Checklist
Wedding Planning Checklist
Wedding planning is mostly a sequencing problem: a handful of bookings have hard deadlines, and everything else hangs off them. This checklist holds the 20 items that actually have consequences, ordered by when they need to happen - starting with the three that set everything else: budget, guest list, venue.
Check items off as you go - your progress saves in this browser automatically (nothing is uploaded, no account needed). Timing bands assume a roughly 12-month engagement; with a shorter runway, compress the early bands first, not the final month.
Where the deadlines come from
The booking windows reflect how far ahead each vendor category fills in current US markets: venues and photographers run 12-18 months ahead for prime Saturdays, music and catering roughly a year, attire 6-9 months once production and fittings are counted, and stationery 8-10 weeks before the date. Our wedding day timeline guide covers the day itself hour by hour, and cheapest months to get married explains how date choice changes both pricing and availability.
Before the two biggest bookings, take the question lists with you: questions to ask a wedding venue and questions to ask a wedding photographer exist precisely because those contracts are the hardest to unwind later.
Frequently asked questions
When should I start booking wedding vendors?
Book the venue and photographer 12 to 18 months before the date if you want a prime-season Saturday; music and catering follow at 10 to 12 months. Most other vendors comfortably book inside 8 months.
What should I book first for a wedding?
Budget, guest list, venue - in that order. The budget sets the ceiling, the guest list sets the per-head math, and the venue locks the date every other vendor books against.
Can I plan a wedding in 6 months?
Yes - couples do it constantly. Expect less choice in venues and photographers for Saturday dates, and lean on off-peak days, which our cheapest-months guide shows can also cut costs meaningfully.
How far in advance should save-the-dates go out?
Six to eight months for a local wedding, ten to twelve for a destination wedding where guests book flights. Invitations then follow at eight to ten weeks before the date.
Does this checklist save my progress?
Yes - in your own browser via local storage. Nothing is uploaded and no account is created; clearing browser data resets the list.