12 Month Wedding-Planning Checklist
Posted on: March 28, 2016
If you’ve just become engaged and are imagining your dream wedding, your head may be spinning with all that you need to do. This 12-month wedding checklist calendar will ensure that everything comes together beautifully.
12-plus months before your wedding day:
□ Choose a date and time, with several options.
□ Visualize your ideal wedding and plan the budget.
□ Check date and time with venues, special guests and hired help.
□ Research and book ceremony and reception sites.
□ Assemble a planning team.
□ Begin your guest list.
□ Ask relatives and friends to be in your wedding party.
At 8-10 months:
□ Shop for and order a wedding gown.
□ Decide on reception entertainment.
□ Plan reception food.
□ Select décor and floral arrangements.
□ Interview and hire vendors (musicians, DJ, florist, videographer and photographer).
□ Reserve hotel accommodations for guests.
□ Contact rental companies for chairs, tables, tents, etc.
□ Join a gift registry.
At 6-8 months:
□ Order bridesmaid dresses.
□ Book musicians.
□ Send out save-the-date cards (for a holiday or destination wedding).
□ Plan your honeymoon.
At 4-6 months:
□ Order wedding rings and wedding invitations.
□ Research wedding cakes and hire a cake designer.
□ Purchase formal wear.
□ Acquire passports, if needed.
At 3 months:
□ Address invitations (or hire a calligrapher).
□ Order the wedding cake.
□ Rent men’s formal wear.
□ Book transport (cars, limousines).
At 2 months:
□ Write wedding vows.
□ Mail invitations.
□ Purchase gifts for your wedding party.
□ Book hair stylist and makeup artist.
At 1 month:
□ Apply for marriage license.
□ Have final bridal gown fitting and bring it home.
□ Confirm with bridesmaids that their gowns are ready.
□ Confirm arrangements with vendors.
□ Create a wedding program for guests.
□ Order in-room welcome baskets for guests.
At 2 weeks:
□ Review RSVPs and call anyone who hasn’t responded.
□ Check in with wedding vendors.
□ Go to beauty salon for wedding haircut.
□ Send song list to band or DJ.
□ Deliver instructions to photographer and videographer.
At 1 week:
□ Give caterer and reception site final head count.
□ Give vendor requests to ceremony and reception sites.
□ Give site managers a schedule of deliveries and setup times with contact numbers.
□ Contact vendors to confirm details and make any necessary changes.
□ Create reception seating chart and print table and place cards.
A few days before:
□ Pick up men’s formal wear.
□ Plan wedding party positions and processional.
□ Give table cards, place cards menus, favors and centerpieces to site manager or caterer.
□ Connect with wedding vendors for final confirmation.
□ Make arrangements to pick up guests, if needed.
□ Deliver welcome baskets for guests to hotel.
□ Give locations and pickup times to car rental or limousine company.
The day before:
□ Give photographer, band and others an emergency phone number for wedding day.
□ Write checks for wedding services; confirm any final balances with hosts.
The night before:
□ Meet with officiant, wedding party, family and other participants at ceremony site and review/rehearse ceremony. Bring necessary accessories.
□ Give marriage license to officiant.
□ Attend the rehearsal dinner and present gifts.
On your wedding day:
□ Give each other and your parents their gifts.
□ Give wedding bands to the maid of honor and best man to present during the ceremony.
□ Give officiant’s payment to the best man.
□ Introduce reception site manager to a contact person for any issues that arise.
□ Assign someone to assist the photographer.
After the wedding:
□ Arrange for rentals to be returned and for bridal gown to be cleaned.
□ Send thank you notes for gifts that arrived on the wedding day.
It’s a long list, but being well-organized will make the best day of your life run smoothly, so everyone can concentrate on having a wonderful time!
