Some bride-to-bes have had their wedding days on lock-down since their early Barbie and Ken days. But some women haven't. Some women, whether they were expecting the ring or not, have no idea how to plan a wedding outside pinning to their Wedding Boards on Pinterest.
But that's okay! Whether you're just brushing up on your knowledge or just realized, holy sh*t, I have no idea what I'm doing, below is your ultimate wedding timeline for planning your wedding with minimal last minute stress.
Remember that this is a guide, not a hard and fast rule. Feel free to change things to fit your schedule!
- Decide on your budget
- Decide on a date
- Book venues for the ceremony and the reception
- Make a draft guest list (mostly to estimate your guest count)
- Register for gifts
- Have an engagement party (if you like parties)
- Pick your A-team (the bridal party)
- Book your crew (officiant, photographer, videographer, DJ, ceremony musician, and florist)
- Take engagement photos
- Purchase your gown
- Block hotel rooms for out of town guests
- Book all your rental equipment (chairs, tables, etc.)
- Make sure you have your wedding invitations figured out (think about a designer)
- Send out save-the-dates (do this 8 months out if Southwest Florida is a destination wedding)
- Order cake (don’t forget about cake tastings)
- Order bridesmaids dresses
- Purchase wedding bands
- If you're taking a honeymoon right after a wedding, have most of that finalized
- Confirm with your vendors
- Attend any pre-wedding counseling
- Plan the rehearsal dinner (book a location and finalize a guest list)
- Finalize the wedding guest list
- Finalize your menu for the reception
- Order invitations and stationery (programs, menu cards, place cards, etc.)
- Order wedding favors (although many people on a budget opt out of this)
- Book wedding day transportation
- Write those vows!
- Decide on the ceremony (who is reading what)
- Make sure the men have rented their formalwear
- Get your marriage license (once issued, they’re only valid for 60 days in Lee County)
- Mail invitations (usually 6-8 weeks before the wedding)
- Plan a floor and seating chart
- Decide on your hair and makeup (and do a trial run!)
- Send rehearsal dinner invitations
- Call your bridesmaids and make sure they've got it together (do they have their dresses?)
- Order your wedding programs
- Purchase your “stuff” (guest book, toasting flutes, cake servers, unity candle, etc.)
- Tell your photographer/viedeographer who must be in the shots
- Give your DJ a must-have song list
- Get your hair cut and colored (and any waxing!)
- Pick up your gown
- Make an emergency plan in case of bad weather (in case you’ve never been here, it can rain a lot)
- Reconfirm with your vendors
- Finalize the floor plan and give venues a final head count
- Make or arrange all your payments
- Get your wedding day things ready (emergency kit, overnight bag, etc.)
- Determine the wedding party positions during wedding
- Send your wedding party a timeline
- Get your nails done
- Finalize bridesmaids gifts
- Check your dress and shoes
- Put someone in charge (hopefully not surprising them!) and give them all the necessary numbers (vendors, etc.)
- Give your marriage license to your officiant
- Bring all your ceremony accessories to your site
- Give your bridal party their gifts
- Attend the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner
- Freak out, just a little
Easy enough, right?
But as anyone who is planning a wedding knows, it's not all about what's in the planner. It's also about the moolah. Don't be shy, I know you're wondering:
