The Definitive Guide to Wedding Checklists

A wedding checklist is central to planning your special day, ensuring every detail is accounted for and nothing is left to chance. It’s the spirit of this special event, guiding you through smoothly and effectively.

Whether it’s budgeting or coordinating with caterers, it’s essential to note everything that comes to mind. Even for the most organized and proactive planners, a wedding checklist is critical to achieving your envisioned outcome. Remember, it will be your trusted companion throughout your planning journey.

What Should You Remember When Making a Wedding Checklist?

Crafting your wedding checklist template is a crucial step on the path to your wedding day. It serves as a guiding light through the maze of tasks ahead. This process is more than simply listing what needs to be done; it’s about creating a tailored plan that mirrors your unique vision and values, ensuring each element adds to an event that embodies your love story.

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Aside from your menu, here are other important considerations to keep in mind as you build your wedding checklist:

Essentials

Your wedding checklist is essentially there to be the central point of reference that will navigate you through a 9 to 12-month process—below is the main hierarchy of essential aspects that come into play when crafting your wedding checklist template:

Grand Picture

This generally refers to the elements that accumulate into the ‘big picture’ or ultimate vision of how you want your dream ceremony to turn out.

• Wedding Mission Statement
• Budget
• Guest List

Venue

This factor consists of not just where the ceremony will take place, but as well as all the potential locations that you have in mind for your wedding program and celebratory activities.

• Ceremony Venue
• Reception Venue
• Other Important Locations

Main Accommodations

These are the primary players that will play some of the most fundamental roles in your wedding.

• Catering
• Photography
• Professional Planners
• Rentals

Secondary Accommodations

These are equally as important as the primary accommodations but do not carry the same weight and gravity as the foundational factors of your wedding.

• Florist
• DJ/Band/Music Arrangements
• Attire
• Hair and Makeup
• Baker

To-Do’s

The important tasks and calendar duties that you have to make sure get done.

• Invitations
• Ceremony/Vows
• Rehearsal Dinner Plans
• Timeline
• Menu

Important Details

These are the more minute but still incredibly significant aspects of wedding planning that you should not neglect.

• Marriage License
• Payments
• Delegating of Tasks
• Hotel
• Transportation

Mapping Out Your Wedding Calendar

Now that you have gotten acquainted with the most central aspects in wedding planning, now it’s time to move on to setting in and marking the calendar for which your wedding checklist will take shape and eventually come to life if done right.

Keep in mind that one of the most ideal approaches to handling your wedding checklist throughout the process is to maintain a certain level of flexibility and room for improvisation. Below is a rough skeletal guide of a typical wedding checklist and calendar that you can use as a template for your wedding checklist.

9 Months Before the Wedding

This is obviously the infancy stage for which the planning process will take shape. You can begin by starting a wedding folder or binder by looking through bridal, lifestyle, fashion, gardening, design, and food magazines or online sources for inspiration, creativity, and ideas.

1. Work on your budget. It is at this preliminary stage that you have to identify how much you can spend and allot with consideration on your family’s contributions, etc. You can begin picking out ideas for your wedding party once you’ve gotten engaged.
2. Start the guest list by making a headcount database that you can utilize and use as a reference throughout your planning process. This should also include columns and sections for various contact information, RSVPs, gifts, and any other piece of relevant information.
3. If you have the means and also feel the need to, you can hire a planner. A professional wedding planner is a great asset for attaining many insights on vendors and accommodations. Finally, you can wrap up this beginning stage by reserving dates and venues, throwing an engagement party, and starting research on photographers, caterers, florists, etc.

8 Months Before the Wedding

During this period, you have to note on your wedding checklist that you need to hire a photographer and videographer. Although there is no need for any real specifics yet, it is during this stage that you have a general picture of hiring the entertainment and those who are to document your special day.

1. If the venue that you select does not offer any catering services, this is the time wherein you should heavily look into hiring, meeting, and coordinating with your caterers. Next, you have to make time for scheduling attire fittings and reserving a block of hotel rooms for out-of-town guests,
2. Register and sign up for a minimum of at least three retailers for your wedding. You can even create an online personal page on one of the many amazing online platforms that will help you keep track of dates, travel information, and all the other key wedding planning components.

6 Months Before the Wedding

Now that the actual date is getting closer and closer, you must already be selecting and purchasing invitations. You can hire a calligrapher if you desire to. Taking note of invitations and cards can get rather time-consuming, so you have to make sure you budget your time and money accordingly.

1. You can also start planning your honeymoon during this phase. This is the time when you can ensure that your passports are up to date, etc. Also important, you have to begin shopping for bridesmaids’ dresses to allow for at least 6 months for the dresses to be appropriately sized and ordered.
2. Map out the actual ceremony and meet with the officiant to confirm all the required official documentation that you need for your wedding. After this is done, you can proceed to send your save-the-date or RSVP cards.
3. Reserve the structural and electrical necessities for both your indoor and outdoor events. Lighting components should be put into great consideration. Along with this, you should also account for extra chairs and tables if needed. Following this, you can proceed to arrange for transportation, book your florist, and begin composing your day-to-day timeline.

5 Months Before the Wedding

Proceed with booking your rehearsal and rehearsal dinner venues. Negotiate for the overall cost and menu. You can now begin checking on the wedding invitations and get samples of the finished invitations from your stationer, revise them if necessary.

1. Choose and order your wedding cake. Some bakers require a long period along with several tasting sessions before finalizing the output.
2. Send the guest list to the host of your shower. Now is also the period for you to purchase your wedding shoes and make the finalizations with your tailor.
3. Make your appointments with makeup and hair stylists, and begin to choose the layout of your wedding music.

3 Months Before the Wedding

In this stage, your wedding checklist should tell you that you need to finalize your menu and flower arrangements. Whether it’s special cookies or any other elaborate pastry, you need to begin ordering them if necessary.

1. Make a list of the people giving toasts. Reach out to your loved ones who you would like to speak at the reception. Make plans with them immediately, and finalize the readings for your ceremony.
2. Begin purchasing your undergarments and finalize the order of your ceremony and reception. Print the menu and program cards—this can easily be done with your computer at home.
3. Finally, at the end of this period, you should already have purchased the rings for resizing and engraving, and also have sent a draft and event schedule to your vendors, caterers, photographers, etc.

2 Months Before the Wedding

At this time, your wedding checklist should tell you to align yourself with all of your vendors and accommodations. Make sure that all questions and inquiries have been cleared and answered. Meet with your photographers and videographers and extensively discuss your preferences about shots, designs, important notes, etc.

1. Review the playlist with your band or DJ, and iron out all the under-looked details with the music. Work together to ensure a flawless execution of music.
2. Time to send out the invitations! It is a general rule that you should send your wedding invitations at least 6 to 8 weeks before the ceremony and cut off the RSVPs at 3 weeks after the postmark date.
3. A good option is to submit a newspaper wedding announcement. Just make sure to check on the publication’s website first. But more importantly, this is the time for you to arrange and enjoy your bachelor/bachelorette party!

1 Month Before the Wedding

Register RSVPs onto your guest list database and contact those who have not yet responded. This is also the best time for you and your significant other to get your marriage license. The process usually takes up to around 6 days.

1. Send out the rehearsal dinner invitations, visit your tailor for your last fitting appointment, and stock the bar. Things are getting exciting!
2. Send out and take care of as many final payments as you can for peace of mind. Confirm all the final schedules. Print and send the most accurate directions for drivers and transport vehicles.
3. Finally, as you wrap up the final month of preparation, write your vows and get your hair cut and colored if you desire to.

1 Week Before the Wedding

The week of your big day is now officially here and you’re at the end of the wedding checklist. First things first: reconfirm all the arrival times of both guests and vendors. Delegate all the minute wedding day tasks, and send a timeline to the bridal party with every member’s contact information.

1. Pick up your dress and check in one final time with your photographers and videographers. Set aside the final checks for the vendors and accommodations. Also, don’t forget to book a complete spa treatment for this week.
2. Break in your shoes, and send the final guest lists to all the caterers, venue hosts, and any other wedding-related events. Assemble and distribute the welcome baskets.
3. Now that you’ve just had your dream wedding with the help of your wedding checklist, all there is to do now is to pack for your honeymoon!

Tips for Your Wedding Week

It is often and naturally the case that your actual wedding week is going to be the most stressful and anxiety-ridden. But by simply keeping a few key things in mind and by sticking to your wedding checklist, you’ll be able to both enjoy and savor all the excitement during the week that leads up to your very special day.

Let’s explore some major tips to keep in mind:

• Be clear with your vendors.
• Designate various point people.
• Arrange all the guest specifications.
• Take the time to pack properly.
• Schedule all beauty appointments
• Set your wedding outfit prepared and ready to go.

The Perfect Wedding Checklist with Juan Carlo

When it comes to all the complexities and intricacies that come with wedding planning and wedding checklists, Juan Carlo is a highly reputable name in the industry that has deep and nuanced experience in the field of anything concerning weddings, catering, and gatherings.

After many decades of working with high-profile clients and those at the pinnacle of the industry, our vision to deliver world-class luxury service is a celebration of having a finer taste for the best things that life has to offer.

We are passionate and incomparably committed to the excellence of our craft. We provide nothing short of first-rate artistry and astoundingly remarkable customer service. The most important factor that comes into play with professional wedding planning is understanding.

We pride ourselves on having a knack and clear understanding of how to bring your dream wedding to life. Contact us today to find out more on how Juan Carlo can help with your wedding checklist!