Wedding Planning Check List

NOTE: This Check List gives you an approximated timeline as to when and what should be done however it is only a guide and may change depending on your timeframe and the additional or lesser items that one wedding may have. Note also that this full planning process takes approximately 250 hours. This means if you spend 5 hours per week on planning (as most of you would have a full time job), it would take you 250/5= 50 weeks or approximately 1 year to plan a wedding. A professional wedding planner allocates these 250 hrs differently.

The Engagement

• Announce engagement.
• Arrange engagement party.

Soon After 

• Set Wedding Budget. Decide if you are going to have a $10k, $30k, $80k or $150k or more wedding. This determines the kind of wedding you are going to have or need to plan for. Have also a rough breakdown of your cost.
• Plan the wedding style. It’s important to plan from the big picture and not from the details, hence choose the style and theme first and go from there.
• Hire a wedding planner (highly recommend) or if DIY planning, spend a few weeks to one month to gain an overview of all the logistics involved in planning and the market before locking yourselves into any big wedding packages where there’s no flexibility for you to change suppliers later on. If hiring a planner, it is important that you hire him/her right at the start of your planning journey so that he/she can help you set the foundation for planning and lead you into the right direction to save cost & time. 
• Choose the wedding venue and set the date.
• Contact the wedding official – priest, celebrant or registry office.
• Choose wedding party – groomsmen, bridesmaids, etc.
• Draw up a guest list and formalise approximate numbers for ceremony and reception.
• Decide on reception venue and book.
• Hire any extra equipment required – marquee, furniture, crockery, etc. Marquee should be determined first if you want a marquee wedding but the rest can be decided later or through your stylist. 

****** This timeframe is left as blank because it depends on your total planning time but these are the tasks which should be done “soon after” venue, budget and the above vendors are selected. 

• Determine if a wedding stylist is required and start the quoting, negotiation and work planning process for styling.
• Select a florist and/or stylist.
• Begin shopping for wedding dress or dressmaker and accessories.
• Select suits and dresses for the rest of the wedding party and arrange fittings.
• Book the wedding transportation – cars, horse and carriage, limousines, etc.
• Select photographer and videographer.
• Choose music or musician for church or ceremony and organise for ceremony hire, setup.
• Book reception entertainment.
• Book a Hair & Makeup artist and trial.
• Plan and book honeymoon
• Send out ‘Save the Date’
• Consider wedding insurance.

3 Months Before

• Order invitation cards and stationery.
• Select bomboniere.
• Make any necessary personal appointments.
• Choose wedding cake.
• Choose a Master of Ceremonies – MC
• Hire a wedding co-ordinator, normally your wedding planner is also your wedding coordinator.
• Arrange passport, vaccinations, etc if the honeymoon is overseas.

2 Months Before

• Compile gift list and consult a gift registry if necessary.
• Give notice of intent to marry to wedding official at least one month and no more than 6 months in advance of wedding date.
• Arrange wedding rehearsal.
• Select wedding rings.
• Finalise guest lists, write out invitations.

6 Weeks Before

• Relax!
• Confirm reception arrangements especially if hired goods have been selected.
• Confirm with all suppliers and service providers regarding their working arrangement and what is expected of them.
• Confirm honeymoon details.
• Mail your invitations (could be sent out at 6-8 weeks before your wedding date)
• Maintain a record of acceptance and declines.
• Advise venues of estimated guest numbers.
• Plan hen’s and buck’s nights.
• Select gifts for attendants.

4 Weeks Before

• Arrange wedding insurance (if considered).
• Confirm ceremony and reception arrangements.
• Confirm arrangements with wedding official.
• Have a hair and beauty rehearsal.
• Put together your wedding day program, schedules or itineraries.
• Make other miscellaneous appointments such as teeth whitening, dietary/health, nails.
• Final wedding dress fitting and alterations if necessary.
• Finalise arrangements with photographer – pre-shoot if applicable.

2 Weeks Before

• Relax!
• Final fitting of all wedding attire and arrange delivery.
• Make sure the wedding party is fully aware of all arrangements and of what is required of them.
• Finalise guest numbers and confirm with caterers.
• Arrange wedding reception seating.
• Type an alphabetical list of guests and table allocations with place cards and give to your reception venue.
• Finalise your wedding day program, schedules or itineraries.

1 Week Before

• Relax some more!
• Finalise all arrangements – catering, floral, stylist, photography, planner, co-ordinator, celebrant or priest, MC, entertainers.
• Have wedding rehearsal.
• Final fitting check of all outfits and accessories.
• Ensure that all guests (especially interstate and overseas) have transport to and from the church (or ceremony location) and reception.
• Pack for the honeymoon.

On your Wedding Day

• Make sure you have had plenty of rest and feel fresh on the morning of your big day.
• Leave all the work required on the day to your wedding co-ordinator. It is very important that you hire a wedding co-oridnator and don’t let yourself nor your family and bridal party work on your big day. They should be there to enjoy themselves with you.
• As for the bride, all you need to do on your big day is simply look beautiful, relaxed and enjoy every moment of it with your newly wedded husband, friends and family.

Thank you for reading and hope you found it useful, always 🙂

Kate xx