Wedding planning can feel a little bit overwhelming at times and that little niggling feeling of forgetting something can start to haunt you. Well don’t worry, we’ve come up with the ultimate wedding checklist, so that you can keep track of every little thing you need to do in the coming months. Sorted. Ps. skip to the end to download a printable PDF wedding checklist.
Newly engaged wedding checklist:
+ Drink champagne/beer/apple juice and cheers to each other
+ Tell your loved ones, shout it from the rooftops if you like
+ Enjoy this time together – soak up all those warm fuzzy feelings
+ Decide what kind of wedding you both want – what aspects of the day are most important to you? Try to start off on the same page
+ Decide if you want to elope – if so, ignore the rest of this list
11- 12 months before your wedding:
+ Buy a wedding notebook, or just open a brand new Google doc for all of your wedding checklist items
+ Make your wedding Pinterest board (and follow ours here) – it’s the most fun way to collect ideas (but don’t get overwhelmed by all the ‘stuff’)
+ Take a first stab at your guest list
+ Set your wedding budget (be realistic)
+ Pick a date!
+ Research venues, visit your favourites and book the one
+ Find your wedding photographer, set up a meeting and book them
9-10 months before your wedding
+ Choose your wedding party and ask them to do the honours
+ Start shopping for wedding outfits – don’t feel obliged to stick to wedding boutiques, there are plenty of other options around if you’re not keen – you can rent, or buy secondhand
+ Decide what to do about food – plan self catering or book a caterer
+ Start making your wedding website if you’re having one (they are handy for your guests to see all information in one place!)
+ Have a think about what kind of cake you’d like (a 3 tier lemon cake or a ‘bake off’ style dessert table? The possibilities are endless..)
+ Design and send your save the dates
+ Research your wedding invitations
+ Decide what to do about music – are you going to hire a band/book a DJ or create your own playlist?
+ Make a honeymoon Pinterest board and follow ours here.
5-7 months before your wedding
+ Book or ask a friend to be your wedding day MC – it will be super useful on the day to have someone telling everyone what’s happening and when
+ Book your DJ or band if you’ve gone down that route
+ Book your florist
+ Reserve hotel rooms for your wedding guests
+ Decide if you’re going to do your own hair and makeup, or if you’d like a professional to do it – research stylists in your area
+ If your wedding party are wearing suits, decide whether to rent or buy them
+ Have a think about wedding rings and decide on some styles
+ Schedule your hair and makeup trials if you’re using a professional
+ Book your wedding night accommodation (unless you’re heading home, in which case buy some extra special bedding so you can have a blissful first lie-in as a married couple)
4 months before your wedding
+ Start your online honeymoon registry or create your cash gift list with Patchwork
+ Check your passports – you’re going to need them to be up to date if you’re going abroad for your honeymoon
+ Buy your wedding rings
+ Book your wedding transportation if needed
3 months before your wedding
+ Send your wedding invitations, including a link to your Patchwork registry
+ If you need any dress/suit fittings, get them scheduled in
+ Start any of your DIY jobs, invite friends round to help (ply them with wine)
2 months before your wedding
+ If you’re writing your own wedding vows, start working on them now
+ If you’ve decided to make a speech, start jotting down ideas for that too
+ Do a bit of honeymoon planning – need a new swimsuit? Get that sorted now
+ Start wearing your wedding shoes around the house to make sure they’re comfy for the big day
6 weeks before your wedding
+ Make final decisions or alterations to your wedding outfits
+ Finalise your vows and speeches
+ Make sure your food is sorted – finalise menus with caterers
1 month before your wedding
+ Put together your seating chart – post-its come in very handy at this point
+ If you’re having any hair or beauty treatments, book those appointments now
+ Making a wedding playlist? Get started on that now! Pick your favourite dancing songs, and maybe some chilled ones to play while your guests are waiting for you to enter the ceremony
+ Finalise any vendor payments
+ Plan the timeline for the day itself, so you know exactly what’s happening and when
+ Tell your wedding party any information they need to know ahead of the day – timings etc
+ Check your outfit fits!
+ Confirm any prop/furniture/suit hire
+ Go and get your marriage license
2 weeks before your wedding
+ Confirm your final guest list
+ Give your photographer a list of shots you’d like on the day – want to get a picture with grandma? Make sure your photographer knows
+ Confirm delivery details with anyone dropping stuff off on the day (flowers, hired furniture, etc.)
+ Make sure you have a plan in place for the wedding venue setup and breakdown
1 week before your wedding
+ If you’re having a manicure, get it done now. And don’t do any washing up after.
+ Give your florist, caterers etc a contact number in case of emergencies – not your own. Maid of honour is usually a good call.
+ Make a little wedding day kit for emergencies – include make up, cotton wool buds, safety pins, a needle and thread, painkillers, plasters, hair grips and mints.
+ Pick up your dress/outfit if you need to
+ Try your whole outfit on (and do a little excited dance)
1 day before your wedding
+ If you’re heading off for honeymoon straight after the wedding, make sure you have your transportation organised
+ Print your vows/speech
+ Take a few deep breaths and try and get an early night
On your wedding day
+ Be in the moment – with a lot going on you can get swept away, but make sure you take it all in
+ GET MARRIED!
After the wedding
+ Have a Buck’s Fizz for breakfast and toast to your marriage
+ Make sure vendors have been paid in full
+ Follow up with your photographer to check when you’ll get your wedding photos back
+ Ensure everything you hired has been returned
+ Send out thank you notes to people who helped with the wedding
+ Send personalised thank yous via Patchwork with pictures of you enjoying your gifts
Heading to the wedding? Don’t forget these things:
- Rings
- Outfit
- Vows – if you’ve written them
- Speech
- Umbrella – just in case!
- Marriage license
- Wedding playlist
- Underwear
- Shoes
- Comfy shoes for evening
- Emergency kit
- Wallet
- Cash
- Passport (if you’re leaving for honeymoon!)
Downloadable wedding checklist:
For a printable version of this wedding checklist just click here.
First image by Leesha Williams.