Your Ultimate Wedding Planning Checklist And Timeline — A Complete Schedule For Every Element Of The Big Day

Congratulations on your engagement! Organising a wedding from start to finish can be daunting, but our wedding planning checklist will help you tackle all the important elements of your special day with structure and ease. From securing the right venue, finalising your wedding registry and mapping out a wedding seating plan, we've created a step-by-step wedding planning timeline to walk you through the countdown. ‘Plotting out an entire timeline is hugely important,’ Creative Director at Polhawn Fort, Rose Wicksteed, explains. ‘Attention to detail during the planning process is crucial to ensure the day runs as smoothly as possible, and being organised in the run-up will allow couples to relax when it comes to the big day.’ Learn the ideal organisational timescales for each part of your wedding, from the early stages of finding the venue and creating a vision board, to securing suppliers and allocating speeches, and the all important finishing touches, like wedding gifts for guests and planning the first dance. This is our ultimate wedding arrangements checklist for organised brides and grooms. 

Typically, couples spend a year organising a wedding. We recommend a 12-month timeframe because it ensures your wedding planning doesn’t feel rushed or stressful. Having the space to tackle each element individually makes it much less overwhelming. It also allows time for a breather if you need to step back from planning momentarily. While the usual engagement period is 12 to 14 months, every couple's wedding planning journey is unique. If your big day is less than a year away, follow a simple wedding checklist and focus on the tasks that are most important to you. We recommend starting with the five key things for a wedding that need to be booked promptly — your wedding planner (if you’re having one), venue, wedding invitations, wedding suppliers, and entertainment. 

NEEDS 12-MONTH PDF CREATING

First things first, celebrate your engagement with friends and family and cherish this once-in-a-lifetime moment before diving into wedding preparation. Popular ways to mark engagements are with a party or engagement photographs. Book these ASAP to build excitement with your loved ones. 

From our couples’ experience, hiring a skilled wedding planner can elevate your wedding day enormously — they’ll take on many of the logistics on their wedding planner checklist, leaving you to focus on fun wedding planning activities, like wine and menu tasting. A wedding planner will become your right-hand person, managing everything from venue selection to budget tracking and logistical details. If your funds don’t quite go that far, consider hiring a wedding coordinator to ensure a stress-free big day. A wedding planner will unusually handle everything leading up to and including the wedding day, like finding the venue, finalising the overall theme, sourcing furniture, organising travel,  liaising with vendors and so on, while a wedding coordinator will purely handle logistics on the wedding day itself and potentially the day before and/or after. 

If you decide on a wedding planner, set clear boundaries about their involvement. Some questions you might want to raise with your partner and then discuss with your wedding planner could be:

• How much input do you want them to have on the overall look and feel of the wedding? 
• Do you want advice on style and mood, or just help with logistics?
• Is WhatsApp an easy method of communication or too personal?
• Would you rather have ad hoc communication or set meetings?
• And is virtual sufficient or in person better for you? 

While many wedding planners will have a set way of doing things, they’ll likely be open to negotiation if you have preferences. 

Wicksteed suggests sharing a vision board with your planner and suppliers right from the start t to ensure you’re on the same page. ‘Throughout the planning process, a Pinterest board (or something similar) can be a wonderful tool to collect creative ideas and develop a cohesive theme for the day.’ This can come in many forms—digitally through an app like Milanote, with saved posts on Instagram or Pinterest, or a physical board or sketchbook. This will come in handy in discussions with wedding planners, photographers and stylists to show your wedding vision. Explore themes, colour schemes, and décor ideas. Pin your favourite details from the Real Wedding blogs or draw inspiration from our curated Pinterest boards.

Selecting and booking the wedding venue that reflects you two as a couple is one of the most crucial moments of your wedding planning (if you’re considering a wedding in the capital, take a look at our guide to the best London wedding venues and London registry offices). The wedding location will impact almost every other aspect of your wedding, including your budget, guest count, chosen theme, and floral arrangements. If possible, view your preferred venues in person to get a feel for what they would be like on the day. An experienced wedding planner will have contacts and plenty of case study material to guide couples still deciding which direction to take for a wedding venue. However, many will already know how they want their wedding day to look, and then it’s a case of working out what’s possible. As wedding planner Wicksteed explains, venues should ‘resonate with the couple and feel meaningful to them’. Keep in mind that popular locations tend to fill up fast. So secure your preferred choice early in the wedding planning process to avoid disappointment.

Planning your wedding is such an exciting time. So, we know that diving into the nitty-gritty of wedding insurance might not be the most thrilling aspect of your wedding checklist. But after investing time and money in orchestrating your big day, the last thing you want is to grapple with supplier or venue issues just weeks before the wedding. We recommend protecting your engagement ring at the same time. It’s very likely your special day will go completely according to plan, but safeguarding against unexpected circumstances can offer great peace of mind ( and save a lot of money and heartache should anything unexpected happen).

Do you have a list of preferred wedding suppliers in mind? Now's the time to hire your wedding vendors that typically get booked quickly: wedding photographer, band, DJ, and videographer. If you’re looking for a florist with a specific style, it’s a good time to start looking at options, especially if you want seasonal blooms (such as autumn wedding flowers or spring wildflowers), as this can take some time. At one wedding we attended, the florist had grown the flowers before the wedding in a nearby meadow in the south of France. When booking any vendors, make sure you do your research first and ask the right questions (our guide to questions to ask your wedding photographer could come in handy here). 

A wedding has many moving parts and an army of people who come together for the big day. ‘Securing reliable and trusted suppliers is crucial,’ wedding planner Wicksteed explains. ‘Building strong working relationships with the chosen caterer, photographer, florist, and entertainment will help to ensure that the wedding comes together seamlessly.’ If you're looking for suppliers, visit our Real Wedding blog or check out Rock My Wedding, an online wedding planning platform.

For wedding catering advice, read tips from our friends at Doggart & Squash, who are specialists in weddings and events. If you're unsure about the amount of drinks for your wedding or seeking inspiration for your wedding bar, explore our guide on how to plan your wedding bar provided by our friends at Marlo Wine, Drunken Jockeys, and Nyetimber.

With 10 months leading up to your wedding day, it’s time to explore wedding invitation designs. This is your guests’ first teaser of your big day, so make sure your save the date cards and wedding invitations reflect your theme and formality. It’s worth exploring wedding invitation trends for some lovely new ideas, such as hand-painted illustrations of the venue or stationary packs that have various components such as a menu, map and RSVP card within the design. Remember that if you are getting married abroad, wedding invitations should be sent out well in advance — usually 12-18 months before the event. 

For many brides, the wedding dress is one of the most exciting elements of the day. Whether you’re opting for a bespoke handmade wedding dress, a vintage gown, or have a bridal boutique in mind, it’s a good idea to start thinking about the design and supplier sooner rather than later. Most bridal dresses are custom-made  and typically take six to nine months, and you must allow time for fittings and alterations ahead of your big day. Read our Real Wedding blogs to get inspired by our beautiful brides wearing some of the best British wedding dress designers, including Miss Bush Bridal, Louise Selby, Emma Victoria Payne, or The Mews. 

Booking your wedding hair stylist ten months in advance gives you plenty of time to experiment with your hair and plan any cutting, colouring, and supplements you might need. Brides may use a mood board again here to bring together ideas on hair and makeup looks. Finding the right stylist and makeup artist can take time as it’s important to find someone who can bring your vision to life. When sharing your wedding inspiration with a stylist, be specific about what you do and don't want. It’s also helpful to have a trial run, as bridal makeup artist Laura Fairley explains, 'I always recommend my brides have an in person trial before the big day as it's a chance for me to really get to understand their overall vision for the wedding, their vibe and how they see themselves looking on the wedding day. That said, if I have a bride who's coming from overseas or eloping and there isn't time to meet before the day, this is when we will have consultations over zoom to get to know each other and chat through ideas. During a trial, I start off getting to know a bit more about you as a person and your wedding plans, which sets the scene for what you like and dislike when it comes to hair and makeup. We then will walk through your inspiration if you have some ideas already or, if not, that's where I will ask questions to spark some ideas that we can shape together.'

Flowers play a significant role in wedding aesthetics, from delicate wedding bouquets to grand centrepieces — they’re one of the most important aspects of your wedding arrangements checklist for its overall theme and character. Now is the perfect time to meet with your preferred wedding florist and share your inspirational photos and mood board. If you’re looking for a trustworthy wedding supplier, find inspiration on our Real Wedding blog or ask your venue for local recommendations. Finding a wedding florist who can bring your floral vision to life in line with your budget is important. Consider growing your wedding flowers for a unique, meaningful touch to your wedding day. They are also a more environmentally friendly choice and a huge cost-saver! Our advice is to start planning early and always think about the seasonality of flowers and the unpredictable English weather.

After confirming your wedding date, venue, and guest list, it’s time to mark another task off your wedding organisation checklist: let the wedding guests know you’re getting married! Send Save The Date cards early to allow guests to plan and ensure a strong turnout. Include your and your partner's names, the wedding date, venue details, and a note indicating that a formal invitation will follow. Take a look at our wedding invitation guide for a more detailed account of wedding invitation wording.

You’ve booked a wedding venue and picked your photographer and caterer. Perhaps you even have your wedding dress already. With eight months leading up to your special day, now is the time to start curating your list of wedding presents. A wedding gift list is a curated collection of items, experiences, and cash contributions you wish to receive as gifts from your wedding guests to celebrate your marriage. Also called a wedding list, a wedding registry, or a bridal registry, a wedding gift list is not only a fun and exciting experience for you and your partner to build your new life together. It also acts as an easy and flexible guide for your guests to choose presents they know you will love and also need. Whether it's tableware, bed and bath wedding gifts, contributions to your art collection or honeymoon funds, your wedding gift list reflects your aspirations as a couple. The options for what you can add to the gift list are unlimited, so have fun with it!

Indulge in one of the most enjoyable (and delicious) tasks on the list of things needed for your wedding - tasting and ordering a wedding cake. Whether you lean towards a classic tiered design or something extraordinary, follow your unique taste as a couple instead of trying to please every guest. Once you settle on the look and flavour, book a trusted and talented wedding baker to turn your vision into a delicious reality.

One of the most exciting tasks on a wedding planning checklist is to finalise the wedding registry and select the gifts you’d like from guests. If using a wedding registry service like Wedding Planning Company, you will have already been into the showroom to browse a vast selection of gift options. At this point, it’s just about finalising your curated list. 

At this point in your wedding planning timeline, you should have decide who will be making a wedding speech and doing a reading. Whether it's the bride, groom, or other special speakers from your friends and family, make sure everyone is well-informed about their roles and has ample time to craft a memorable speech, or practise their chosen reading. If you’re having a religious wedding, Bible verses are often an obvious choice for wedding readings, but there are plenty of nonreligious and modern wedding reading options, too. You can also add a personal touch or ask our designated readers to pick their own. Just ensure they have plenty of time and guidance to create something that aligns with your vision.

Having a physical timeline of the day will help things run more smoothly. This is also a good time to note the bridal party, speakers, and guests with significant responsibilities — such as ushers and the person guarding the rings. A wedding planner will help draw this up, but for couples who aren’t using one, it’s beneficial to have copies to share with the leading venue contact, DJ and bridal party so those with important roles know the order of the day.

Schedule a call or meeting with your photographer to discuss specific shots or moments you want to capture during the celebration and run through the timeline. It’s your special day, so be as specific as possible about what you do and don't want, but also trust their creative vision. 

By sticking to our 12-month wedding planning checklist, all the hard work should already be done by now. It’s time to complete a few final tasks before revelling in the joy of this special time. Here are a few final steps to build into your routine a week before the wedding:

1. Practise your vows out loud to ensure you feel confident when the moment comes.
2. Squeeze in one last run-through of the first dance if freestyling makes you nervous.
3. Visit your jeweller to clean your engagement ring professionally, ensuring it's extra sparkly on the wedding day. 
4. If you're heading off to your honeymoon after the ceremony, pack your bags in advance and confirm your travel arrangements for a stress-free departure.

Congratulations! Your special day is finally here. Drop off decor items at the wedding venue and review roles and schedules with your bridal party. Now that all that wedding preparation and creative planning have ended, it's time to relax and cherish this special moment on the night before your wedding. Indulge in a hearty meal with your close friends and family, keep off your feet, and enjoy an early night's rest. Don’t forget to lay out your wedding outfit and accessories for a stress-free morning. 

Sticking to a 12-month timeline will help you organise what can feel like an overwhelming amount of admin into a manageable wedding checklist. Of course, there will be deviations from the original plan and adjustments needed for every wedding, but let this be a guide for mapping out the most important tasks before your wedding day. While planning a wedding