The Step by Step Wedding Planning Timeline from Start to Finish

Recently engaged? Let us be (probably not) the first to wish you congratulations! If you’ve landed here, you’ve likely begun the daunting process of planning the big day. Even though it can seem like an overwhelming task, we’ve compiled a step by step wedding planning timeline & wedding checklist for getting your day underway. 

Depending on the size, formality and engagement length of your wedding, this timeline can be adjusted to fit your specific needs. Above all, we suggest that you try and enjoy the process. You will be married for many years to come, but will only experience the newly engaged couple feeling once!

• Post-Engagement
• 11-12+ Months Before
• 8-10 Months Before
• 7-8 Months Before
• 6-7 Months Before
• 4-5 Months Before
• 2-3 Months Before
• 6-8 Weeks Before
• 4-5 Weeks Before
• 2-3 Weeks Before
• Final Week
• Day Before
• Day Of
• Post-Wedding

Post-Engagement

• Make the engagement announcement: We know you probably posted a beautiful ring selfie on Instagram already, but don’t forget to share the good news with loved ones and friends who aren’t so social media savvy with an announcement.
• Plan & send out engagement party invites: There isn’t a right or wrong answer for when to throw an engagement party. Regardless, engagement party invitations should be sent around four to six weeks before the event to give guests proper notice. Pro tip: Are you celebrating something else at the same time? Combine your engagement announcement with another announcement or celebration like the New Year, a birthday, or a new shared address! Read below for more Do’s and Don’ts for your engagement invitations!
• Pick your wedding date: The starting point for all your wedding plans is what day will actually be the big day. Pro tip: Before making any commitments, it wouldn’t hurt to mention your date to close family and friends, or vendors that you absolutely can’t imagine your wedding without.
• Research potential wedding venues: Quite possibly the most important part of the big day is having the place to say ‘I do’!
• Make a guest list: The number of guests you want to invite can help dictate decisions throughout the planning process. Pro tip: It can vary, but plan on 10-20% of your invitations RSVPing ‘no, with regrets’.

The ‘Dos and Don’ts’ of Engagement Party Invitations

DO Keep the Guest List Manageable

Your first instinct when deciding who to invite to your engagement party may be to include everyone you’ve ever met. We get it. You’re marrying the love of your life and want to shout it from the rooftops! But before you go passing out invites to the mailman or the lady behind you in line at the store, sit down with your partner and create a guest list. Engagement parties are typically for close family and friends, and you generally only want to include people who will be invited to the wedding.

DON’T Go Too Formal When Addressing Your Invites

Sure, for the wedding, you might want to get a little fancier, adding full titles when addressing your invitations, but you can definitely keep it casual for the engagement party. First and last names are perfectly acceptable!

DO Inject Your Personalities

Whatever your vision for your wedding – fun, formal, vintage, unique – don’t be afraid to bring that same vibe to your engagement party and the wording on the invitation. Whether you include a favorite quote or keep it classic, make sure the language reflects you and your fiancé.

DON’T Leave Out the Details

Of course you’re eager to get the design, layout and text just right, but the most important thing is to make sure people have all the info they need in order to come celebrate with you! The last thing you want is a guest looking at your gorgeous invitation and realizing that it doesn’t include the address of the party.

Here are the crucial details to include when deciding what to write on your invite:

• Date and Time
• Location
• Host
• RSVP Info

DO Give Guests Enough Notice

Nothing’s worse than receiving an invitation for a party that’s only a week away. Engagement party invitations are typically sent out a few months after the proposal and about a month before the party.

DON’T Forget to Have Fun!

Above everything else, remember to enjoy yourself! This is such an exciting time in your life, and while the whole wedding thing can get a little stressful, try your best to have fun with the process. After all, you’re marrying the love of your life — what could be better than that?

11-12+ Months Before

• Book & secure your wedding venue
• Research & hire a wedding planner
• Test shoot with Save the Date photos to help with your search for a photographer
• Hire your photographer & DJ/Entertainment
• Start browsing for the perfect Save the Dates
• Research vendors & inspiration
• Choose your wedding colors & overall theme
• Assemble your squad: Who’s in your bridal party? Bridesmaids, groomsmen, bridesmen, flower girl, ring bearer?
• Say yes to the dress! Pro Tip: If you’re custom ordering a gown, make appointments with boutiques to find your dream dress and get it ordered with plenty of time for alterations.

8-10 Months Before

• Send save the date cards: This is the first impression your guests will have about your wedding, so spend some time thinking about a design that will coordinate well with your invitations and decor. Pro tip: If you’re getting married during a busy time of year (like the summer, or near a holiday) or are having a destination wedding, think about sending them out even earlier so your guests have time to make travel arrangements.
• Plan your wedding stationery
• Start your wedding website & gift registry. Pro tip: Before you send save the date cards, set up your registry for guests to peruse, and link it on your wedding website if you have one.
• Research and book florist & vendors
• Research wedding décor & cakes
• Book hotel room blocks for guests
• Shop with your wedding party for their wedding outfits – mismatched or all the same?

7-8 Months Before

• Invite friends & family for dress fittings, makeup & hair trial runs
• Order & send out the bachelor, bachelorette or joint bachelor party invites
• Purchase fun bachelorette or bachelor party supplies, t-shirts & travel accessories
• Order all wedding party attire – dresses, tux, suits, shoes
• Book videographer & photo booth
• Plan your honeymoon – find matchy outfits & accessories

6-7 Months Before

• Finalize guest list
• Finalize wedding registry & website
• Decide day-of details: cake, food menu, rentals, florals, wedding décor
• Plan your wedding favors
• Choose your officiant
• Shop & order wedding rings
• Reserve welcome party or rehearsal dinner venue & caterer

4-5 Months Before

• Order & send your invitations: With so many possibilities and styles, it might help to order a few samples in advance to see what you like. Pro tip: There’s no minimum on invitations, order 1 or 100!
• Mail your invitations: If you’re hiring a calligrapher or having someone address your envelopes, now is the time to do so.
• Confirm day-of details: wedding décor, food menu, florals, vendors, hair & makeup
• Research bakeries in your area, decide on a design and order away!
• Hire or arrange for day-of transportation. Pro tip: this can refer to how you’ll get to and from your venue, but don’t forget the little things too! You do not want to be the one saying “Did anyone pick up grandma from the airport?”
• Order & send rehearsal dinner invites
• Start planning rehearsal dinner décor
• Make sure your bridal party orders & sends out the bridal shower invites
• Attend any showers or parties planned for you/your partner. Pro tip: Traditionally this means bachelor and bachelorette parties, but some couples are opting for combined parties to enjoy together.

2-4 Months Before

• Send RSVP reminders
• Apply for marriage license
• Order & assemble wedding favors
• Research & order gifts for parents, attendants, bridal party members and each other, if necessary.
• Plan getting ready outfits and drinkware for you & your wedding party
• Enjoy your bridal shower
• Do a day-of details final check
• Get final headcount & order wedding décor: signs, seating chart, floor decals, programs, table numbers, menus, stickers
• Plan any miscellaneous fun games for the wedding weekend

6-8 Weeks Before

• Follow up on RSVP’s. Pro tip: You’ll want to start giving final numbers to your vendors soon, so call any guests who have not yet sent a response.
• Delegate day-of duties & point people: gift table, guest book
• Time to order games for the wedding weekend: cornhole sets, fast four, topple tower
• Prepare welcome gifts
• Finalize music playlist
• Confirm day-of timeline
• Pick up your wedding rings

4-5 Weeks Before

• Need more décor? Napkins, place cards, tabletop signs, advice cards, coasters, toasting flutes, unity candle
• Create a wedding program. Pro tip: Traditionally these are paper handouts, but feel free to explore other options to fit your wedding! Some alternatives are hand fans or a sign posted outside your ceremony space.
• Order rehearsal dinner décor If you haven’t already
• Day-of details: get survival kits, finalize transport, photo shot list
• Finalize seating charts, place cards
• Final headcount, walkthrough & payment to vendors
• Final dress fittings – bring your shoes & accessories for the final look; Make any last minute alterations to attire for you and your bridal party, and pick up anything else you’ll need day-of.
• Apply for a marriage license! Check the local government policies where you will be getting married for details about this.
• Finalize your honeymoon details

2-3 Weeks Before

• Pick out your rehearsal dinner outfits
• Pick up your wedding dress, tux/suit & try it on at home
• Break in your wedding shoes
• Get your final haircut & color
• Book that spa/nail appointment for you & your wedding party to relax the day before

Final Week

• Prep all tips & final payments
• Arrange for your rental returns
• Write wedding vows & toast
• Have wedding survival kits ready
• Get any last minute details finalized
• Purchase any your honeymoon gifts, outfits & accessories
• Browse thank you cards

Days Before

• Have all wedding attire & rings ready
• Welcome all guests
• Give out the wedding party gifts
• Practice wedding vows & toast
• Relax & enjoy your spa/nail day
• Prep for rehearsal
• Get a full night’s rest!

Day Of

• Delegate: Hand off tasks like placing the welcome baskets, arranging place cards, table cards, place settings, favors, unity candles, aisle runners, and any other day-of tasks/items to your planner, a venue employee, etc. Pro tip: Passing these tasks off to a family member or friend can work, but be sure that they are reliable and won’t mind arriving early/missing another part of your event.
• Line up: Determine the order of your bridal party for the procession/recession, and rehearse your ceremony as a whole.
• Settle up: Give your wedding planner, day of organizer or a trusted family member any day-of tip envelopes or checks for outstanding fees. Pro tip: Give this person’s phone number to EVERYONE who could possibly need it. You don’t want to be fielding calls about a catering emergency on the big day.
• Pack up: Staying in a newlywed suite after your nuptials? Don’t forget to pack an overnight bag, and assign someone to drop it off for you.

Post-Wedding

• Something borrowed: If you rented or borrowed anything, make sure it is cleaned and returned back to its owner. Pro tip: If you bought supplies and have tons of decor hanging around, look at second-hand wedding websites to see about selling or donating those items.
• Get wedding dress cleaned
• Enjoy your honeymoon
• Send your thank you cards: Don’t forget to thank your friends and family for their gifts, but also for attending and being a part of your special day! Pro tip: Tradition says you have a year to send them out, but realistically shoot for within 3 months of gift receipt
• Put your favorite photos on art & wall décor or wedding announcements
• Mark your calendar to order your anniversary gifts & cards

And just like that, you’re done! Chances are your wedding day will be a whirlwind of excitement, but remember that once it’s over you’ll have a partner to Netflix and chill with for life!

Erika S

Erika focuses on email marketing, copywriting and merchandising at Zazzle, but she has a secret obsession with all things wedding! During the week you can find her writing punny subject lines while also pinning the latest wedding trends, and outside of the 9-5, she is usually cheering on the San Jose Sharks, reading a good murder mystery, or hunting for the best Philly Cheesesteak in the Bay Area.