- Buy your bridesmaids’ gifts.
- Get a solid head count. Deliver this head count to your caterer and anyone else who needs a solid number to plan properly.
- Get a final fitting with your dress maker.
- Finalize arrangements with all your vendors.
- Send out the invitations.
- Send out your wedding invitations.
- Get your marriage license. Do this within a month of the actual wedding.
- File for your name change.
- Talk to a stylist about hairstyles and makeup options for your big day.
- Finalize the schedule for the wedding day. Make sure all the DJs, songs and bands have appropriate slots of time.
- Talk to your officiant to hammer out all the final details for the ceremony.
- Write your wedding vows.
- Figure out where the bride will get dressed before the ceremony.
- Start preparations for your honeymoon. Book hotels, flights, get visas, etc.
- Select your Master of Ceremonies (MC.)
- Choose an usher to help your guests find their seats.
1 Week to 4 Weeks
- Keep an up to date RSVP record so you know exactly who’s coming and who’s not.
- Have a bachelorette party.
- Finalize the catering plans.
- Finalize the cake arrangements.
- Finalize all other food and drink arrangements.
- Finalize day-of schedule.
- Give your caterer and staff the final head count.
Week of the Wedding to The Day Before
- Final confirmation with all vendors.
- Write the checks for the vendors. That way you don’t have to get out your checkbook the day of the wedding.
- Pick up wedding gown.
- Pick up tuxedo.
- Nail & hair appointments.
- Email the closed guest list to the caterer and the wedding venue. Usually they’ll want the final list within 3 days of the wedding.
- Rehearsal.
- Rehearsal dinner.
