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Wedding Planner Checklist
Wedding tasks in two-month stages, from budget and venue to RSVPs, for a couple or a co-planner.
A real, editable checklist below — tick, tap a line to rewrite, drag to reorder.
Tick the circles, tap any line to change it, drag the dots to reorder.
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Venue, budget and guest list come first, in months one and two, and the rest follows in two-month chunks up to the final stretch. Marriage.com puts the whole timeline at roughly 12 to 18 months and suggests monthly increments. This list is written for the couple, or a family member or friend co-planning with them, not for a hired planner. It adds lessons from a WeddingWire forum thread, such as paying vendors down ahead of time and trying a to-go cake tasting box. It assumes a traditional ceremony and reception and leaves out costs.
Why these items are on the list
- Set the budget. Months one and two, before any arrangements: decide how much of your savings goes to the wedding.
- Start a guest list. Months one and two: a rough list is enough for now. You'll finalize it in months five and six.
- Book the venue. Months one and two: the venue comes before the wedding date, officiant and photographer.
- Set the wedding date. Settle it once the venue is booked, together with the officiant and the photographer or videographer.
- Book the officiant. Months one and two. One forum poster found her first-choice officiant available when she booked.
- Book a photographer or videographer. Months one and two. A forum poster paid a deposit on hers in January 2020 for a May 2021 wedding.
- Contact caterer, florist, entertainment. Months three and four: approach vendors in order of priority.
- Pay vendor deposits early. One forum poster wants everything paid down early so nothing falls due together two weeks before.
- Name your bridal party. Months three and four: settle who will be in the bridal party.
- Start dress shopping. Months five and six, if it applies. Forum posters also tick off veil, shoes and jewelry.
- Lock guests, send save-the-dates. Months five and six: work to finalize the guests and send out the save-the-dates.
- Choose a honeymoon destination. Months five and six: pick the destination and start planning.
- Set up a wedding website. Months seven and eight: a place for guests to find the details.
- Settle menu and cake. Months seven and eight, with tastings. A to-go tasting box settled one poster's cake flavors quickly.
- Book hair and makeup, plus trials. Appointments in months seven and eight, before the ceremony. Sample sessions follow in months nine and ten.
- Send the invitations. Months nine and ten: address and send them. One forum poster dreads addressing hers, so allow time.
- Shop for wedding rings. Months nine and ten, and a trip you can make as a couple.
- Confirm ceremony music. Months nine and ten: listen to the options, then confirm.
- Write the day's timeline. Months 11 and 12: plan the ceremony and the day's activities.
- Confirm vendors, finalize invoices. Months 11 and 12: ask each vendor to confirm their duties for the day.
- Collect RSVP confirmations. Months 11 and 12 of the roughly 12-month timeline; longer plans may stretch this.
- Gather cake-cutting tools and topper. Nearer the wedding date: small details like these are easy to forget.
Work down the list in order and tick vendors off as they confirm, so you can see what's settled and what's still open. Share it with your co-planner or partner and you'll both see the same progress.
When to use it
Use it from engagement onward, ideally 12 to 18 months before the wedding date.