Wedding Planning Checklist & Timeline

At Least One Year in Advance:

• Announce your engagement and send announcements to the local newspaper.
• Plan an engagement party.
• Choose wedding date.
• Decide type of wedding desired (traditional, big/small).
• Decide time of wedding and reception.
• Choose desired location for wedding ceremony.
• Choose desired locations for reception.
• Set wedding budget and decide how wedding will be financed.

After the deciding, then the booking.

• See if ceremony and reception locations are available and book them.
• Choose/hire individual who will perform your wedding ceremony.
• Interview/Choose photographer and then book him/her.
• Interview/Choose Videographer and then book him/her.
• Interview/Choose Florist and then book him/her.
• Interview/Choose Baker (for cake) and then book him/her.
• Decide type of music desired for reception, if any.
• Interview/Choose Band/DJ for reception and then book him/her/them.
• Choose reception format: buffet or sit-down dinner etc.
• Interview/Choose caterer and then book him/her/them.
• Choose car company and book them.

Ten to Twelve Months in Advance

• Ensure home/renter's insurance covers engagement ring or buy additional jewelry insurance.
• Determine a color scheme for the wedding/reception if desired.
• Choose wedding party.
• Choose/order wedding dress and veil.
• Buy wedding shoes.
• Buy undergarments for wedding attire (need prior to fittings).
• Begin looking at invitations.
• Set honeymoon budget.

Six to Ten Months in Advance

• First meeting with minister/officiant.
• Begin writing vows.
• Choose ceremony music (prelude, processional, solos, recessional, postlude, etc.). 
• Choose and hire soloist(s) for ceremony/reception/rehearsal dinner.
• Choose attendants and ask if they'll accept the position.
• Begin looking for bridesmaid dresses.
• Pick out wedding attire for groom and groomsmen/ushers/fathers.
• Look for and book (reserve) block of rooms at nearbyhotel for out-of-town guests.
• Choose invitations.
• Make first draft of invite list.
• Get directions to church, from church to reception.
• Make list of attractions/things to do (in town where wedding is) to include with directions.
• Plan honeymoon and book all lodgings/transportation/event tickets.
• Check passports/visas.
• Discuss if a bridal registry is desired and what items would be on it.
• Choose china/crystal/flatware/cookware patterns for bridal registry if desired.

Four to Six Months in Advance

• Make appointment for bridal portrait.
• Make hair/nail appointment for bridal portrait.
• Find out from reception hall if guests can throw confetti
• Plan your grand exit at the reception/ceremony (guests throwing confetti)
• Buy/make favors to give guests.
• Buy/make centerpieces for guest tables at reception.
• Order bridesmaid dresses.
• Hire limo driver or arrange other transportation to/from ceremony and reception.
• Buy wedding attire accessories such as gloves, earrings, necklace, purse, shoes, cufflinks, etc.
• Pick out/order wedding bands.
• Select reception decorations such as candles, flowers, balloons, arches, etc.
• Meet with florist to choose amount and type of flowers for ceremony and reception and any other accessories.
• Ask mothers if they want to wear a flower corsage or carry a single flower instead and inform florist.
• Buy/make basket for flower girl.
• Buy/make pillow for ring bearer.
• Meet with baker to choose flavor(s) and style of wedding cake.
• Decide if a groom's cake is desired; if so, choose flavor and style and inform baker.
• Make/print directions and map for ceremony and reception to include with all wedding invitations.
• Make/print maps to rehearsal dinner to include with rehearsal dinner invitations.
• Make 2nd draft of invite list.
• Register gift preferences with one or more bridal registries at nearby and/or nationwide store.
• Get measurements from groom/ushers/fathers/groomsmen for tuxedos.

Three to Four Months in Advance

• Confirm bridal portrait appointment.
• Confirm hair/nail appointments for bridal portrait.
• Determine how many disposable cameras should be purchased, if any.
• st wedding gown fitting.
• Sign up to donate ceremony centerpiece to flowers for Sunday's service, if desired.
• Buy/make birdseed roses/birdseed packets/bubbles/etc.
• Decide on living arrangement once married.

Two to Four Months in Advance

• Choose soloist's song(s) and get soloist's approval to perform them.
• Mail/take music to soloist.
• Buy disposable cameras.
• Get bridal portrait taken.
• Determine wedding band inscriptions.
• Choose reception food.
• Design program layout (or have a printer do it).
• Determine reception layout (i.e. how many tables, chairs, etc.).
• Determine seating arrangement at reception if it's a sit-down dinner.
• Determine seating arrangement at rehearsal dinner with groom's mother if desired.
• Determine who will put suitcases in limo at reception.
• Determine how attendants will process and stand at ceremony.
• Choose reception music (1st dance, father/daughter dance, mother/son dance etc.)
• Make rough draft of list of duties of all involved (Master or Mistress of Ceremonies, etc.).
• Finalize vows and memorize (if necessary).
• Make sure flower girl dress is purchased.
• Make sure the mother's dresses are purchased and are complimentary.
• Determine length of bridesmaid dresses.
• Determine hose color and shoes for bridesmaids.
• Bride buy gifts for bridesmaids, parents, fiance, personal attendant.
• Groom buy gifts for groomsmen, parents, fiance, ushers.
• Buy gifts with fiance for Mistress or Master of Ceremonies, Host/Hostess, soloist, guest book attendant, etc.
• Schedule bride's hair appointment.
• Schedule nail appointment.
• Finalize invite list.
• Get addresses of all people on invite list.
• Order invitations.
• Order programs.
• Order monogrammed napkins for reception if desired.
• Reserve rental items: candelabra, linens, canopy, tables/chairs, etc.
• Get any immunizations you will need for the honeymoon.

Two Months in Advance

• Book rooms for out-of-town attendants at hotel.
• Go over rough draft of duties with all involved in wedding.
• Choose one person to whom the groomsmen can return their attire, to return to rental place.
• Determine who will return the groom's attire to the rental place.
• Determine order/timing of events at reception (cake-cutting, garter toss, etc.).
• Second wedding gown fitting.
• Buy honeymoon clothes and going away outfit if necessary.
• Buy/decide on rehearsal/rehearsal dinner outfit.
• Determine the "something borrowed, ...blue, ...old, and ...new" to wear on wedding day.
• Get wedding bands inscribed.
• Get final order of prelude and processional music from organist.
• Call to inform all people who need to be at rehearsal.
• Buy guest book and pen.
• Make itinerary of wedding day for all involved.
• Choose songs for video (background music for intro/pre-wedding).
• Buy stamps for invitations, response cards, and some to get started on thank-you notes.
• Ensure formal-wear shop has all attire measurements.
• Address/mail wedding invitations.

One Month in Advance

• Order flower arrangements for rehearsal dinner tables if desired.
• Find out if reception caterers will make a basket of food for you to take to your hotel after reception.
• Determine who will be in the wedding cars (i.e. just newlyweds or attendants/parents too??).
• Determine when items needed at reception (toasting glasses, etc.) will be taken there.
• Show final program to minister and organist to check for accuracy.
• Decide if gown will be preserved and where.
• Decide if bouquet will be preserved and make arrangements.
• Ensure band/DJ has equipment/music needed to play your chosen reception music.
• Pick up wedding bands.
• Ensure home insurance covers wedding bands or buy additional jewelry insurance.
• Confirm honeymoon reservations.
• Check registries to make sure shower gifts and/or early wedding gifts have been marked off.
• Record gifts as you receive them and send thank-you notes.
• Open joint checking and savings accounts.
• Change beneficiary to fiance for will and life insurance policy.
• Inform car/home insurance of marriage (discounted rates may apply).
• Make list of all places with whom bride needs to change name and submit changes.

Two Weeks in Advance

• Final meeting with florist - overview and give him/her map to ceremony and reception sites.
• Final meeting with reception hall/caterer.
• Final meeting with videographer - overview, give him/her music and map.
• Final meeting with photographer.
• Final conversation with band - overview of times & special songs, mail him/her/them map.
• Mail directions to wedding car company and confirm times.
• Meet with rehearsal dinner caterers for final details.
• Print programs.
• Print rehearsal dinner maps (extras in case guests forget map that came with dinner invite).
• Finalize and print list of duties for each person involved.
• Print itinerary of wedding day (copies for all at rehearsal).
• Confirm nail/hair appointments.
• Print list of reception dances for MC/band/DJ.
• Final wedding gown fitting.
• Confirm hotel reservations for wedding night.
• Confirm hotel reservations for attendants.
• Determine personal wedding morning itinerary (time to wake up, time to leave for church, etc.).
• Groom's hair appointment.
• Submit wedding announcement to local newspaper for publishing day or weekend of wedding.
• Move belongings to new home.

One Week in Advance

• Make bride's emergency kit.
• Pack for honeymoon.
• Get traveler's checks for honeymoon; exchange money to foreign currency now if desired.
• Fill out first page of guest book.
• Remind attendants about rehearsal time.
• Take marriage certificate to minister/officiant.
• Give best man the clergyman's fee (if to be payed day of ceremony, otherwise pay this week).
• Finish centerpieces for guest tables at reception if it's a last minute duty (i.e. need fresh flowers, etc.).
• Give final guest count to reception facility and/or caterer.
• Remind groom/fathers/ushers/groomsmen to pick up tuxedos on day before wedding.
• Ensure delivery of flower arrangements for wedding rehearsal dinner have been made.

Day Before Wedding

• Pick up wedding gown and veil.
• Pick up mens attire.
• Take favors, centerpieces, cake knife and server, toasting glasses, CD's, and birdseed roses to reception hall.
• Nail appointment.
• Give mother/bridesmaid lipstick to keep in purse on wedding day for bride (or prepare bride's purse).
• Rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.

Morning of Wedding

• Bride's hair appointment.
• Remember the Wedding Rings!
• Relax and enjoy!!