Having a good to-do list is an absolute must when planning a wedding. Unfortunately, a lot of the free checklists out there are vague or incomplete. Not this one. This wedding planning checklist is comprehensive, detailed, and totally free.
A good checklist is like roadmap to success; it keeps you on track and ensures that you don’t miss a thing. When it comes to planning a wedding, it is absolutely ESSENTIAL.
A wedding planning checklist will keep you organized, on track, and will save you LOADS of stress. While there are tons of free wedding planning checklists out there, they aren’t all the best. Some are vague, some are overwhelming, and some are just confusing.
After scouring the internet and looking at tons of different free checklists, I was left unsatisfied. Finally, I said “screw it” and decided to make my own. I created this checklist as DIY bride with the DIY bride in mind. I wanted it to be simple but detailed and comprehensive without being overwhelming. This wedding planning checklist was an absolute life-saver for me, and I know you’ll love it too!
This post is all about the Ultimate Wedding Planning Checklist.
Disclaimer: This blog post does not go into full detail about every item on the wedding planning checklist! That would be a NOVEL. Instead, it summarizes what you should do at each interval of the wedding planning timeline. You’ll need to download the checklist to see every detail!
Simplify your wedding planning process with this FREE 12 month wedding planning to-do list. Simply click the button below to get the checklist delivered right to your inbox!
The checklist is otw and should be there shortly.
Before we get into the timeline, you’ll want to go ahead and download your free wedding planning checklist printable. Simply fill in the form below and the checklist will be sent straight to your inbox! I promise not to spam you and will only occasionally send helpful wedding planning tips.
Here is some more information about this wedding planning checklist and why (not to toot my own horn) I think it’s the best one out there.
This checklist is DETAILED. With 10 pages of items, I can confidently say that it’s got your wedding planning basics covered.
We don’t know what we don’t know, and when you’ve never planned a wedding before, there is A LOT you don’t know. (That was confusing; let me explain.)
When I first started planning my wedding, I was completely unaware of how many details actually went into it. Sure, I knew we would need vendors like a venue, photographer, and caterer, but had no idea how many other things I would need to buy, book, or do, and wasn’t sure what order I should do them in.
I am the type of person who likes to see the big picture before I start diving into the details, so not having a clear path to follow stressed me out.
I spent hours piecing together different timelines to create one comprehensive list of everything I would need to do in order to make it down the aisle. Seeing this big picture helped me and my fiancé set our priorities and take things one step at a time. I know it will do the same for you.
I designed the checklist based on a 12 month timeline because that is the most common engagement period. However, no matter the length of engagement, the steps of planning a wedding are the same! Whether your engagement is 6 months or 26 months, you can still benefit from this checklist – simply adjust it to fit your timeline.
Each wedding planning to-do is purposefully placed in this checklist to set you up for success. For example, you have to set your priorities and budget before you can start planning. Your venue must be booked before you can book vendors. The guest list has to be finalized before you can send save the dates. You have to have have your guest RSVP’s in before you can make the seating chart. I think you get the point.
While you are welcome to switch up the order a bit based on your situation and priorities, this checklist is designed to make sure you are doing everything in the right order and at the right time.
If your engagement is longer than 12 months, these are some things you should do after getting engaged but before you begin planning. If you just got engaged, make sure you read this post that goes over the first 9 steps of wedding planning in much more detail.
First, of course, you should share the good news and celebrate. Consider throwing an engagement party and booking your engagement photos.
Next you can start preparing for planning. You will want to get organized first so you can reduce stress later on. Check out this post goes over 7 things you can do to organize your wedding planning.
One of the most important things to do before you begin planning is to discuss your priorities. Your priorities should guide every decision you make, so you’ll want to be clear on these from the beginning. Discuss expectations with with your fiancé and families so you know where everyone stands.
Next up: the budget. I know – nobody likes the B word, but you HAVE to know how much you can spend before you start spending. I have an entire category of blog posts about budgeting you should check out. You’ll definitely want to ready these two specific posts on how to set and break down your wedding budget. Click on the image to view the post.
