12-Month Wedding Planning Checklist & Timeline
If you have about a year to plan your wedding, this 12-month checklist keeps everything moving at a calm, steady pace. Use it as a guide and adapt it to your plans—no two weddings look exactly the same.
How to use this wedding planning timeline
- You don't have to complete every item—skip what doesn't apply to your wedding.
- It's okay if you're ahead or behind—life happens, adjust as needed.
- Use VowSpace to add these tasks as checklist items and track your progress.
12+ months before
- Decide on an approximate budget
- Draft your guest list and estimate headcount
- Talk about your priorities (venue, photography, food, etc.)
- Research venues and possible dates
- Start thinking about wedding party
9–12 months before
- Book your venue and set the date
- Book key vendors (photographer, videographer, caterer, planner)
- Create your VowSpace account and start your official guest list
- Start looking at invitation designs
- Research officiants if needed
6–9 months before
- Choose your wedding party
- Start dress/suit shopping
- Book florist and decor vendors
- Set up your registries
- Book entertainment (DJ, band, etc.)
- Order save-the-dates
3–6 months before
- Send save-the-dates (if applicable)
- Finalize menu with caterer
- Plan decor and floral details
- Book hair and makeup
- Add payment due dates to your budget tracker
- Order invitations
- Plan honeymoon if applicable
1–3 months before
- Send invitations (6-8 weeks before)
- Track RSVPs as they come in
- Follow up on missing responses
- Start planning seating arrangement
- Final fittings for attire
- Finalize ceremony details with officiant
- Obtain marriage license
Final month
- Confirm final headcount with venue and caterer
- Finalize seating chart
- Share timeline with wedding party and key family
- Confirm all vendor arrival times and details
- Prepare final payments and tips
- Break in your shoes
Week of & day-of
- Pack day-of emergency kit (tissues, pain reliever, sewing kit, etc.)
- Confirm transportation and logistics
- Attend rehearsal and rehearsal dinner
- Get a good night's sleep
- Enjoy your day—you've done the work!
Turn this checklist into a living plan inside VowSpace
Each section of this checklist can become tasks in your VowSpace account. As you mark items done, your timeline and sense of progress stay clear—even when life gets busy.
Checklist FAQs
What if I have less than 12 months to plan?
You can compress this timeline—combine several sections into each month and prioritize venue and key vendors first. Many couples successfully plan beautiful weddings in 6 months or less.
Do I have to do every item on this list?
No. Think of this as a menu of common tasks. Keep what applies to your wedding and remove or reorder the rest. Your wedding is unique, and your checklist should be too.
What if I'm already behind?
Don't panic! Focus on the most time-sensitive items (venue, key vendors) and work forward from there. The timeline is a guide, not a strict schedule.