Wedding planning checklist: what to do and when

Twelve months before

• Agree on your budget and rough guest count
• Choose your date and book your venue
• Start your guest list

Nine months before

• Book your photographer, caterer and music
• Choose your outfits
• Set up your wedding website
• Send save the dates, especially if guests need to travel

Six months before

• Book your florist, transport and hair and make-up
• Arrange your legal paperwork
• Plan your honeymoon

Three months before

• Send your invitations, or earlier if guests need to travel
• Have your menu tasting
• Buy your rings
• Write out the schedule for the day

One month before

• Chase any missing replies
• Make your seating plan
• Have your final outfit fitting
• Confirm the details with each vendor

The final week

• Confirm final numbers by your venue’s and caterer’s deadlines, which may be earlier
• Make the last payments
• Share the schedule with vendors and helpers
• Pack, and hand over anything you can

If you have less time

Follow the same order and compress it. Popular venues and vendors book early, so secure those first and be flexible about the date or day of the week. Legal requirements can take time, so check them early in your country.

Common questions

What should we do first when planning a wedding?

Agree on your budget and guest count. They decide which venues are possible and what you can spend everywhere else.

How long do we need to plan a wedding?

Many couples take around a year, but a smaller wedding can be planned in much less if your venue and vendors are free.

How do we share the work?

Give every task one owner and a date, and check your list together once a week.