style Trends

The Best Wedding Planning Timeline!


OMG, YOU’RE ENGAGED!

Your wedding Venue

Deanna Loren Photography

But what comes next…?

Congratulations on your engagement! We hope this guide helps you along your wedding planning journey! Remember to enjoy this time! Don’t stress on the little details, planning your wedding with your fiancé is something you’ll remember for a lifetime! There are so many details from deciding your budget to finding a photographer for your honeymoon; we have broken down everything you need to know about the wedding planning process. Happy planning!

18-12 months

 

The first few months are super important to get the ball rolling in the wedding planning process. You should always start by setting a budget before you think about anything else! This will help you figure out how big your guest list can be and which venues you can consider. Once you get through all of the money talk, which we know can be super stressful, its time to start on the fun stuff! 

  • Engagement party!!!
  • Discuss budget & guest list
  • Interview wedding planners
  • Select wedding planner
  • Pick a date or date range
  • Tour venues that fit budget, date range, and guest count

 

12-10 months

After spending a few months doing research on venues and vendors, it’s time to start booking! You should start with the venue and photographer/videographer, these book up fast! Once you pick a photographer, schedule your engagement shoot with him/her. This is a good period to start thinking about your wedding party, hotels for out-of-town guests, bridal attire, etc. Don’t forget to continue working on your guest list, this tends to be the trickiest part of wedding planning!

  • Book your venue
  • Pick wedding party members
  • Meet with planner/ designer
  • Book caterer, photographer, florist, entertainment, and stationary
  • Engagement photo session
  • Finalize your guest list
  • Reserve hotel rooms for any out-of-town guests
  • Send save-the-date cards
  • Bridal attire and accessories

10-8 months

Keep on booking! Try to stay organized and keep up with your payments for everyone that you’re booking. Another thing for you and your fiancé to start working on is your music selections for your DJ. Sounds pretty simple and fun, but this part usually takes more time than couples realize! Figure out where you want to go on your honeymoon, and start planning!

  • Book officiant, live music/ DJ, rentals, lighting, and videographer
  • Planner reviews all vendor contracts before signing
  • Ceremony & reception music
  • Start planning your honeymoon!!! 

8-6 months

Your photographer will most likely have your photos back to you form your engagement shoot! Now you should order your invitations using one or some of these photos, so you can send them out soon! You will end up spending a lot of time shopping in these few months! Go ring shopping with your fiancé for your wedding bands! It’s time to go shopping with your lovely ladies for their bridesmaid dresses! Don’t forget to send the boys out to get fitted for their tuxes around the same time as well!

  • Pick out your wedding rings
  • Order invites & paper details
  • Select wedding attire
  • Select wedding party attire
  • Pick bridal shower and bachelor / bachelorette party dates

6-4 months

Now that you have your bridal party all set, and everything pretty much booked, it’s time to start focusing on some of the smaller details! Schedule a day to meet with your planner, to figure out your day-of timeline, and design your event diagrams. Start thinking about where you’d like your rehearsal dinner to be, and call in a reservation! Try to have it somewhere close to your venue so your bridal party doesn’t have to go very far after the wedding rehearsal. 

  • Planner day-of timeline
  • Plan event diagrams w/ your planner and designer
  • Schedule tasting with caterer
  • Plan rehearsal dinner

3 months

Did someone say cake? Sign me up! It’s time to do your cake tasting to pick out your absolute favorite flavor! The most popular cake flavor of 2019 happens to be the same as the one in 1960! You’ve guessed it, vanilla! Followed by chocolate, and yellow cake. If you want to go with a unique flavor maybe consider pink champagne, or peppermint fudge! In these last few months you should pick out party favors and special gifts for bridal party and parents.

  • Cake tasting… Yum!
  • Choose “must have” songs
  • Pick out party favors
  • Gifts for parents & attendants
  • Finalize invites & paper details
  • Ceremony readings & write personal vows

2 months

It’s time for you to apply for your marriage license! OMG its getting real!! You should make sure your invitations are mailed out by the 60 day mark to ensure your guests have plenty of time to respond. Of course, all brides want to look their best on their big day, this is the perfect time to start trials for all things beauty for the wedding! Schedule a hair and makeup appointment for your wedding day once you’ve done your trials and love the way everything came out!

  • Final fitting for bridesmaids
  • Apply for marriage license
  • Schedule hair, makeup, & nail professionals
  • Reception design details
  • Mail out invitations
  • Seating arrangements
  • Buy additional accessories ( ie. Later, toasting glasses, ring bearer pillow, etc. )
  • Trail run hair & makeup – bring hairpiece and veil

1 month

It’s go time! You’re one month out from the day you’ve been dreaming about since you were little! This month is filled with all of the final appointments. You’ll need to schedule your final dress fitting and buy all of your accessories you’ll need, create a seating chart, and buy your gifts for the wedding party. By this time you will have most likely received most of your RSVP’s so you can update your final guest list, and start calling the people you haven’t heard back from yet!

  • Final bridal fitting, bring friend
  • Confirm honeymoon trip reservations
  • Write thank-you notes for gifts ( as you receive them)
  • Pick up all gowns
  • Confirm ceremony rehearsal time with venue & notify your party members
  • Provide DJ/MC all announcements for grand entrance & rest of evening

1-2 weeks

This is the home stretch! There are just a few minor details to square away before your wedding day. These last couple of weeks should be spent circling back with your vendors, wedding party, and family to make sure everyone is on the same page and knows their part on the wedding day. We recommend you start packing for your honeymoon the week of your wedding. This isn’t the time to put off packing until the night before!

  • Submit final guest cost & payment to caterer or venue
  • Review ceremony lineup procedures, processional, and recessional with planner
  • Pack for your honeymoon
  • Planner: confirm all details with vendors and services
  • Final fitting grooms-wear
  • Finalize personal vows
  • Press or steam gown, with bridal salon’s guidance 

1-2 days

Relaxation! Don’t stress, this is getting exciting! Go to the spa and spoil yourself to a mani and pedi, maybe even a massage! It is also smart to get your payments ready to be handed off to your coordinator so you don’t have to worry about it the day of! Have fun at your wedding ceremony rehearsal, and rehearsal dinner! It’s feeling real now!!

  • Manicure & pedicure
  • Rehearse wedding ceremony & attend rehearsal dinner
  • Present attendants with gifts, especially if they are to be worn at the wedding
  • Pack and label personal items to take to the venue ( unity candela’s, guest book, marriage license, etc. )
  • All vendors paid in full
  • Decide who will distribute vendor tips

The day of . . . 

The day has come!! All of your hard work has paid off! You have zero responsibility today besides marrying your best friend, and being present with your family! Everything is under control, and any problems that do end up coming up are okay! You only need to enjoy being pampered, and spending the day with all of your loved ones.

  • EAT BREAKFAST & LUNCH!
  • Hair & makeup done
  • Marriage license onsite
  • Give rings to Best Man and Maid of Honor
  • Relax and have FUN!

Share This Story:

Recent Blog Posts