How to Create a Wedding Checklist
- 1). Allocate a notebook or binder as your wedding planning guide. Keep all planning materials here, including your checklist.
- 2). Determine your timeline and decide whether you would like to create a monthly or weekly checklist. If your wedding is close (1 to 3 months away), a weekly checklist is better, whereas if you have plenty of time (3 months or more), schedule tasks on a monthly basis. Switch from a monthly to weekly checklist two months before your wedding.
- 3). Divide the checklist into categories to ease the organization process. Possible categories include ceremony, reception, food, honeymoon and miscellaneous.
- 4). Create a budget. This will determine all aspects of planning. Decide what percentage of your total budget you'd like to spend on each category.
- 5). Add tasks to the checklist in the appropriate category. Keep in mind that many tasks will require multiple steps before completed; choosing the florist, photographer, venues, caterer, officiant, invitations and the bride and bridesmaid dresses will likely require multiple appointments and will need to be added to the checklist at least six months prior to the wedding.
- 6). Nine to 16 months before your wedding, reserve your date, ceremony and reception sites. After you book these, research caterers, photographers, music vendors, officiants and florists.
- 7). Six to 8 months before your wedding, purchase invitations, register for gifts, send save-the-date cards and purchase the bride and bridesmaids dresses.
- 8). Three to 5 months before your wedding, choose the music, begin dress fittings, discuss photos with your photographer, order favors, purchase wedding rings and finalize the menu with the caterers.
- 9). Eight weeks before the wedding, check in with all of the vendors you hired and send out invitations.
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Two to 6 weeks before the wedding, compile the RSVP list, obtain the marriage license, confirm times for all of the vendors you hired, create the reception seating chart and create welcome packages for out of town guests. - 11
The week of wedding, give the final guest list to the caterers, make a spa appointment and pack for your honeymoon.