So you're getting married! Congrats. Wedding planning can feel overwhelming but good wedding planning is necessary to make your big day run smoothly.
There is so much to do! How do you know all the steps if you've never planned a wedding before?? First step... get a solid wedding planning guide and a wedding checklist. Second step, BREATHE! A planning guide can't do the work for you but it can help you stay organized. Step three, get to work planning your dream wedding!
Attached is a guide to give you an idea of the steps required to plan a wedding, as well as the recommended timeline for each. You can download your PDF copy HERE.
Also get your free Wedding Essentials Checklist HERE.
Happy planning!
9-24 Months Before Wedding
- Get engaged
- Insure engagement ring
- Create or buy a wedding folder or binder
- Pick a date
- Determine your budget
- Choose best people
- Choose your wedding party
- Finalize wedding theme/colors/style
- List family traditions to include
- Start a guest list
- Hire a planner (not necessary but super helpful!)
- Research Vendors - Venue, Photographer, Videographer, Cake, Caterer, Florist, Hair and Makeup, Limo Service. (Looking for vendors? See Preferred Vendors List HERE)
- Book Officiant or designate someone special to officiate your wedding
- Tour potential venues (Keep in mind that popular venues fill up quickly. You may have to plan further out if you have your heart set on a very popular one.)
- Interview potential Photographers and Videographers
- Book Ceremony Venue
- Book Reception Venue (if different)
- Book Photographer
- Submit engagement announcement to newspaper
- Take a break from all the work and celebrate your love! Throw an engagement party!
8 Months Before Wedding
- Book entertainment (DJ, Band etc)
- Interview more vendors (Caterer, Florist, Hair and Makeup, Limo Service)
- Choose a dress (Make it fun, bring your bridal party and some champagne and make a day of it)
- Reserve lodging for your out of town guests (Find hotel/cottages/B&B’s near your reception location)
- Register for wedding gifts (Pick 2-3 places to register and have fun with it!)
- Launch a wedding website for your friends and family to follow and get info (you can post your registries here, post important information, and display your engagement photos and SO much more. Check out Zola, Appy Couple, Wix, Squarespace)
- Send Save-the-date cards
6 Months Before Wedding
- Take engagement photos
- Purchase Invitations (Hire a calligrapher, make them yourself or order online)
- Start planning honeymoon
- Select bridesmaids dresses
- Book any further necessities for the big day (lights, porta potties, seating etc)
- Book a Florist (Need ides for in season flowers during your wedding? Check out the SLOW Flowers Movement.
- Book Transportation
- Start putting together a day-of timeline (your wedding coordinator and photographer can help you with this!)
4-5 Months Before Wedding
- Schedule rehearsal
- Book rehearsal dinner venue
- Finalize and send wedding invitations (include RSVP)
- Order cake
- Your Maid of Honor should start planning your bridal shower!
- Dress fitting #1
- Buy wedding shoes and accessories
- Book hair and makeup artist(s)
- Write out a tentative playlist, you can keep adding ideas over the next few months.
- Book Honeymoon (Don’t forget to book a house sitter/dog sitter/ baby sitter)
3 Months Before Wedding
- Finalize food and drink menus
- Order favors
- List who is making toasts
- Ponder readings and vows
- Buy your undergarments
- Order menus
- Order wedding programs
- Shop for wedding bands (you’ll need time to order, size and engrave)
- Finalize decoration details (floral arrangements, centerpieces etc)
- Finalize events schedule
- Send schedule to your vendors
- Bridal Shower
- Shop for a wedding gift for your groom
- Book a bridal boudoir … leave time to have the photos returned and order products for your honey (surprise him with an amazing and sexy wedding gift)
2 Months Before Wedding
- Touch base with all your vendors
- Do a trial run for hair and makeup
- Meet with your photographer to walk through your expectations
- Finalize playlist with DJ (if you’re unsure how to start such a task than try creating ‘must play’ and ‘do not play’ lists)
- Submit wedding announcement to newspaper
- Order or make your decorations (throw a party for your bridal party and put them all together. A little pizza, wine and lots of laughter is the way to go)
- Reserve Tuxedo
- Book wedding night accommodations
- Order a guest book
- Arrange for a pet/baby sitter for the day and night of if needed
- Purchase a reception dress if you plan to change out of your wedding dress
1 Months Before Wedding
- Party time! Relax and enjoy your bachelorette party!
- Gather RSVP’s, call those you haven’t heard from
- Finalize guest list
- Get your marriage license
- Send out rehearsal dinner invites
- Dress fitting #2 (You can also schedule one the week before you wedding just in case and then cancel if not needed)
- Provide tentative head count to caterer
- Stock the bar
- Make final payments to vendors
- Provide address to transportation vendor and all vendors that will be on-site on the big day
- Assign seating for your guests
- Create or purchase seating cards
- Purchase bridesmaids gifts
- Finalize Vows
- Designate one person to gather family for family portraits
- Have your hair cut and dyed
- Pack your Emergency Bridal Kit
- Prep thank you cards for guests you know are attending (hey, you can do it while you relax and watch TV at night and it’s less to do after!)
- Find something new, something old, something borrowed and something blue
1 Week Before Wedding
- Delegate small wedding tasks
- Send timeline to friends, family, vendors and important people
- Pick up your dress (final fitting too if you scheduled that)
- Check in with vendors
- Ensure photographer has family list for shot list
- Set aside checks for vendors (final payments and tips)
- Get a manicure/pedicure and facial/spa treatment
- Get a massage! RELAX, all the planning will be over soon and you’ll be enjoying the fruits of all your labor
- Provide final guest list/ head count to the caterer and venue staff
- Break in your wedding shoes (to avoid blisters on your wedding day!!)
- Pack for your wedding night (include water and snacks)
- Pack for your honeymoon
- Get the rings cleaned
- Rehearsal and Rehearsal dinner
Wedding Day
- Delegate small wedding tasks
- Distribute wedding timeline
- Get ready
- RELAX! …. And enjoy your day
- Get married!
After the Wedding
- Honeymoon of course!!!
- Send thank you notes to guests and vendors
- Clean and store your wedding dress and veil
- Preserve Bouquet
- Return tux
- Return any rentals
- Name change paperwork
- New driver’s license with your new name
- Update your name with all bills, clubs, work etc
- Change insurance policies to include spouse
- Look over registries to make sure you received everything
- Enjoy life as a married couple!
XOXO,
Sarah
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