Wedding Planning Checklist

12–15 Months Before the Wedding

• Announce engagement to family and friends
• Envision wedding with partner and both sets of parents
• Create filing system for ideas and paperwork
• Determine budget and who’s contributing to it
• Pick wedding date (can be approximate)
• Start creating guest list
• Hire wedding consultant (optional)
• Find officiant and meet with him or her
• Begin researching vendors
• Start dress shopping

9–11 Months Before the Wedding

• Find and book ceremony and reception sites
• Sign up for wedding gift registries
• Choose attendants (bridesmaids, groomsmen)
• Submit engagement announcement to newspapers
• Continue dress shopping
• Choose caterer (if necessary) and start planning menu
• Find photographer and videographer
• Meet with potential florists
• Find and book band or DJ
• Begin planning honeymoon
• Meet with stationer about invitations and other wedding stationery

6–8 Months Before the Wedding

• Order wedding gown and bridesmaids’ dresses
• Reserve rentals (tent, chairs, etc.)
• Order wedding stationery
• Send save-the-date cards
• Start planning rehearsal dinner
• Decide on florist
• Find cake baker
• Choose ceremony music and musicians
• Reserve blocks of hotel rooms for guests

3–5 Months Before the Wedding

• Finalize guest list
• Purchase wedding rings
• Address invitations
• Finalize menu with caterer
• Schedule dress fittings
• Research marriage license requirements
• Pick out groom’s and groomsmen’s clothes
• Shop for (or make) wedding favors
• Book rehearsal dinner
• Get travel documents for honeymoon (if necessary)

6 Weeks–2 Months Before the Wedding

• Send out invitations
• Have final dress fittings
• Buy accessories for gown
• Prepare ceremony programs
• Finalize menus
• Work on vows (if you’re writing them yourselves)
• Arrange wedding-day transportation
• Make sure bridesmaids have dresses and accessories
• Buy gifts for wedding party (attendants and family)
• Have practice session with hair and makeup stylists and book both for wedding day
• Confirm ceremony and rehearsal dates and times
• Finalize rehearsal dinner plans
• Have groomsmen submit measurements for tuxedos

3–4 Weeks Before the Wedding

• Have formal wedding portrait taken
• Submit wedding announcement to newspapers
• Get marriage license and blood tests
• Pick up wedding rings
• Meet with officiant
• Finalize ceremony details
• Confirm honeymoon reservations
• Finalize rehearsal dinner plans
• Send rehearsal dinner invitations
• Work on reception seating plan
• Create song list for reception
• Ask an attendant to handle wedding gifts at reception and to transport gifts from reception to home
• Hire movers (if you’re moving after wedding)
• Wrap gifts for family and attendants
• Get final haircut and coloring (for bride)
• Select wedding gifts for each other
• Finalize flowers with florist—bring fabric samples
• Prepare welcome baskets and arrange for delivery to guests’ hotel rooms

1–2 Weeks Before the Wedding

• Follow up with guests who have not RSVP’d
• Finalize seating chart and make placecards
• Confirm musicians and DJ for ceremony and reception
• Confirm details with photographer, videographer, florist, cake baker, and location manager
• Confirm final headcount with caterer
• Get final haircut (for groom)
• Prepare directions, schedule, and contact lists for parents, attendants, and vendors
• Pick up dress and veil; pick up and try on tuxedo
• Practice walking in wedding shoes
• Pack for honeymoon

Day Before the Wedding

• Prepare final checks and tips for vendors and servers
• Distribute directions, schedule, and contact lists to parents, attendants, and vendors
• Confirm honeymoon travel plans
• Get manicure and pedicure
• Hold wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner