Wedding Master Planning Timeline

Planning a wedding can be both exhilarating and overwhelming, but having a clear timeline can make the process smoother and more enjoyable. Whether you're starting a year in advance or just a few months before your big day, a well-organized timeline helps you stay on track, ensuring that all crucial milestones are met. This wedding planning timeline serves as a flexible guide, allowing you to expand or condense tasks based on your wedding date and personal preferences. It will help you gauge your progress and make sure every detail is covered, leading to a seamless and unforgettable celebration.

10-12 Months Before

• Introduce both families to each other and officially announce the engagement

• Select a date

• Find out who is going to pay for what and start a budget

• Create a tentative guest list

• Choose your attendants (Best Man, Maid of Honor, Bridesmaids, Junior Bridesmaids, Groomsman, Flower Girl(s), Ring Bearer, Ushers, Guest Book Attendant, Singer/Musician, Officiant)

• Conduct interviews to see if you want/need a planner and if they are the right fit for you

• Find and book a location for both the wedding and the reception

• Start looking at gown photos to get ideas of what wedding dress you would like

• Start looking into honeymoon destinations

• Create your wedding website (example: knot.com)

• Schedule engagement photos

6-9 Months Before

• Inform out of town guests of wedding date

• Begin looking  for wedding dresses and gowns

• Explore possible honeymoon destinations and start pricing them

• Look into floral designs and talk to florists for styles and costs

• Work out some menu ideas and meet with some caterers

• Research a wedding photographer and look into their portfolios

•  Find out what kind of music you want at the wedding and interview DJ’s, singers, or musicians

• Book your band/DJ

• Finalize your choice of bridesmaids’ dresses 

• Choose your officiant and discuss ceremony ideas 

• Choose a florist and finalize floral and décor choice

• Book your honeymoon

• Buy your gown and veil

• Finalize contracts with your wedding photographer/videographer 

• Reserve hotel rooms for out of town guests or speak to hotel about holding a block of rooms

  
  

4-5 Months Before

• Order wedding invitations

• Shop for wedding rings and send for engraving

• Choose baker and finalize the cake

• Work on the menu with your caterer

• Look into the groom’s tux and what the groomsmen will wear

• Make sure to start your wedding registry before you send out invitations to the wedding shower

• Reserve rental equipment such as chairs, tables, tents, etc.

• Research and book a rehearsal dinner location

• Start working on wedding favors for both your guests as well as your attendants

• Get ideas for wedding day hair and makeup

• Choose friends to give readings, poems, sing, etc.

2-3 months 

• Finalize rehearsal dinner plans and send out invitations to rehearsal

• Mail official invitations eight weeks prior to your wedding day

• Finalize guest list and send invitations to a calligrapher to personalize them

• Book a makeup artist and hairstylist

• Finalize menu for the wedding reception

• Finalize favors for guests

• Finalize gifts for your spouse and attendants

• Confirm tuxes are ready for the groom and groomsmen

• Prepare wedding accessories, baskets, ring pillow, candles, the little touches

• Prepare for the honeymoon, make sure everything from the reservations, to your supplies, are in order

• Finalize wedding day transportation

• Select music for the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception, and review with music/singers

• First dance survival, consider signing up for a dance class, or practicing regularly

• Check that there are enough options on your registry

• Look into joint bank accounts, insurance, and merging your money

1-2 months before 

• Research where to get your marriage license

• Begin writing your vows

•  Have a bridal gown fitting

• Finalize readings and songs for the ceremony, and review with performers

• Meet with your officiant to finalize the ceremony

• Order liquor and beverages if it isn’t being handled by the caterer

• Begin writing thank you notes for showers and early wedding gifts, and remember to update registry

• Schedule a bridesmaid’s luncheon and secure gifts if you haven’t already

• Find out whether your wedding location requires liability insurance

 3-4 weeks

• Get your marriage license, typically no earlier than 30 days before the wedding

• Pick up your wedding rings

• Mail rehearsal invitations

• Design and order a wedding program

• Meet with stylists to finalize your hair and makeup for the wedding day

• Finalize jewelry

• Finalize must have shot list for photographer and videographer

• Finalize your “must play” and “don’t play” music list with the musicians or DJ

• Practice your first dance with  shoes 

• Confirm honeymoon travel arrangements and give loved ones your itinerary in case of emergencies

• Call guests who haven’t RSVP’d

• Research how to change names, if that is what you have chosen

 1-2 weeks before

• Have a final gown fitting

• Gather your gown, accessories, and emergency kit

• Finalize your wedding day schedule and share with family, attendants, and vendors

• Confirm all beauty appointments

• Confirm timing and addresses with transportation

• Confirm dates/times/locations with photographer and videographer

• Confirm dates/times/locations with all vendors

• Pick up bridal gown and ensure all accessories are ready

• Pick up groom’s outfit and ensure it fits, prepare any accessories

• Finalize your vows for the ceremony 

• Confirm final headcount

• Give final numbers to vendors and confirm all times and services

• Pack all of your wedding and reception  accessories in separate boxes and assign to someone responsible 

• Finalize all your guest favors

• Finalize seating arrangements and send to caterer

• Prepare placecards

• Bride and Groom should get their hair colored and trimmed

• Pack for your wedding night and honeymoon

1-2 days before

• Prepare payment envelopes for each vendor

• Hand out assignment lists and checklists to all principal parties involved

• Hand out ceremony, reception, and favor boxes to appropriate people

• Rehearse ceremony with officiant and wedding party

• Get a manicure, pedicure and massage

After the wedding

• Get your gown cleaned and pressed

• Preserve your bouquet

• Write and mail thank you notes

• Complete your name change kit

• Meet with photographer and videographer to finalize albums/video

Get your own downloadable timeline here.