Planning Calendar: 12-Month Countdown

Just engaged? Starting to envision your wedding? Wondering about all the things you'll need to do and when? Our month-by-month snapshot of all your wedding to-dos will steer you in the right direction.

12+ months before
Date: ______________________
 

·          Envision your wedding and draw up a budget.

·          Assemble your "planning team." Consider hiring a wedding consultant.

·          Pick a wedding date and time. Select several options, then check with your venues, officiant, and

important guests before finalizing.

·          Start planning the guest list.

·          Look for and book ceremony and reception sites.

·          Ask friends and relatives to be in the wedding party.

·          Optional: Have an engagement party. You may want to register beforehand for gifts.

8-10 months before
Date: ______________________

 

·          Bride: Think about, shop for, and order your gown.

·          Envision reception food.

·          Decide what type of entertainment you want. A pianist for the cocktail hour, strolling violinists, a DJ, or

band?

·          Think about your floral decor.

·          Research and book your wedding professionals. Interview vendors: photographer, videographer,

reception band or DJ, florist.

·          Research a wedding insurance policy to protect your deposits.

·          Research and reserve accommodations for out-of-town guests.

·          Register for gifts.

·          Contact rental companies if you need to rent anything for ceremony/reception, such as chairs, tables,

and tent.

 

6-8 months before
Date: ______________________

 

·          Book ceremony musicians.

·          Order bridesmaid dresses.

·          Start planning honeymoon.

·          Send save-the-date cards. This is a particularly good idea if you're marrying during a tourist or holiday

season or having a destination wedding.


 

4-6 months before
Date: ______________________

 

·          Attend pre-wedding counseling, if required.

·          Shop for and order invitations and wedding rings.

·          Shop for formalwear.

·          Renew or get passports, if necessary.

·          Envision your wedding cake and research, interview, and book a cake designer.

 

3 months before
Date: ______________________

 

·          Order wedding cake.

·          Hire a calligrapher, if you want your invitations professionally addressed.

·          Attend your shower. (It may be earlier, depending on when hosts decide to have it.)

·          Groom: Rent the men's formalwear.

·          Hire wedding-day transport: limousines, other cars. Look into transportation sooner if you're

considering renting streetcars or over-the-top travel.

 

2 months before
Date: ______________________

 

·          Mail your invitations.

·          Write your vows.

·          Purchase gifts for parents, attendants, and each other.

·          Book your stylist and try out big-day hairstyles.

·          Book a makeup artist and go for a trial run.


 

1 month before
Date: ______________________

 

·          Apply for a marriage license. Check with the local bureau in the town where you'll wed.

·          Bride: Have final gown fitting. Bring your maid of honor along to learn how to bustle your dress. Have

the dress pressed and bring it home.

·          Call all bridesmaids. Make sure they have their gowns ready for the wedding.

·          Make last-minute adjustments with vendors.

·          Create a wedding program to hand out to guests.

·          Order and plan in-room welcome baskets for out-of-town guests.


 

2 weeks before
Date: ______________________

 

·          Review final RSVP list and call any guests who have not yet sent a response.

·          Deliver must-have shot lists to photographer and videographer. Include who should be in formal

portraits and determine when portraits will be taken.

·          Deliver final song list to your DJ or bandleader. Include special song requests and songs you don't want played.

·          Bride: Get your last pre-wedding haircut and color.


 

1 week before
Date: ______________________

 

·          Give reception site/caterer final guest head count. Include vendors, such as the photographer or band

members, who will expect a meal. Ask how many extra plates the caterer will prepare.

·          Supply location manager with a list of vendor requests such as a table for DJ or setup space needed by florist.

·          Plan reception seating chart.

·          Print place and table cards, or finalize list with the calligrapher you have hired to do so.

·          Call all wedding vendors and confirm arrangements.

·          Give ceremony and reception site managers a schedule of vendor delivery and setup times, plus contact numbers.

·          Groom: Get your hair trimmed.

·          Attend bachelor/ette parties.


 

2-3 days before
Date: ______________________

 

·          Bride: If you need to, have your gown pressed or steamed.

·          Groom: Go for final fitting and pick up your formalwear.

·          Groom: Ask the best man to make sure all groomsmen attend fittings and pick up their outfits.

·          Determine wedding-party positions during ceremony and the order of the party in the processional and

recessional.

·          Hand off place cards, table cards, menus, disposable cameras, favors, and any other items for setting

the tables to the caterer and/or reception site manager.

·          Reconfirm final details with all vendors. Discuss any necessary last-minute substitutions.

·          Call the limousine- or car-rental company for pickup times and locations.

·          Arrange for guests without cars to be picked up from the airport or train station. Ask friends, attendants, or relatives to help.

·          Deliver welcome baskets to the hotel concierge; make sure to include names and delivery instructions.


 

Day before
Date: ______________________

 

·          Provide all wedding professionals with an emergency phone number to call on the day of the wedding.

·          Write checks and/or talk to wedding hosts (usually your parents, if not you) about any final

balances to be paid at the end of the reception.


 

Night before
Date: ______________________

 

·          Rehearse ceremony. Meet with wedding party, ceremony readers, immediate family, and your officiant

at the ceremony site to rehearse and iron out details.

·          Bring unity candle, aisle runner, yarmulkes, or other ceremony accessories to the site.

·          Give your marriage license to your officiant.

·          Attend rehearsal dinner.

·          Present attendants with gifts at the rehearsal dinner. You'll want to do this especially if the gifts are accessories to be worn during the wedding.

Day of

Date: ______________________

 

·          Present parents and each other with gifts.

·          Give wedding bands to the best man and the maid of honor to hold during the ceremony.

·          Give best man the officiant's fee envelope, to be handed off after the ceremony.

·          Introduce your reception site manager to your consultant or maid of honor for questions or problems during the reception.

·          Assign a family member or attendant to be the photographer's contact so he knows who is who.


 

Post-wedding
Date: ______________________

 

·          Prearrange for someone to return any rentals.

·          Preplan for attendants to take the bride's gown for cleaning and return the groom's tux to the rental

shop.

·          Write and send thank-you notes to gift-bearing guests and vendors who were especially helpful.