Wedding Planner
WEDDING PLANNER CHECKLIST
Sixteen to Nine Months Before
Start a wedding folder or binder. Tear out pages that inspire you from bridal, lifestyle, fashion, design, and food magazines.
Work out your budget.
Determine your wedding party.
Settle on a head count.
Hire a planner, if desired.
Book your date and venues
Book your officiant.
Research photographers, bands, florists, and caterers.
Put the names of vendors and their contact information in a master contact list.
Throw an engagement party, if you like. Attendees will expect invitations to the wedding, so choose them accordingly.
Eight Months Before
Book the photographer and the videographer.
Book the entertainment.
Start meeting caterers, if your location doesn’t offer its own. Hire a caterer this month.
Purchase a dress. Custom gowns can take months to make, and even if you’re buying off the rack, you’ll typically need three fittings.
Book a block of hotel rooms for out-of-town guests. Pick three hotels at different price points close to the reception venue.
Register. Sign up at a minimum of three retailers.
Set up a wedding website.
Seven to Six Months Before
Select and purchase invitations, and hire a calligrapher, if desired.
Start planning a honeymoon. Going abroad? Make sure your passports are up-to-date, and schedule doctors’ appointments for any needed shots.
Shop for the bridesmaids’ dresses. Allow at least six months for the gowns to be ordered and sized.
Meet with the officiant. If one person is converting to a newreligion, schedule the requisite counseling.
Send save-the-date cards, if desired.
Reserve structural and electrical necessities. Book portable toilets for outdoor events, extra chairs if you need them, lighting components, and so on.
Book a florist. Florists can serve multiple clients on one day, so you needn’t nail them down as early as other vendors. Plus, waiting longer means you’ll have a firmer grasp of how
Sixteen to Nine Months Before
Start a wedding folder or binder. Tear out pages that inspire you from bridal, lifestyle, fashion, design, and food magazines.
Work out your budget.
Determine your wedding party.
Settle on a head count.
Hire a planner, if desired.
Book your date and venues
Book your officiant.
Research photographers, bands, florists, and caterers.
Put the names of vendors and their contact information in a master contact list.
Throw an engagement party, if you like. Attendees will expect invitations to the wedding, so choose them accordingly.
Eight Months Before
Book the photographer and the videographer.
Book the entertainment.
Start meeting caterers, if your location doesn’t offer its own. Hire a caterer this month.
Purchase a dress. Custom gowns can take months to make, and even if you’re buying off the rack, you’ll typically need three fittings.
Book a block of hotel rooms for out-of-town guests. Pick three hotels at different price points close to the reception venue.
Register. Sign up at a minimum of three retailers.
Set up a wedding website.
Seven to Six Months Before
Select and purchase invitations, and hire a calligrapher, if desired.
Start planning a honeymoon. Going abroad? Make sure your passports are up-to-date, and schedule doctors’ appointments for any needed shots.
Shop for the bridesmaids’ dresses. Allow at least six months for the gowns to be ordered and sized.
Meet with the officiant. If one person is converting to a newreligion, schedule the requisite counseling.
Send save-the-date cards, if desired.
Reserve structural and electrical necessities. Book portable toilets for outdoor events, extra chairs if you need them, lighting components, and so on.
Book a florist. Florists can serve multiple clients on one day, so you needn’t nail them down as early as other vendors. Plus, waiting longer means you’ll have a firmer grasp of how