The Wedding Checklist

Congratulations! You just got engaged and you’ve started to think about planning your wedding! Planning an event as big as a wedding can seem daunting, but it always helps to put a checklist together of everything you will need to do for your wedding. The more organized you are, the less stress you will feel. Here are a few things you can include on your wedding checklist:

Once you are engaged:

Discuss your wedding budget with your fiancé. It is important to know how much you want to spend for your wedding.
Start thinking about your guest list, which will impact your venue options
Choose your wedding date, as this will impact many of your other wedding decisions (i.e. such as the wedding venue, etc.)
Research venue and ceremony locations
Think about your theme and what type of aesthetic you want for your wedding day and determine how formal you want the wedding to be
Start researching wedding dress styles!
Book a wedding planner if you would like someone to help you with you wedding planning!

12 Months prior to the wedding:

Visit different reception venues and ceremony options. Book the venues for both.
If your venue does not have its own catering, research and book a caterer for your event
Discuss menu options
Choose the members of your wedding party
Start your wedding dress shopping! Try on different wedding dresses to determine what style you prefer
Start researching other vendors: photographers, florists, DJ/band

10-11 Months prior to wedding:

Book your band/DJ for the reception
Start looking for hotels for out-of-town guests. Ask for discounted rates.
Take your engagement photos
Start looking for your bridesmaids dresses
Hire photographer/videographer
Determine what kind of colour scheme you want for the wedding
Consider your options for centerpieces

8-9 Months prior to wedding:

Purchase your wedding dress and your veil. Do not wait too long to buy your wedding dress! Under 6 months is considered a rush order for many salons and you do not want to be charged rush fees.
Start looking at wedding stationary (enclosures, programs, menu cards, thank you cards and favors)
Begin researching honeymoon options
Create gift registries at the retailers of your choice
Review your guest list and refine the list
If you require a pre-marriage course, book the course
Meet with potential florists to see options for your wedding
If you have any other décor elements, hire companies to rent the items (i.e.. Ceremony/reception, chairs/tables, tents etc.).
Send the save the dates for your wedding date
Start looking for bridesmaids and flower girl dresses
Discuss wedding colours and with the mother-of-the bride and groom to arrange what they will wear to the wedding
Shop for wedding accessories (shoes, jewelry, undergarments etc.)
Research wedding hairstyles
Look at wedding rings

6-7 Months prior to your wedding

Book ceremony musicians
Look into wedding day hair and makeup options
Review and book transportation to the venues and back
Start looking at cake options and book tastings
Decide what your groomsmen will wear
Get a sample invitation ready
Meet your officiant to discuss the ceremony
Book your florist & choose all flowers for the event
Select the bridesmaids/flower girl dresses and schedule fittings
Book rehearsal dinner venue
Research wedding day music (father of the bride dance, 1^st dance, mother of the groom dance etc., music to walk in at for the wedding party etc.)
Book any dance lessons if you’d like to be prepared for the first dance

4-5 months prior to your wedding

Buy wedding bands
Attend the final tasting with the caterer
Purchase guestbook, flower baskets and pillow for ring bearer pillow, card box and any other accessories you may need for the reception
Purchase the guest favors
Book your flights for the honeymoon
Book a room for the wedding night
Finalize the guest list!
Make sure you have your passports updated!
Schedule your dress fittings
Book transportation for honeymoon
Choose the your ushers/readers and the MC for your wedding
Order wedding stationary (including the invitations, envelops, stamps, response cards, reception cards, enclosures such as direction cards, thank you cards)
Order any accessories you may need at the ceremony (pew decorations, aisle runner etc.)
Book your hair stylist for the wedding day and your nails/spa if you plan on hiring a professional to take care of the aesthetics for the day

2-3 months prior to the wedding:

Assemble invitations and test the weight of the invites at the post office
Send out invites to the wedding
Finalize all the details with your vendors (photographer, DJ, music, cake maker, caterers)
Order the programs for the wedding
Do not forget the legalities of marriage - marriage license, name change, bank documents, health card etc.!
Purchase any gifts you are buying for your wedding party
Determine the seating arrangements for the wedding
Write your vows
Write the speeches/toasts that you will make at the wedding
Write out place cards
Make a schedule for the flow of the wedding day
Order wedding day programs

1 month prior to wedding:

Do a run through of your hair and makeup
Wrap gifts you’ve purchased for your wedding party
Discuss music/song lists and the schedule for the wedding day with your DJ
Confirm the wedding duties for the ushers, readers etc.
Attend your final fitting

2 weeks before wedding

Provide final guest count to caterer
Confirm all services and any reservations you’ve made
Pick up wedding gown
Prepare the envelopes for payment for all the vendors

1 week before wedding:

Make sure you take some time to relax
Pack for the honeymoon
Put together your emergency kit for the wedding day (including bobby pins, hair sprat, mini perfume, makeup etc.)

There are many details to consider when you are planning an event as big as a wedding. But, not to worry, there are also many tools that you can use to stay organized so that you are ready for the big day! What would you include on your wedding list?