PART 2 OF 2: 12 MONTH WEDDING PLANNING TIMELINE FOR A STRESS FREE WEDDING DAY
As a professional wedding planner that works with brides every single day, I know it can be extremely overwhelming when you have a list of never ending to-do’s sitting in front of you.
My hope is that this 12-month wedding planning timeline eases some of that stress and allows you to peacefully plan your big day!
If you’re in search of what to do 6-12 months out, click here for Part 1 of this timeline.
And if you’re looking for more assistance in planning your dream wedding, click here to connect! I’d love to chat with you and hear about your vision.
4-5 Months Out
Plan your menu
People really do care about the food that you serve, so take some time to intentionally plan your menu. You’ll want to consider any appetizers if you’re having a cocktail hour, the main course, dessert and any “midnight” snacks.
Have a hair and makeup trial
I can’t stress the importance of a hair and makeup trial enough! Doing this 4-5 months out from your wedding will allow you to make any adjustments needed so you can show up with confidence on your wedding day.
Create your wedding day timeline
Creating a day-of timeline helps you, the wedding party and anyone else involved know exactly what’s supposed to happen, when it’s supposed to happen and where it’s supposed to happen. This includes all of those nitty gritty details like what time the bridesmaids have hair and makeup, when the cake is getting cut and everything in between.
If you’re working with a professional wedding planner, they will help you create this!
3 Months Out
Mail invitations
One of the questions people ask most often when it comes to planning their wedding is when the formal invitations should go out. A good rule of thumb is 3 months out so that you can have plenty of time to receive RSVPs and finalize the guest count and seating chart.
Finalize music playlist
As your big day gets closer, a lot of your to-do’s involve tying up loose ends and finalizing the major details! This includes your music playlist (or your don’t play list).
Your band or DJ will typically prompt you for this information so that you don’t forget and your wedding planner can also make sure this item doesn’t go unchecked.
Plan your favors/welcome bags and order items needed
If you plan to have wedding favors or welcome bags at the hotel for your out of town guests, now is the time to plan for those and order any of the items that you need!
Have your wedding shower
By this time, your registry should be completed and your family or friends will likely be throwing you a wedding shower! This is when the celebration really starts to begin.
2 Months Out
Create your seating chart
As RSVPs start to trickle in, it’s time to create and finalize your seating chart (if applicable). If you are having a more informal reception, a seating chart may not be necessary, but the RSVPs are still needed to finalize your guest count and deliver that to your venue.
Go on your bachelor/bachelorette trips
You’ve probably been dreaming about this trip since you proposed to your bridesmaids and it’s finally time to make it happen!
Write your vows
If you’re choosing to write your own vows, give yourself plenty of time to perfect them!
Purchase any gifts needed (bride/groom gifts, parent gifts, wedding party gifts, etc.)
Don’t forget to take the time to thank those who will be spending your big day with you! Start thinking about who you want to give gifts to and make sure those are purchased before it’s too late.
1 Month Out
Apply for your marriage license
You’ve got to make this thing legal! Some people wait until the week of to go get their marriage license, but save yourself from extra stress and opt for 1 month out so that you know it’s taken care of.
Ensure Bride, Groom & Wedding party have all wedding day attire (including accessories) and all final alterations are made
Double check everyone’s outfits (including your own) one last time!
Finalize all major wedding day details
At this point, all major details should be finalized and given to your vendors/venue. Everyone should know what’s happening and when it’s happening so that you aren’t met with a million questions on your wedding day.
This is where working with a wedding planner really comes in handy because they make sure every single thing is accounted for.
2 Weeks Out
Confirm all RSVPs
Go ahead and prepare yourself for a few stragglers when it comes to RSVPs. It never fails that someone will forget! Plan to review your invite list and RSVPs and follow up with anyone that hasn’t yet responded.
Have a final meeting with your venue, planner or coordinator
It’s smart to have one final meeting about 2 weeks out with your venue, planner or coordinator. This will allow you to run through all of the finalized details and make sure everyone is on the same page.
Touch base with all vendors and confirm timing
Follow up with all of your scheduled vendors 2 weeks out to confirm their arrival time.
Wedding Week
Deliver final guest count to venue
All your planning has paid off and it’s time to make this thing real! By wedding week, you should have the final guest count and need to provide that to your venue.
Pack your wedding night / honeymoon bags
Don’t save packing for the night before! Plan ahead by packing anything you need for your wedding night or honeymoon.
Prepare all tips and thank you cards for vendors
Preparing all tips and thank you cards for vendors gives you one less thing to worry about on wedding day! You can give all of the envelopes to someone else (like your day-of coordinator or wedding planner) to deliver for you.
Deliver all decor or items you’re bringing to your venue
And finally, during the week of your wedding, you want to deliver all of the decor or items that you’re bringing and take them to your venue. This allows you to relax the day before and trust that everything is already where it needs to be.
It’s no secret that planning a wedding is a huge task, but every single detail is so worth it on wedding day. Following this timeline will help you feel as least stressed as possible and you can know that things are being taken care of in the right order.
Happy wedding planning 🥂
- Chalonda
P.S. If reading this timeline stresses you out and you know you need more help through the process, that’s what I’m here for!