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The 12-Month Wedding Planning Timeline: A Calm, Month-by-Month Checklist

A calm, month-by-month wedding planning timeline: what to do 12 months out, 6 months out, the final month and the week of your wedding.

Sunny Lark

You just said "yes!" - congratulations! Now comes the part nobody warns you about: the to-do list. The good news is that a wedding is much easier to plan when you break it into small, calm steps. Here's a month-by-month timeline you can follow whether your wedding is a year away or a little sooner.

Short on time? If your engagement is shorter than 12 months, start at the top anyway and move through the steps faster. The order matters more than the exact month.

12 months before: dream and decide the big things

Celebrate your engagement - really, take a moment.
Talk about the kind of wedding you both want: big or small, local or destination, formal or relaxed.
Set your overall budget and decide who is contributing.
Draft a first guest list. Your guest count shapes almost every other decision.
Pick a rough date or season.
Research venues, then book your ceremony and reception venue.

10-11 months before: book your key team

Book your photographer and videographer - the good ones book up early.
Book a planner or day-of coordinator if you'd like one.
Choose your wedding party and ask them in a way that feels like you.
Start a mood board for colors, flowers and style.
Create a wedding website and a shared folder for planning.

8-9 months before: attire and the fun details

Start shopping for wedding attire, and allow time for orders and alterations.
Book your caterer (if your venue doesn't provide one), DJ or band, and florist.
Send save-the-dates, especially for a destination wedding or a holiday weekend.
Reserve hotel room blocks for out-of-town guests.
Start your gift registry.

6-7 months before: the guest experience

Book your officiant and talk through your ceremony.
Plan your rehearsal dinner.
Book transportation if you need it.
Order your cake or dessert after a tasting.
Start planning your honeymoon.

4-5 months before: make it official

Order invitations and stationery.
Finalize your menu.
Book hair and makeup, and schedule trials.
Buy your wedding rings.
Check what you need for your marriage license where you're getting married.

3 months before: lock in the details

Mail invitations about 8-10 weeks before the wedding.
Plan your ceremony order, readings and music.
Start writing your vows.
Buy or make favors, signs and decor.
Schedule your dress or suit fittings.

1-2 months before: confirm everything

Apply for your marriage license (check how long it's valid).
Track RSVPs and follow up with anyone you haven't heard from.
Create your seating chart.
Give your final guest count to your caterer and venue.
Write a day-of timeline and share it with your vendors and wedding party.
Confirm arrival times with every vendor.

The final week

Final dress or suit fitting and pick-up.
Pay any remaining vendor balances, and prepare tips in labeled envelopes.
Pack an emergency kit: safety pins, stain remover, snacks and a phone charger.
Pack for your honeymoon.
Hand off anything the venue needs: decor, favors and signs.
Get some sleep, drink water, and delegate.

After the wedding

Send thank-you notes (within about three months is a lovely goal).
Return rentals and pick up anything left at the venue.
Handle any name-change paperwork, if you're changing your name.
Back up your photos, and keep your memories somewhere safe.

Keep it all in one place

The Happiness Journal - Wedding Planner & Keepsake follows this same timeline, with a checklist for every stage, budget and vendor trackers, a guest list and seating chart, and memory pages to fill in after the big day. It comes as a printable edition plus digital editions for your iPad and phone.

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