Your Essential Wedding Planning Checklist

A wedding planning checklist will help you with your wedding plans whether you like to use checklists in everyday life or not. Trust me, having things planned out will keep things from going wrong and will help you have the best day of your life.

If you aren't even sure where to begin a wedding checklist, we have a handy tool that will help. Our planning tool comes from personal experience, and it can be personalized just for your wedding day. Simply scan through to find the things that pertain to you, and cross out the ones that don't.

Our huge list of things to do and think about will help you make sure that you don't forget anything. Knowing that you have a handy wedding planning checklist ready to use when you need it most will keep you from stressing and worrying. It will also make delegating tasks to other people simpler. And you can have your list nearby at all times to make sure you're on track with your wedding plans.

Our example wedding planning checklist,

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12-6 months ahead

• Open a wedding bank account
• Set your budget
• Choose your best man, ushers, and bridesmaids
• Set the date
• Arrange a meeting with your minister
• Book ceremony venue/registrar
• Visit reception venues and reserve your favourite
• Book transport, photography and videography
• Choose florist and discuss ideas
• Start making or order your stationery
• Choose your dress
• Choose the bridesmaids dresses
• Plan and book your honeymoon
• Book and music requirements i.e. a choir or DJ
• Send out 'save the date' cards o emails

6-4 months ahead

• Confirm arrangements with the minister
• Give notice of marriage, if necessary
• Groom to organise suit hire
• Choose and purchase wedding rings
• Order or make your wedding cake
• Choose your gift list company
• Reserve any rental equipment i.e. chairs, etc.
• Choose or start to make your wedding favours
• Organise dress fittings

4-2 months ahead

• Send out invitations with gift list information
• Confirm your booking with the registrar
• Finalise honeymoon, check passports, etc.
• Discuss makeup and hair options with your stylist
• Discuss menu with the caterers
• Organise vaccinations and visas
• Write your wedding vows
• Schedule rehearsal time and dinner
• Decide on how you're going to do your guest book
• Create your order of service sheets
• Boot first-night accommodation

2-1 month ahead

• Choose gifts for the wedding party
• Chase all outstanding RSVPs
• Draw up final guest list
• Confirm in writing final numbers for your suppliers
• Draw up a seating plan
• Book any beauty appointments i.e. hair, makeup
• Finalise transport
• Organise stag and hen parties
• Remind fiancé, dad and best man to write speech
• Have a final dress fitting with lingerie and shoes
• Write up all the place cards
• Book travel insurance and buy currency
• Brief the photographer on your 'must have' shots

One week before

• Confirm photographer, flowers, music and cars
• Reconfirm numbers with the caterer
• Arrange for cake to be delivered
• Pack for your honeymoon
• Hold ceremony rehearsal
• Double-check your outfit is complete
• Ensure best man knows when to return suits
• Have a final hair and make-up practice
• Groom to have final trim at the hairdressers
• Wear in your wedding shoes
• Attend any beauty appointments i.e. wax, tan
• Prepare schedules for attendants

The day before

• Have a manicure and pedicure
• Help to decorate the venue
• Send honeymoon luggage to first night hotel
• Relax and get a good night's sleep
• Hand out schedules to attendants

On the day

• Get your attendants to do the following:
• Check the best man has the rings
• Check the best man has the button-holes and corsages for the groom's side
• Deliver orders of service to the ceremony venue

After the big day

• Pack and take home wedding presents
• Return hired items to relevant stores
• Send out wedding cake to those unable to attend
• Send out thank you cards

Personalising your wedding planning checklist

This checklist will work for most brides, but it might have some extra items or a few that are missing from your actual checklist. Look over any list you use carefully to be sure that it includes absolutely everything you need to do for your big day.

Once you have your wedding planning checklist created it is then worth getting started on a budget. Planning your budget, is a huge part of making your day perfect. If you can plan properly and only spend money you actually have, you'll be much less stressed about your big day.

For a detailed budget, check out our free budgeting form, which you can get by signing up for our newsletter.

Having a wedding checklist will help you track your budget by marking things off as you pay for them. A wedding planning checklist like this one will make your life simpler and less stressful as you're planning your wedding day.

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