Fillable Printable Sample Wedding Planning To-Do List
Fillable Printable Sample Wedding Planning To-Do List
Sample Wedding Planning To-Do List
11 Months Before Wedding
Decide on the budget.
Start the guest list.
Determine a time frame for your wedding date. Narrow down your wedding date to a few weekends that don’t
conflict with other family events.
Choose a color scheme for your big day.
Search for a ceremony venue.
Search for a reception venue.
10 Months Before Wedding
Book your ceremony venue. Create deposits/payments schedule.
Book your reception venue. Create deposits/payments schedule.
Choose the members of your wedding party - maid of honor and best man, bridesmaids, groomsmen, ring bearer,
flower girl as well as your ushers - and invite them to take these roles.
Create your wedding website.
Search for a caterer.
Search for a photographer/videographer.
Search for a florist.
Search for a band.
Search for a DJ.
Select save-the-date cards and order.
9 Months Before Wedding
Book your caterer. Create deposits/payments schedule. Begin working on a menu.
Book your DJ and/or band. Create deposits/payments schedule.
Set up your registries. Add registries page to your wedding website.
Book your photographer/videographer and schedule engagement photo shoot. Create deposits/payments
schedule.
Book your florist. Create deposits/payments schedule.
Search for an ociant.
Book your ociant. Create deposits/payments schedule.
Reserve blocks of hotel rooms for out-of-town guests. Add accommodations and travel info to your wedding
website, so your guests know what to expect.
Send save-the-date cards (be sure your guest list is finalized first). Include hotel information for out-of-town
guests, if it’s available, plus your website address.
Start shopping for your gown.
8 Months Before Wedding
Select your wedding dress and place the order. Create deposits/payments schedule.
Search for a wedding cake baker.
Order your wedding cake. Create deposits/payments schedule.
Finalize floral arrangements and design with florist.
Search for a wedding stationer for invitations, plus place cards, menus, announcements (if you’ll use them) and
thank-you stationery (which you may need to order now).
Search for a ceremony musician.
Sample wedding planning to-do list
Book your invitations vendor. Create deposits/payments schedule.
Book your ceremony musician. Create deposits/payments schedule.
Discuss rehearsal dinner — who will host? Whoever is hosting should begin searching for a venue. You will also
need to negotiate who will be invited.
7 Months Before Wedding
Attend engagement photo shoot with photographer.
Search for a vendor to help with your hair, makeup, or any prewedding pampering.
Select your bridesmaid dresses and flower-girl dress, and have your attendants place their orders.
Purchase accessories for your gown, such as a veil, shoes, undergarments, and jewelry.
Choose groom’s attire.
Rehearsal-dinner host should finalize venue.
Book accommodations for your wedding night.
Book your hair and makeup trial appointment.
Plan and book your honeymoon, including travel, accommodations, and activities.
6 Months Before Wedding
Finalize the text for your invitations and place the order. Also consider purchasing thank-you notes and wedding
announcements from the same vendor.
Finalize the menu and service details with your caterer.
Choose your bridesmaids’ accessories (shoes, jewelry, etc.). Purchase or pass along the purchasing information.
Choose groomsmen’s and ring bearer’s attire (including a rental shop if they’ll be renting formal attire). Send them
the information necessary to purchase or rent.
Purchase your wedding bands.
Check your gift registry. If items on your list have been discontinued, you may want to update the registry.
Design and start creation of favors.
5 Months Before Wedding
Discuss and confirm party plans for bachelor and bachelorette parties, as well as any shower that is oered, with
your maid of honor and best man.
For an international honeymoon, begin to get your papers in order (passport, birth certificate, visas, vaccinations,
etc.).
Ask your readers to be a part of your ceremony. Begin a search for readings, and discuss them with your ociant.
If you are handling the bridesmaid dress order, confirm the delivery date.
Schedule gown fitting appointments. Your first appointment should be directly after you receive the gown, and
the last appointment should fall no later than three weeks before the wedding.
Provide guest lists to your maid of honor and best man for your shower, bachelorette party, bachelor party, and
other social events.
Search for a transportation vendor (limo, bus for guests, etc.)
Book your transportation vendor. Create deposits/payments schedule.
4 Months Before Wedding
Stu and send out wedding invitations.
Track gifts received from guests and send thank-you notes.
Check on your hotel room blocks to ensure important guests have made their travel arrangements.
Design your ceremony programs and print them. Create menu cards for the reception tables, if you’ll be using
them.
Research local marriage license requirements. Schedule a blood test appointment if one is required in your state.
Don’t forget to check when the license expires and if there is a waiting period.
Decide on a guest book option.
Purchase or make gifts for your bridal party and close family. Don’t forget ushers, flower girls, ring bearers, and
readers!
3 Months Before Wedding
Alert your wedding party to the rehearsal. The rehearsal-dinner host should send rehearsal dinner invitations.
Obtain a marriage license. Follow your state’s guidelines concerning how soon you can apply, and how long the
license is valid for.
If you have a DJ/band, work on a list of ‘must-play’ and ‘do-not play’ songs. Be sure you also send them selections
for your introductions, first dance, cake cutting, father/daughter dance, anniversary dance, and last dance.
Determine your ceremony music selections and send the list to your ceremony musicians.
Shop for all additional accessories like undergarments, jewelry, headpiece, bridal purse, etc.
Create a wedding day schedule. Send the information to your wedding party and vendors.
Finalize any special preferences, readings, or other ceremony details (in writing) with your ociant.
Notify your maid of honor/mother/or friend to attend your final gown fitting so they can learn how the bustle will
be tied.
2 Months Before Wedding
Verify with your reception venue to make sure your vendors will have access to the site when they need it.
Confirm delivery locations, times, and final arrangements with your florist. Make a list of who will get bouquets,
corsages, and boutonnieres, and recruit someone to oversee this on the wedding day.
Confirm the rehearsal details and wedding day schedule with your ociant.
Pick up the tuxedo/suit and try it on at the shop. See if there are any additional alterations to be made.
Confirm location, date, and time with your photographer. Create your ‘must-take’ photo list.
Confirm location, date, and time with your videographer.
Confirm all honeymoon travel plans. Give someone a copy of your itinerary and contact information in case of an
emergency.
Shop and pack for the honeymoon.
If you’re having a receiving line, determine the order everyone will stand in.
1 Months Before Wedding
If you have guests attending from out of town who have children, help them by locating babysitting options for
them.
Write your vows if you choose to personalize them. Send a copy to your ociant.
Pick up wedding rings and check the inscriptions before you leave the store.
Call guests who have not yet RSVP’d for the wedding and rehearsal dinner to get a final head count.
Create your seating chart. Make place cards or give typed names to your calligrapher.
Give the seating chart to your caterer, reception venue manager, and wedding coordinator.
Prepare your toasts and thanks to friends and family.
Send your transportation vendor the schedule, addresses, and contact phone numbers for the wedding day.
Confirm all final payment amounts with your vendors. Mail your payment checks or make arrangements for the
wedding day.
1 Week Before Wedding
Give final head count to the caterer. Confirm set-up instructions and menu items.
Confirm number of bouquets, boutonnieres, and centerpieces with your florist.
Confirm head count, delivery time, and location with your wedding cake vendor.
Pick up your gown. Before leaving the shop, try it on to make sure there are no additional alterations to be made.
Drop o favors, placecards, guest book, pens, cake knife, toasting flutes, and all other reception items at the
reception venue.
Pull together wedding gown, veil, shoes, stockings, and a last-minute emergency kit (aspirin, makeup, hairspray,
safety pins, mints, etc.).
After Wedding
Arrange for gown and veil to be cleaned and preserved. Make sure the provider is experienced in preserving
wedding gowns.
Take the bridal bouquet to be preserved, or save a petal to be pressed for your scrapbook.
Do paperwork for ocial documents if you are changing your name.
Write thank-you notes for all the gifts you received at the wedding and before. Traditional etiquette gives you an
8-week grace period.
