planning TIMELINE

12+ MONTHS

Announce your engagement

Having an engagement party? Set the date, make a guest list, and send out invites.

Decide your style + color palette

Create your wedding budget

Choose a wedding date and time

Book your ceremony + reception site

Create your guest list

Create your wedding website

Book any priority vendors

Choose a wedding planner

4-5 MONTHS

Finalize the floral proposal

Decide on attire for the guys

Book a calligrapher

Finalize your rentals

Make honeymoon reservations and be sure your passports are current Research travel insurance & purchase it

Address the invitations

Book your wedding night accommodations

Book the rehearsal dinner location and finalize the menu

9-11 MONTHS

Book your ceremony + reception site

Book your officiant, priest or minister

Choose your wedding party and decide on roles for other important family and friends

Book your caterer and begin thinking about your reception menu

Say “Yes to the Dress”

Finalize your guest list

Hire a photographer + videographer

Hire musicans/DJ’s

Hire your florist

Book your rental company

3-4 MONTHS

Choose accessories & details for your wedding party

Schedule facials, haircuts, and root touch-ups

Attend pre-wedding counseling

Browse for and buy wedding rings

Decide on wedding favors

Book transportation

Confirm the delivery date of your dress and schedule fittings

Celebrate at your bridal shower

Decide on ceremony readings and reach out to those you want involved

Start writing your vows

Write your reception song lists for must-play & do-not-play songs

6-8 MONTHS

Register for gifts

Plan the ceremony with your officiant

Take engagement pictures

Begin planning your honeymoon

Research hair and makeup artists

Meet with and book a cake vendor

Decide on your bridesmaids’ dresses

Block out hotel rooms for guests

Order & send save-the-dates

Plan the rehearsal dinner

Order your invitations

Create a menu with your caterer

Be sure your bridesmaids have ordered their dresses

2

Months

Send out your wedding invitations

Work on the ceremony programs

Have your bachelorette party

Buy your veil, shoes, & accessories

Decide on your something old, new, borrowed, and blue

Arrange for child care for reception

Figure out what is needed for your marriage license

Check on hotel reservations and block out more rooms if needed

Attend your first dress fitting

Schedule hair and makeup trial appointments for a month before

Get started on thank you notes for the gifts already received

Call guests who have not returned their RSVP yet

Attend the final tasting and finalize the menu with the caterer

Finalize the ceremony

Finalize the ceremony programs

Send rehearsal dinner invitations

Write down a day-of schedule

Plan night-before activities

Get gifts for parents & each other

1-2 W EEKS BEFORE

Map out the seating chart and give it to the caterer, manager, and planner

Provide the caterer, baker and venue with the final head count. Also add vendors who will be attending.

Give the venue manager a list of necessities from other vendors such as table for DJ, florist setup area etc.

Create escort cards

Confirm transportation arrangements for the wedding day

Shop and pack for the honeymoon

Confirm final payments, details, and delivery times with each vendor

Write out wedding toasts

Break in your wedding shoes

Attend your final dress fitting

Pack overnight bag for wedding night

Give a honeymoon itinerary to close family and friends

Put final payments & tips for vendors in labeled envelopes & give to a designated person to distribute on wedding day

Provide a must-take photo & video list to your photographer and videographer

Apply for a marriage license together

Send song list to the DJ or musician

Get final haircut & hair color touch up

Arrange airport pickups for close family members and guests who will not be renting a car.

2-3 DAYS BEFORE

Confirm transportation to the airport for your honeymoon

Gather your wedding day emergency kit

Get your dress steamed

Prepare thank you gifts for parents and bridal party with special thank you notes

Touch base with ceremony and reception venues

Decide on order of bridesmaids and groomsmen

Hand of place cards to caterer or whoever will be arranging them

Confirm with your florist that they received your correct floral order and knows where and when the flowers will be delivered

Confirm the locations and pickup times with the transportation company

Confirm the toasts with your bridal party and family

Get your manicure and pedicure

Pack ceremony assessories

Have your ceremony rehearsal

Provide the officiant with your marriage license

Have your rehearsal dinner

Give the bridal party their gifts at the rehearsal dinner

Review hair and makeup schedule with the bridesmaids

Day Before W Edding Day

Give parents & each other your gifts

Give the best man and/or maid of honor your wedding rings

Give your father or best man the officiant’s fee envelope to be handed out after the ceremony

Give wedding invitation suite, ring box, garter, wedding jewelry and anything special you want in your flat lay to your photographer

Budget Breakdo W N

It’s important to determine who is contributing to the wedding cost and how much you have to spend from day one. “Expensive” and “stressful” might be two things that come to mind when you think of wedding budget planning, but they don’t have to be. No matter your budget, with the right planning, organization, and budgeting tips, this process can be as easy as saying “I Do.”

GUEST LIST: Like it or not, each person you invite has a price tag. From catering, alcohol, cake, stationery, rentals, and flowers, each person you invite plays a role in these costs. Obviously there is a catering, drink and cake slice cost, but also consider tables, chairs, linens and centerpieces for these extra seats. Each person will also require a save-the-date, a wedding invitation, RSVP and the stamp to mail it. These things seem small, but they really do add up.

DATE + TIME: Saturday weddings will always be the most expensive day of the week. If you are looking to cut back costs on your venue, try picking a Friday or Sunday. You could also consider the time of day you host your wedding. A brunch or afternoon reception is less expensive to cater than a formal evening dinner.

OTHER ALTERNATIVES: If a wedding planner is not in the budget, consider a day of coordinator that is about half of the cost. Instead of a grooms cake, can your grandmother make your fiance’s favorite pie and create a DIY pie bar? Get creative when you can, but the last thing you want is a #pinterestfail, so be smart and know when it's time to leave it to the professionals. Do not ruin your big day to save a few bucks.

W EDDING STYLE : The more casual the affair, the less expensive your overall design will need to be. A rustic themed wedding in a barn can easily get away with BBQ or a food truck. A glamourous formal affair, not so much. Consider your style when thinking about budget.

RECONSIDER DIY: Today, more than ever brides love to handcraft their wedding details. However, in terms of budget, keep in mind that the DIY is not always the least expensive, especially when a project requires you to buy tools or supplies that can only be bought in bulk.

Many times we see brides that want to buy their own linens online, only to later realize the quality is not the same, the time and frustration to steam them before the wedding and the cost to clean them after. By the time you went through the headache, you are only saving a few bucks (maybe) and then you are left with a pile of linens you will never end up using again.

The same frustrations are seen when buying bigger rental pieces, DIY silk flowers, DIY invitations, centerpieces and more. Think about all of the steps before you consider DIYing or buying things yourself. In the end, you could be spending the same if not more. You may realize the time and stress is not worth the few extra dollars.

W Ho Pays

Before you start creating your budget, you will need to figure out who will be contributing. Those who pay will also have a say in how much you have to spend. In modern society, a lot of couples are paying out of pocket for their own wedding. However, there are many brides who like the idea of a traditional wedding budget where families are also involved. Below is the budget breakdown for both the bride and groom’s families traditional expenses.

Brides SIDE Grooms SIDE

• Wedding Planner or Day of Coordinator

• Bride’s dress, veil and accessories

• Bride’s hair and makeup

• Stationery (invitations, announcements, postage, thank you notes, wedding programs, other paper elements)

• Photographer and Videographer

• Ceremony costs: Music, officiants, rentals, decor etc

• Floral arrangements for ceremony and reception, bouquets and corsages for bridesmaids and flower girl and groom’s boutonniere

• Transportation of bridal party to and from ceremony and reception

• Groom’s wedding ring

• Bridesmaid and other bridal party gifts

• Wedding gift for the groom

• All tips (waitstaff, band or DJ, photographer, parking attendants, etc.)

Think Twice

• Reception cost such as venue, food, beverage, decorations, rentals, and music

• Rehearsal dinner

• Bride’s rings and wedding bands

• Alcohol for the reception

• Honeymoon, including transportation to airport

• Wedding gift for the bride

• Marriage license

• Groomsman gifts

• Officiant’s fee

• Groom’s attire

• Travel and lodging expenses for groom’s parents

• Wedding gift for the newlyweds

CHEAPER PHOTOGRAPHER : If you need to cut your budget somewhere, the last place you want to do it on is your photography. The amateur photographer friend or the lady who got a camera for Christmas and now says she is a wedding photographer may take great photos, but a professional wedding photographer will know the exact details to capture, proper lighting for your venue, and know how to maximize their shooting time around a wedding schedule. These images will be all that you have to look back on your wedding day, so make the investment!

NO PLANNER OR COORDINATOR: Your family and friends have looked forward to the day that you walked down the aisle and the last thing you want to do is take that moment from them by adding the stress of also being your wedding planner. If a full wedding planner is not in your budget, make room at minimal for a Day Of Coordinator. A Day of Coordinator will help with vendors, setting up your wedding, make sure that your wedding runs smoothly and handle any issues that arise. This will help ensure that you and your family and friends can enjoy the day stress free.