Month by month
Your Step-by-Step Wedding Planning Checklist
A wedding planning checklist is helpful to make sure you have considered each step in the process of planning your wedding. The checklist also helps to create a timeline for each step in the process.
In this guide
Your wedding planning checklist: action and timeline
You are engaged, now what? Each item in the first column of the wedding planning checklist below is an action step in your wedding planning process. The information in the second column indicates a suggested timeline. This timeline suggests a nine-month planning process. This is tight. A twelve-month or longer timeline is best.
The timeline is organized according to month. Month one begins the wedding planning process. There may be more than one item that should be completed in any given month. You may want to adjust the timeline to align more closely with your specific wedding requirements.
| Action item | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Communicating about your wedding plans | Month 1 |
| How to make wedding planning decisions | Month 1 |
| Your wedding budget | Month 1 |
| Wedding designers, planners and coordinators | Month 2 |
| Wedding planning apps and online tools | Month 2 |
| Wedding date, venue and reception | Month 2 |
| The wedding reception | Month 2 |
| The wedding party | Month 2 |
| Themes and decor for your wedding: how to decide | Month 2 |
| Wedding dress codes | Month 2 |
| Wedding rehearsal and dinner: what you need to know | Month 2 |
| Creating your wedding guest list | Month 3 |
| Wedding invitations and guest thank-you notes | Month 3 |
| Selecting your wedding officiant | Month 3 |
| Wedding flowers | Month 3 |
| Wedding rings | Month 4 |
| Plan, design and create your wedding ceremony | Month 4 |
| Gift ideas for your wedding party | Month 4 |
| Wedding gifts and your gift registry | Month 5 |
| Marriage license and certificate | Month 8 |
| You did it: relax until your wedding day | Month 8 |
| Your wedding day: enjoy | Month 9 |
| Be blessed | Months and years to come |
Two planners to keep it all in one place
A checklist tells you what to do and when. These two planners help you keep the budget and the guest list organized as you work through it.
Google Sheets template
Wedding Budget Planner
Organize every wedding expense, track deposits and final payments, compare estimated and actual costs, and see what is left at a glance.
See it on EtsyAffiliate link: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Google Sheets template
Wedding Guest List Planner & Tracker
Organize guests by family or category, track invitations and RSVPs, record meal choices, and keep addresses in one place.
See it on EtsyAffiliate link: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Want the full explanation?
Every item on the checklist is explained in our step-by-step guide to planning a wedding. See also our wedding planning tools.