What has to happen and when to make sure your wedding celebration is on track! Wedding planning can be a fun process, but there’s no denying that there’s a lot to do! With our ultimate wedding planning timeline, you won’t forget a step.
11-12 MONTHS OUT:
- Start envisioning your wedding – loosely decide on a wedding style
- Start thinking about when you’d like to get married
- Nail down a budget
- Book a venue
10-11 MONTHS OUT
- Make a wedding website
- Start browsing wedding outfits
- Start researching vendors like florists and photographers who book up fast
6-9 MONTHS OUT:
- Send save-the-date cards
- Register for gifts
- Book your vendors
- Order your wedding attire
- Reserve a hotel room block for out-of-town guests
- Buy wedding insurance
- Start browsing formal wear for your wedding party
- Schedule trials with a few beauty specialists and book one
4-5 MONTHS OUT:
- Finalize your flower proposal with the florist
- Buy wedding day accessories (shoes, jewelry, etc.)
- Take dance lessons if you’re planning a first dance
- Purchase/rent decor
- Order invitations
- Purchase wedding rings
- Order wedding favors
- Have your planning call with your wedding planner. At Wedgewood Weddings, we set these four months out, so we can help you prioritize and make sure nothing is missed
2-3 MONTHS OUT:
- Finalize your music playlist
- Apply for a local marriage license (you’ll pick it up closer to your wedding day)
- Design and order the cake with your baker
- Have your shower! Yay!
- Finalize wedding party attire
- Arrange transportation for the wedding day (limousine, party bus, etc.)
- Finalize your ceremony script with your officiant
- Mail your invitations
- Start working on your vows (if you’re writing your own)
- Purchase gifts for your parents and wedding party
- Buy your guest book
- Order any signs (such as a welcome sign)
- Arrange your first, second, and final fitting appointments for your wedding outfits
- Create a timeline for the wedding day and share it with family, wedding party, photographer, videographer, and DJ
- Finalize your menu choices
- Have your final details call with your wedding planner. At Wedgewood Weddings, these are usually set six weeks before your wedding so you have time to lock in the final details. Expect the call to take between one and two hours and we’ll work through a checklist together to make sure nothing is forgotten
1 MONTH OUT:
- Have your final outfit fitting
- Compile a must-take wedding shot list for your photographer
- Put together welcome bags (if you’re doing so)
2 WEEKS BEFORE:
- Nominate someone in your wedding party to follow up on missing RSVP’s
- Confirm final hair and makeup details (when and where to meet)
- Get your final headcount and have your final meeting with your wedding planner
- Finalize seating chart
- Order escort cards or a seating chart
- Go to the last attire fitting and organize when both outfits will be ready and delivered/picked up
- Confirm all final payments
- Double-check the day-of schedule
DAYS BEFORE:
- Pick up your marriage license
- Deliver welcome bags
- Complete beauty routine (haircut, spray tan, mani-pedi, etc.)
DAY OF:
- Eat a nourishing meal (you’ll most likely be busy all day and might not get as many chances to eat as you’d expect. Ask a parent or someone in your wedding party to bring some snacks for getting ready!)
- Take a deep breath (the day will flash by you, so take time to look around and memorize the moment)
- Enjoy your wedding!
If you’re ever feeling overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to ask for help! Lots of these tasks can be passed to family members or people in your wedding party. Getting things done is important, but staying up all night in order to do so is totally not worth it.