Once your engagement is announced, the planning process begins. This timeline will help keep you on track when it comes to planning a stress-free wedding. (Yes, it’s possible, right?)
1 year +
- Announce your engagement
- Discuss budget, dates with both families
- Start looking at ceremony and reception sites
- Start looking at wedding gowns
- Select and invite attendants
- Select your ceremony officiant
- Create email account for wedding correspondance
- Attend a bridal show
- Set up your gift registry
- Start looking at florists, caterers, entertainment and photographers/videographers
6-9 months
- Reserve your reception site
- Reserve your caterers
- Finalize your guest list
- Decide on invitations
- Decide on entertainment
- Plan your engagement party
- Start thinking about your honeymoon
- Start planning your menu
3 months
- Order the invitations
- Shop for bridal party dresses
- Shop for the rings
- Book your honeymoon and make passport arrangements, if necessary
- Order the wedding cake
- Shop for bridal party gifts
- Reserve formalwear for the groomsmen
- Confirm orders with florist, entertainers and reception site
- Set up bridal gift registry
- Reserve blocks of hotel rooms for out-oftown guests
- Plan all parties, showers, and luncheons
2 months
- Address and send invitations
- Book transportation
- Choose all music for the ceremony and reception
- Determine ceremony protocol
- Confirm ceremony details with participants
- Purchase bridal party gifts
- Finalize rehearsal dinner plans and reception menu
- Design and print wedding programs
- Arrange fittings for bridal party
1 month
- Submit wedding announcement to local media
- Choose all accessories
- Write Thank-You notes for any gifts received
- Apply for marriage license
- Send rehearsal dinner invitations
- Draft a seating chart for the reception, if necessary
- Finalize details with all hired professionals
- Finalize jewlery
2 weeks
- Complete floor and seating plans for the reception
- Wrap gifts for everyone involved
- Start working on speeches and toasts
- Finalize receiving line
1 week
- Pick up formalwear and ensure it fits properly
- Make sure passports and marriage lisence are in hand
- Pack for honeymoon
- Pamper yourself with a massage, manicure and pedicure
Day before Wedding
- Put rings and license in safe place
- Attend rehearsal and rehearsal dinner
- Pack wedding-day items
- Pay the vendors
- Give gifts to attendants
Day of Wedding
- Deliver bridal clothing and honeymoon bag to reception venue or staging area
- Have hair styled and makeup applied
- Review your checklist
- Have candid pre-wedding pictures taken
- Get dressed
- Enjoy your special day!