Wedding checklist timeline is one of the most important things to do at the beginning of your wedding planning. The wedding planning checklist timeline will help you to stay organised and monitor all the tasks which you need to do before, during and after your big day. A useful thing to create a wedding timeline is creating a detailed to-do list by splitting it into different planning categories ? for example, venues and locations, vendors, decorations, guests, entertainment, etc.
The typical wedding checklist timeline for a wedding covers 12-16 months. There are multiple tools, advises and templates which you can use for your planning.
Here you will find advises and examples for wedding checklist timeline for the planning period of 1 year.
Wedding timeline checklist
There are lots of things and arrangements to think about and add to your wedding timeline checklist. Experienced wedding professionals recommend splitting 1-year planning period into different planning stages.
1 year before the wedding.
- Start with the inspiration. You definitely have a clear vision of what you would like at your wedding. Collect pictures, create your inspiration boards, put down all your ideas. Think about the size of your event ? are you planning a 100+ guests wedding or small intimate celebration just with the family members and closest friends? Also, think about the colour palette for your wedding ? here you can use online tools (for example, Pantone Studio) to find out, what colours to choose and how to mix them ideally.
- Set your budget. The budget impacts lots of arrangements, such the choice of the venue or the variety of wedding entertainment.
- Choose your wedding style: do you want to have a classic wedding or implement one of the popular wedding trends?
- Think about your wedding party ? maid of honour, best man, bridesmaids, groomsman, ring bearer, flower girl.
- Start creating your guest list. Ask your partner and your family members to create a guest list as well and then compare your writings not to forget about anybody.
- Start searching for your perfect venue. If you are flexible with your wedding date, discuss the conditions with the venue ? for example, the prices may vary significantly from one day to another. As soon as you have found your perfect locations both for the ceremony and for the reception, book them.
- Hire a wedding planner. There are cases when the couple has a lot of free time and a strong team of friends who help to organise all the wedding arrangements with their own forces. However, the practice shows that wedding planning services are a huge help, especially in the processes such as finding the right vendors, negotiating the prices, providing useful advises, drawing up contracts with vendors, etc.
- Start searching for the vendors ? photographer and videographer, florist, decorator, catering, transportation, officiant, DJs and MC, musicians and bands, entertainers, stationery companies, etc.
- Create your wedding planning binder and put down all the smallest details, contacts, and things to do in the next months.
Another stage of the wedding planning checklist timeline is 7-8 months before the wedding.
- Start hiring your vendors. Make an appointment with the photographer and videographer to discuss all the details. Find your perfect dress and the attire for the groom, purchase or rent the attire. Don?t forget to make appointments for several fittings and start shopping your shoes, accessories, jewellery, etc.
- Meet the officiant to discuss your ceremony details.
- It?s also the time to send your RSVPs and creating your final guest count. As soon as you have all the answers, book hotel rooms for your out of town guests.
- Meet your caterers to discuss all the menu options based on the requirements (and dietary restrictions) of your invitees.
- Now you can also create your wedding website and create a registry.
5-6 months before the wedding.
- Order and purchase your invitations.
- Find dresses for your bridesmaids.
- Start planning your honeymoon.
- Meet your florist to discuss all the floral design elements for your ceremony and reception. Compose the bridal bouquet.
- Think about the rentals and supplies you could need for the reception. In case the venue doesn?t provide the d?cor elements, find a company to order and rent the supplies.
3-4 months before your wedding.
- Plan your bridal shower and your rehearsal dinner.
- Make appointments with makeup and hair artists for the trials.
- Think about the playlist for your wedding reception.
- Make an appointment with the cake company for the wedding cake tasting.
2 months before your wedding.
- Purchase the tings.
- Print your stationery ? menu cards, place cards, programs, thank you cards, table numbers, labels for the gifts and favours for your guests, etc.
- Make all the necessary final appointments with the vendors to make sure everything is kept on track ? florists, cake company, the photographer (to discuss the final shot list), videographer, caterer, DJ (finalise your playlist), musicians.
- Purchase wedding rings.
- Create various helpful sheets and documents ? to-do lists, checklists, wedding day schedules, create contact lists of all the vendors and include emergency numbers.
- Provide your bridesmaids with the guest lists and seating charts.
- Make sure your wedding gifts and favours are prepared.
- Organize transfers for your guests and the wedding transportation for the bride and groom.
- Send out your invitations.
- Make sure you have all the contracts with your vendors.
1 month before the wedding. Having 1month before the wedding, the wedding checklist timeline recommends accomplishing the following tasks:
- Get your marriage license.
- Have your bridal shower and bachelor party.
- Organize the gifts for the wedding party.
- Write vows.
- Meet the bridesmaids to discuss the final wedding schedules. Make sure the wedding party has the wedding day timelines.
- Have your final wedding dress and groom?s attire fittings.
1 week before the wedding. The wedding timeline checklist includes the following for this planning stage:
- Make all the final payments to the vendors.
- Pack for your honeymoon.
- Check the arrival and setup time with the vendors according to your wedding day timeline. Check your wedding timeline checklist to see if everything has been accomplished and done in time.
1 day before the wedding.
- Make sure you will be comfortable in your shoes.
- Have some health and beauty treatments, such as SPA or yoga, manicure and pedicure.
Wedding day: get married and have fun!
The wedding checklist timeline also includes activities after the wedding.
After the wedding day:
- Send out thank you notes;
- Make sure all the payments to vendors and parties involved in your wedding are made.
- Enjoy your honeymoon!
These are the main tasks to be done and added to your wedding checklist timeline. Of course, during your wedding planning process, you will experience lots of additional tasks and things to do. However, it is always useful to check and monitor all the main tasks associated with your wedding. One of the useful things to have is a document which will help you stay on track with all your planning activities. One of these documents can be the printable wedding timeline checklist.
The online event planning tool eazyplan provides lots of useful documents, checklists and planning templates. You can download your printable wedding timeline checklist to stay organized and not to forget about important planning tasks.
Wedding checklist timeline download
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