So you're engaged! Congratulations! Now the real fun begins...wedding planning! Don't let the overwhelming nature of wedding planning get you down. We're here to help with this ultimate wedding planning checklist. Just print it out, check off each item as you go, and breathe a sigh of relief knowing that you've got this!
Set a Budget
One of the first things you need to do when planning your wedding is setting a budget. This will give you a good starting point for all your subsequent decisions. Keep in mind that the average cost of a wedding in the United States is around $30,000, so try not to go too overboard!
Guest List
Once you have a budget in place, you can start working on your guest list. This is important because it will affect everything from your venue choice to your catering options. The average wedding has between 100 and 150 guests, but ultimately it's up to you how many people you want to invite. Just be sure to finalize your guest list before moving on to the next steps!
Venue
Now that you know how many guests you'll be having, you can start looking for a venue that can accommodate everyone comfortably. If you're planning a destination wedding, this step may be slightly different, but there are still plenty of beautiful venues out there to choose from. Just be sure to book your venue well in advance—popular dates can fill up fast!
Catering
Once you have a venue locked in, it's time to start thinking about catering. This is one area where you'll really want to consult with your budget—the last thing you want is to blow all your savings on food! There are lots of great catering companies out there who can work within your budget to create a menu that everyone will love. Just be sure to get some quotes and compare prices before making any decisions.
Wedding Essentials Vendors
These are wedding dress and grooms suite vendor, florist, wedding invitation suite and party giveaways vendor, band/musician, Host, and photographer.
Below are a more detailed things to do and when to do it.
9-12 Months Before the Wedding
During this initial stage of wedding planning, you'll want to do the following:
- Choose your date (and check for availability at your venue)
- Begin looking for a wedding planner (if you're not planning on doing it all yourself)
- Draft a budget and start saving
- Choose who will be in your wedding party
- Reserve a block of hotel rooms for out-of-town guests
- Start looking at dress options (for both you and your bridesmaids)
- Research wedding essentials vendors and book one you like
- Reserve a ceremony site (if you're not getting married in a church)
- Decide on catering options
- Purchase wedding insurance
6-9 Months Before the Wedding
At this point in the wedding planning process, you should be finalizing some key details and beginning to focus on the smaller details. To that end, here is what you should be doing six to nine months before your big day:
- locking down your officiant
- finalizing the guest list
- ordering your dress (and dresses for your bridesmaids)
- booking your rehearsal dinner site
- sending out save-the-dates
- booking any entertainment you've hired
- ordering invitations
- finalizing the menu with your caterer
3-6 Months Before the Wedding
As the big day approaches, it's time to start wrapping up all of the remaining details. Here's what needs to be done three to six months before your wedding:
- apply for or order your marriage license
- confirm final details with all vendors
- choose gifts for your wedding party
- have engagement photos taken (if you haven't already)
- research honeymoon destinations
2-1 Month Before the Wedding
Now is when all of those loose ends need to finally be tied up. Make sure you take care of the following during this month:
- visit any out-of-town guests who have arrived early
- pick up your dress from the bridal salon
- pack for your honeymoon
- have any final fittings
2 Weeks Before the Wedding
During these last two weeks, focus on getting yourself organized so that everything runs smoothly on the big day. To that end, here is what needs to be done two weeks before your wedding:
- create a day-of timeline for yourself, your spouse, and your wedding party
- confirm final head count with caterer
- give vendor gratuities (if you haven't already)
- collect RSVPs from any outstanding guests
1 Week Before the Wedding
At this point, it's just about putting all of the finishing touches in place. Make sure you do the following during this week:
- delegate small tasks to friends and family members as needed
- review timelines with all vendors
- touch base with photographer/videographer
- get marriage license signed by officiant
- make welcome baggies for out of town guests if desired
And that's it! If you've followed this checklist throughout the course of your planning, then by now everything should be taken care of and you can relax and enjoy being engaged—at least until it's time to walk down the aisle!
Planning a wedding can feel overwhelming at times, but if you break down all of the tasks into manageable chunks and spread them out over several months, it becomes much more manageable. By following this timeline/checklist, you can ensure that nothing gets forgotten and that every detail is taken care of well in advance. This way, come wedding day, all you have to do is relax and enjoy every minute!
Go Print Plus offers a wide range of wedding stationery, from Wedding invitation, save the date, RSVP cards, details cards, program cards, thank you cards and gift tags. We also have wedding welcome signs, wedding koozies, wedding fans, wine and bottle label stickers.