12 Month Wedding Checklist Printable
Do you enjoy staying organized and enjoy working with a planned list? Then you will love our 12 month wedding planning checklist!
I am a wedding planner and I like to ensure that my couples are well organized and on track with their wedding details.
This usually requires that we work with a wedding planning checklist which we highly recommend you do as well.
There is so much that goes into planning the perfect wedding, and we can not afford to miss steps.
Without a good checklist, you might find yourself spending more money at the end of the day.
In order for you to have a wedding to plan, we are going to share a few things you need to consider including when you should send the wedding invitations to when you should buy that wedding dress.
During the wedding planning process, ensure that you are tracking all your wedding expenses every step of the way.
I actually suggest that you grab this sample wedding budget which will help you manage your wedding cost over the course of the year.
To ensure the wedding process goes as smoothly as possible, we have also included a wedding planning checklist to print out from the comfort of your own home.
I am always getting questions from couples such as:
-
How many months in advance should you plan a wedding?
-
What should I be doing a year before my wedding?
-
What is the order of wedding planning?
-
Where can you find a good checklist for wedding planning?
Ideally, your wedding invitations are meant to be sent out six to eight weeks prior to a wedding, you’ll want to give yourselves some good time to start planning your big day.
Wedding dresses alone are taking over 9 months to come in.
So yes, I think 12 months is a great time to start planning a wedding.
Below we will share a list of things needed for a wedding including a wedding planning checklist to print out.
Don’t forget to check out the wedding printable shop for your wedding planning checklists, worksheets, and freebies.
Our 12 month wedding planning checklist printable is our most popular printable.
The Wedding Printable Shop includes a checklist for planning a wedding:
So What Is The Best 12-Month Wedding Planning Timeline
Before we get started with our 12 month wedding planning, we wanted you to take the time to like our Facebook Page here! We also use affiliate links in our blog posts which means we can make a commission if you use any of our affiliate links.
Grab our simple wedding planning checklist
Sign up for your FREE wedding planning checklist here!
Speaking of a 12 month wedding planning, grab yours today.
This simple wedding planning checklist will save your sanity in the long run.
It is the best 12 month wedding checklist pdf perfect for busy brides or those that want to be more organized.
Grab your copy right here.
More about our 12 month wedding planning checklist:
The year leading up to the big day is usually full of emotions.
Most couples experience excitement, stress, anxiety and even burnout.
That’s why we created a detailed checklist broken up over the course of 12 months with details of what should be done and when for the wedding.
It is designed to keep you calm and to ensure you have a great time planning your wedding as you will have a step-by-step plan of what to do.
Having a solid wedding plan is the best way to have a stress-free time while planning your event.
Simply follow our 12-month wedding planning checklist, and will be on track to planning the perfect day.
12 Month Wedding Planning Timeline
12 Month Wedding Planning Checklist
So this can be done within the 12 to the 10-month mark of starting your wedding plans.
Definitely don’t rush through things but getting your wedding budget, picking a wedding date, wedding venue and dress out of the way is a great first step.
Dresses are taking longer and longer to secure these days so this should be done before you get to 9 months before the big day.
- Set and establish a good wedding budget and establish what is most important to splurge and save on.
- Start working on creating your wedding guest list.
- Pick your wedding date (at least 3 potential dates until you know what date your wedding venue can accommodate you)
- Create your wedding vision board on Pinterest (if you haven’t already). – Pick your wedding theme!
- Tour and book your wedding venues, both wedding ceremony and wedding reception -here are a few tips for choosing your wedding venue.
- Consider hiring a wedding planner if your budget allows for it – Here are a few things your wedding planner can do for you!
- Host an engagement party – this is optional!
- Start looking at booking and securing your other wedding vendors such as wedding photographers, wedding videographers, bands and/or DJs, caterers, and florists – many of them book up over a year in advance, so definitely book early.
- Decide on who you want to be part of your bridal party
- Try on wedding dresses, order by 10 months (this allows for up to 6 – 9 months for the dress to be delivered, any delays, and plenty of time for alterations);
- Don’t forget the veil
Grab our checklist for planning a wedding as it includes all of these details.
8 and 9-month wedding checklist
- Complete your wedding vendor bookings, especially the photographer and videographer. They typically book out 1 year in advance
- Book and plan your engagement photoshoot – often part of your package
- Finalize the wedding party and ask them to be part of your big day
- Start setting up your wedding registry (doing it early gives you plenty of time as you add it to your wedding invitation, and wedding website and it allows both shower guests and wedding guests to have access in time) – Bed, Bath and Beyond Wedding Registry
- Book hotel rooms for out-of-town guests
- Don’t forget to create a wedding website for people to visit to get more wedding details
- Meet with your caterers, taste food, and decide on a wedding day menu.
- Book your wedding night hotel as well
- Don’t forget the wedding officiant – book them now (here are questions to ask your wedding officiant)
- Begin compiling addresses for guests
- Look up wedding insurance (just in case)
6 Month Wedding Checklist
By the 6 to the 7-month checkpoint, you should have most of the things planned out and ready to go for your wedding.
Here are a few more things you should be doing.
- Finalize your wedding guest list & compile a list of addresses (don’t forget to grab my wedding guest list template)
- Its time to send your Save the Dates (everything you need to know)
- Design your wedding invitations (work with professionals or order online) and don’t forget the other wedding stationery as well
- Invitations need to be sent out 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding, so place the order so you can get them in advance and ensure it to your liking
- Don’t forget all your wedding signage as well such as these cute ones.
- Make a decision on what your bridesmaids are going to wear (don’t forget the groom and his party)
- All rentals need to be booked at this time (linens, chairs, tables, lighting, etc – get a checklist here)
- Hire all the extra vendors – more specifically your wedding florist for all your floral needs and wedding decorations.
- Book your wedding transportation for the day
- If you don’t have a caterer, book them now as well (wedding reception food ideas)!
- Speaking of catering, consider booking a cake designer, book your cake meeting and do a cake tasting at some point.
- Start planning your bridal shower and bachelorette party with your maid of honour.
- Start planning your honeymoon
- Book the rehearsal dinner venue if you have done this already
- Research and book hair and makeup artists.
4-5 Months Before The Wedding
What should I be doing 4 months before my wedding?
A very popular question I frequently get asked from my brides or couples.
We getting close to the end.
- Wedding songs – choose your ceremony processional and recessional songs, as well as other songs that will be played during such as the reception playlist, first dance songs, wedding bouquet toss song and everything else.) Grab this simple wedding song list template to organize your wedding songs.
- Order your wedding bands giving them time to get to you
- Go ahead and schedule your dress fitting
- Grooms and wedding parties should have bought or rented their attires
- Decide on tie colours (making sure they match the bridesmaid outfit -not necessary, place orders for boutonnieres and extra groomsmen items)
- Design and plan out your thank you cards – check the wedding printable shop for cheap options.
- Do you have your legal documents organized – marriage certificate, licenses and anything else you might need
- Get your honeymoon organized and planned out
- Don’t forget your wedding bands
3 Wedding Checklist Timeline
Your 12 month wedding planning timeline is getting closer and closer to the end.
With only 3 months out, it’s time to start finalizing all the little details left before your big day.
This is your 3 months wedding planning checklist:
- This is the perfect time to order your menu cards for dinner and ceremony programs
- Create a detailed wedding day-of time schedule and send it out to your wedding vendors, especially the venue coordinator (we have a template in the wedding store)
- Write your wedding vows
- Meet with your wedding efficient and plan out your wedding ceremony details (readings, vows, signing of the registry and other details you wish to have taken place)
- Do you have your wedding favours ordered?
- If you are doing some DIY for your wedding, this is the time to start – (DIY wedding centrepieces on a budget, DIY homemade wedding decorations, how to make a boutonniere and so much more.
- Gather your wedding day hairstyle and makeup inspiration and send them to those vendors
- Purchase all thank you gifts for your partner, wedding party and parent (optional)
2 Month Wedding Checklist
- This is a great time to send out the wedding invites. I recommend sending these out 6 to 8 weeks before the big day, but if you can hit it closer to 8 weeks it will give everyone more time to respond (when to send out invitations).
- If you plan on having a rehearsal dinner, this is a great time to start sending those invites – only to those that need to participate (usually the wedding party).
- Confirm most of your details with your wedding vendor
- Ensure your wedding decor, flowers and the details of the day is all set and confirmed
- Meet with your photographer and discuss day-of plans and shooting arrangements, such as where you would like your photos to be done if not at the ceremony or reception location
- Finalize your wedding playlist with your DJ or band. Don’t forget your DO NOT playlist – use this music checklist printable
- If you having a bachelorette and bachelor party, it should be happening now – be sure to enjoy
- Ensure you have paid most of your wedding vendors at this point – it will be less stressful
- Make time to contact all your wedding vendors (you can also meet up with them) and finalize all details, voice your concerns and adjust contracts if needed
- Pick up your wedding rings/bands
- Are you doing a name change? Enquire about the documents needed – I personally did mine after the wedding
- Go ahead and do your final dress fitting – this is for peace of mind
- Are you going directly for your honeymoon after the wedding or do you need a place for the wedding night? Make sure to book that now.
- Do you know of wedding traditions you would like to implement as part of your wedding? This is the time to add it as part of your big day.
Last Month’s Wedding Checklist
Now that we are getting closer to the wedding day, all the big planning should be done.
This is where you do a lot of confirming, hair and makeup trials, and really get into the details.
- Get the final RSVP count of your wedding guests (call anyone you have not heard from)
- Book your trial hair and makeup trials
- Schedule your final dress fitting
- Create your reception seating chart/ Floor plans
- Create placards for seating arrangements
- Make any last-minute adjustments with vendors if necessary – send your caterer and venue a final guest count
- Get your marriage license – typically done 30 days out
- Pick up your dress if you haven’t brought it home with you already.
- Break-in your wedding shoes, you want to be comfortable on the day and not hurting
- Get your wedding party together to discuss roles and responsibilities for the wedding day (remember, they are not your wedding planner – simple roles such as who stands next to who, when to walk and picture details and so on.)
- Send your day-of timeline to all your vendors (unless the wedding coordinator is handling it) – check the wedding printable shop for a copy!
- Discuss details with your wedding photographer and have a must-have shot list
- Don’t forget to write your wedding vows
- Buy any last-minute things such as alcohol for the reception, ceremony, umbrellas, flip flops etc
- Don’t forget to prepare a Bridal Emergency Kit (here is what to include in your wedding day survival kit)
- Make sure everyone has their hotel rooms booked, transportation for the day is good to go and that the wedding party has everything they need (suits, dresses, accessories and so on.)
- Get your engagement ring or rings cleaned (be careful, I have heard of rings going missing)
- If you are having a rehearsal dinner, notify your bridal party (this should have been sent out with your invites), book the rehearsal dinner restaurants, get your outfit ready and be prepared.
Week of Wedding Checklist
Wow, you have made it to the end.
Almost the end as your wedding hasn’t taken place yet.
But at this point, everything should be in place and this should be the final week of your wedding planning.
Everything from here out should be the small details and last-minute things that can only be done now.
Here is what you should be doing this week:
- Finalize your day-of timeline for everyone (wedding vendors, the wedding coordinator and the venue coordinator)
- Get your eyebrows done, go for your manicure/pedicure
- Final dress fitting (a friend or bridesmaid should come with you so she can learn how to bustle if your dress requires it)
- Practice your vows out loud
- Hopefully, you took the week off for your wedding
- Pack your back for the hotel stay/ honeymoon
- Pack everything you will need for your wedding (decorations, seating charts, wedding favours, place cards, card box, veil and dresses, shoes, the rings, marriage certificates, USB with photos for slides, extra music, basically everything should be ready to go)
- Book your waxing appointments, do it earlier in the week to give you time for your skin to settle
- Pay all your vendors, prepare tips for the day of payments
Day of wedding checklist
The big day is finally here and it’s time to enjoy.
Here are few things you can do to ensure your day goes as smoothly as possible.
- Eat breakfast – it’s going to be a long day
- Try to stay off your feet as much as possible
- Stay hydrated
- First thing is to take your dress and veil out of the bag to air out
- Anything you want to be captured should be displayed for the photographer (rings, bouquet, invitations
- Exchange notes with your partner
- Be grateful
- And enjoy the day
And there you have it, a detailed 12 month checklist for wedding planning!
Using a checklist for a wedding is a great way to stay organized.
Wedding planning can be stressful as they are just a lot of small details to consider.
With a great plan all those details will come together on the day beautifully and if not, roll with the punches and you will have a great time.
Be sure to have a good wedding day timeline but if things don’t go as planned exactly, don’t stress about it.
What matters is that you are getting married to the one you love.
DIY Wedding Checklist
For those that want a DIY wedding checklist that they can change little or even create their own, I suggest grabbing this really cute wedding planning bullet journal printable.
A Wedding Bullet Journal is a fun and stress-relieving way to plan your wedding.
Some brides like using spreadsheets to keep organized while planning!
Here are a few amazing ways you can use a bullet journal to stay organized in the days leading up to your big day:
- Write a list of all your wedding DIYs, stationery and decor items
- Organize your list of potential wedding venues
- Track all your daily wedding to-dos
- Use it to keep an overview of the monthly to-dos
- You can also use it to list everything you’ll need for your honeymoon or destination wedding
- Jot down ideas for out your vows
- Track your wedding budget
And so much more.
As I mentioned, you can use it to also create your own 12-month wedding planning checklist!
Get your copy right here.
Is 12 months enough time to plan a wedding?
Only you will know exactly if 12 months is enough time.
And the reason I say that is because with so many wedding tasks to take care of prior to the day, you will need to know if you can plan and commit to other things in your life like work and family.
There are plenty of details to arrange, and planning a wedding can seem overwhelming.
It takes approximately 150 hours to plan a detailed wedding.
An ideal time frame to plan a wedding with 150 hours is 12 to 14 months!
We hope you enjoy our 12 month wedding planning checklist printable!
If you do grab your copy, please comment below!
We would love to hear from you.
Honestly, it’s completely free and worth it.
Related:
- Cheap Wedding Ideas {12 Ways To Stretch Your Wedding Budget}
- How to create a budget for your wedding that works
This checklist is simply indispensable for brides!
I agree.