Wedding Checklist: Your Complete Wedding Planning Timeline

“Whether you’re organising a wedding in the UK or abroad, a wedding planning checklist is the easiest way to stay on top of every detail

Not only will a good wedding plan checklist keep you on track and ensure you’re much less likely to forget any important tasks, but they also come in handy when it comes to knowing where to start with your wedding planning and the order in which to do things.

Of course, weddings look different for every single couple – but the great thing about our free wedding planning checklist below is that you can take the bits that are useful to you and cross off anything that doesn’t apply.

Likewise, all couples will have very different timelines – but whatever yours looks like, our 18-12 month wedding planning checklist works as a brilliant guide to understanding the order of your tasks and what needs prioritising.

So, what is included in a wedding planning checklist? Covering everything from the pre-wedding planning and what to do 18-12 months before the big day, to on the day coordination and even what to do once the celebrations are over, our ultimate wedding planning checklist covers every detail to ensure no task goes unturned.

And to make things even easier, we’ve compiled it all into a basic wedding planning checklist that you can download as a wedding planning checklist PDF – easy! 

Download the Hitched checklist

• Wedding Planning Checklist: Before You Start
• The Ultimate Wedding Planning Checklist
• Post-Wedding Checklist
• Wedding Planning Checklist for your Wedding Planner
• Wedding Planning Checklist: FAQs
• Free Printable Wedding Planning Checklist

Wedding Planning Checklist: Before You Start

When it comes to nailing your DIY wedding planning checklist, there are a few things you need to have in order before you can officially start paying deposits and ticking things off…

Set Your Budget

We know… ergh, right? But figuring out how much you can afford to spend on your wedding is vital. Once you’ve worked out how much you have to play with, then you can start making firm decisions and really get the planning underway. We’ve got all you need to know about saving for a wedding but it might be worth asking at this point if you could expect any family contributions, too.

Write the Guest List

You can’t consider wedding venues until you know how many people you’d like to have at your big day. Your budget will help you work out if you can have everyone there from start to finish or if you’ll only have close friends and family for the ceremony and wedding breakfast, and extra guests for the evening reception.

Discuss the Vision

Start a Pinterest board and grab images of flowers, cakes, dresses and details to help you decide on your wedding theme and colour scheme. Think about the parties you’ve attended before and prioritise the elements that you really loved. Don’t worry if it all feels like a bit of a mishmash to begin with, you’ll soon spot a theme emerging.

Visit Some Venues

Even if you aren’t quite at the booking stage, start making enquiries at wedding venues that have piqued your interest so you know whether you can afford them, and if they work with your wedding theme and guest numbers.

The Ultimate Wedding Planning Checklist: How to Plan a Wedding

Welcome to the wonderful world of organising your wedding! Before you start picking out posies, be clear on the what, where and when with our simple wedding planning checklist.

18-12 Months Before the Wedding

Book Your Wedding Venue

Probably the most important decision you’ll make in your wedding planning and – according to the average cost of a UK wedding – your venue will also use up the largest chunk of your budget. Popular wedding venues can get booked up years in advance, so while you shouldn’t make any rash decisions, be sure to secure your date as soon as you can.

Finalise Your Guest List

Once you have the venue booked, the next task on your wedding planning to-do checklist is finalise how many people you are inviting.

Buy Wedding Insurance

Although you won’t want to dwell on worst-case scenarios, it’s a good idea to think about taking out wedding insurance before you spend too much money.

Book Your Wedding Photographer & Videographer

The booking of some vendors – such as florists, makeup artists, hair stylists and transport options – can be done a little closer to the wedding, but photographers and videographers are two that you will want to book as early as possible. Like wedding venues, the most popular photographers will get booked up a year or more in advance.

Give Notice of Your Intention to Marry

Once you’ve booked your venue, you can give notice of your intention to marry. This means booking an appointment with your local registrar, where you’ll be asked details about the wedding (including the name and address of your venue) and some personal information.

Once complete, your notice of marriage lasts for 12 months (note, you can’t do it more than a year in advance). There is a statutory fee, but you can find out more in our guide to giving notice. For Church of England or Wales ceremonies, the process of giving notice will be handled by your vicar through banns.

10-11 Months Before the Wedding

At this point in your wedding planning checklist, you’ll want to be thinking about booking other key suppliers – those that will play a huge role in your day and who often get booked up well in advance. This is also your green light to start outfit shopping!

Book Your Entertainment

Other key vendors who will need securing early include wedding DJs and bands, as well as any musicians you’d like to perform earlier on in the day.

Confirm Caterers & Bar Staff

It may be that your wedding venue is taking care of the catering in-house, but if not, you’ll need to book any outside caterers (some venues will have recommended suppliers) and start discussing menu options. You might want to consider additional food options for the evening celebrations too, such as food trucks.

Begin Dress Hunting

Start your search 10 months in advance to ensure it’s an enjoyable and stress-free experience. It takes around six months for a made to measure dress to be delivered, and that’s before the final tweaks that can take up to a month. So give yourself plenty of time!

8-9 Months Before the Wedding

The 8-9 month mark will see your secondary suppliers being secured; at this point in your wedding planning checklist, you’ll want to tick off key players such as your florist, wedding outfits and invitations. Plus, you’ll also want to assign your wedding party roles – it’s quite the time for planning!

Book Your Florist

Once you’ve found a florist who fits with your vibe, nail them down with a deposit. Some florists will work on more than one wedding per day, so if you’ve got big ideas of floral arches and hanging installations, it’s important to book them in early.

Send Save the Dates

With key details such as the date, time, venue and theme decided, it’s time for save the dates to be sent. Remember, these only need to be sent to guests who are attending all day.

If you’re choosing to forgo save the dates and skip straight to invitations, these can be sent around four to six months before the big day, but it’s worth looking at designs now.

Assign Your Wedding Party Roles

Because the sooner they’re picked, the sooner you can enlist their help, right? It’s up to you how you do it – do a low-key celebration by asking them all over brunch, send out bridesmaid boxes, or start a WhatsApp group so you can all share ideas and schedule shopping appointments.

Say ‘Yes’ to the Dress

… if you haven’t already! This will give you enough time for the dress to arrive as well as alterations and any production delays.

Book First-Night Accommodation

If you haven’t hired a wedding venue with accommodation, make sure you have something booked in for the wedding night nearby. At the same time as sorting yourselves, consider booking out a block of rooms for your closest friends and family members so they’ve got somewhere to stay on the night of your wedding.

6 Months Before the Wedding

Things will start to feel really real when you get to this point, and your checklist when planning a wedding that’s half a year away will include more tasks than before as you get closer to the big event.

Book Your Cake Supplier

Wedding cake makers can get booked up months in advance, so now is a good time to finalise your design and booking, particularly if you want something elaborate. Confirm details such as whether it will be delivered to the venue or is required to be collected, and at what point you will need to pay.

Book Your Transport

If your wedding ceremony isn’t being held in the same place as your reception, think about how you will travel from place to place, as well as get your guests from one place to another. Or you may simply want to book transport to ensure you and your wedding party arrive to the venue in style.

Shop For Groomswear & Wedding Party Outfits

With a theme and colour scheme in full swing – and your outfit secured – it’s time to start thinking about everyone else. Six months in advance might sound like a long time, but – particularly if you have a large group – it can take a while to find something everyone is happy with.

Also consider shopping for younger members of the wedding party at this point in your wedding planning checklist too, including flower girls and pageboys.

If you’re choosing to hire suits, most suppliers won’t let you rent any sooner than three months in advance of the big day, but it’s always worth doing a shopping trip to try things on, especially if you’re planning on making a large order!

Have Your Menu Tasting

Another fun part of the checklist for wedding planning, this means choosing the final dishes that you and your guests will get to enjoy on the big day.

Many wedding venues include menu tastings as part of their packages when booking, but it’s worth noting that some others will charge for this service. Likewise with external caterers. You may be invited to a menu tasting with other wedding couples or it may be something more private.

This is also the time to check how your venue or caterers will handle any food intolerances, allergies or special dietary requirements. Even though you don’t have a final list of attendees yet, your suppliers should be able to talk you through these options as standard.

Book Your Hair & Makeup Artists

If you and/or your wedding party plan on having professional hair and makeup, start looking into local suppliers whose work you like best. Take inspiration from Instagram or Pinterest to your trials (which should be booked between now and three months before the wedding).

Book Your Honeymoon

If the wedding planning is taking its toll, now could be a good time to take a little break and swoon over honeymoon destinations instead. Bear in mind the time of year to ensure good weather and logistics like how much leave you’ll be able to get from work, whether you’ll need any vaccinations or to renew your passport ahead of time.

Create Your Wedding Website

Here’s a task on your wedding planning checklist that’ll suddenly make planning a wedding a whole lot easier! Wedding websites are a great way to keep your guests up to date with all the details of your wedding, and there are plenty of free options out there.

Most offer personalised email addresses, too, which is perfect for keeping your wedmin separate from your regular inbox. If you choose to have a wedding website, you can keep your wedding invitations simple. All you need to provide is the date, time and location – and direct your guests to your URL for all other details, such as menu choices and nearby accommodation.

Plus, your guests will be able to RSVP paper free, which makes things much easier to manage.

4-5 Months Before the Wedding

Now’s the time to really enjoy some of the fun tasks, including shopping for your wedding rings, accessories and some of the finer details of your day. Eek!

Create Your Gift List

If you’ve decided to have a wedding gift list, now is the time to browse and fill it; this is because it needs to be ready in time for you posting your wedding invitations. There are lots of gift list services out there that can help, including Prezola and The Wedding Shop. If you’re not keen on the idea of a trad gift list, there are other options, including asking for money instead of gifts.

Order Your Rings

Set a firm budget on this and remember to allow at least three to four months for delivery if you’re having something engraved or bespoke.

Send Out Invitations

If you’ve already sent save the dates, you could hold off doing this wedding planning task until three months ahead of the big day, but we always advise the more time, the better, particularly if your guests need to make travel and accommodation arrangements.

Shop For Outfit Accessories

Since your wedding outfits will likely have been chosen by now, you can start purchasing any finishing touches such as shoes, bags, underwear, ties, socks, hair accessories and jewellery. You’ll want to make sure that you have all or most of your accessories for your final fitting, so you can see the full look ahead of the big day.

Buy Additional Décor

We’re talking favours and on-the-day stationery such as menus, place cards and a wedding guest book, as well as any wedding signs you might need for your venue. Now is also a good time to decide on your table names.

2-3 Months Before the Wedding

As the 12-week countdown begins, tasks on your wedding planning checklist will start to turn to smaller details and organising the timeline of your day.

Go on Your Hen & Stag Dos

After all that you’ve put into your wedding planning, you deserve to let your hair down! The 2-3 month mark is a great time to host your pre-wedding celebrations, whether you’re going on separate hen and stag dos or planning on hosting a joint sten. Assuming your chief wedding attendants have all the details in hand, all you need to do is relax!

Decide on Timings

It might seem like something reserved for the last minute, but this is a good time to discuss the order of service with your wedding coordinator, registrar or vicar.

From when you will need your hair and makeup artist to arrive to when you will sit down to eat after the ceremony and when you plan on cutting the cake (if at all), it’s helpful for all your suppliers to have this information now.

Start Writing Your Speeches and Confirm Readings

At this point in your planning you should have decided who in your wedding party will be making speeches and carrying out readings during the ceremony. You’ll need to ensure that everyone is aware of their roles, confirm with them what they will be reading and in which order they will speak.

Pay Remaining Suppliers in Full

This is the point when most suppliers will be required to have been paid in full, so check all payment schedules. The last thing you want are outstanding invoices!

Create a Vendor Schedule

With all of your suppliers paid and timings of the day in mind, it’s a good idea to create a wedding day schedule to send to your vendors. Florists, cake makers and entertainment will all need to know at what point they can arrive to set up, for example.

Also use this time to send a final wedding playlist to your DJ, with details of your first dance and the song you want to end your wedding on.

Have Your Dress/Suit Fittings

Most initial wedding dress and/or suit fittings take place around six weeks before the big day. Sometimes a follow-up fitting will be offered a month before the wedding if major alterations have taken place, but for most the final fitting will happen 1-2 weeks before the big day.

1 Month Before the Wedding

With just four weeks to go, these are the important things you’ll need to tick off your wedding planning checklist.

Chase Up Outstanding RSVPs

You’ll soon need to confirm guest numbers and dietary requirements with your venue and caterers, so this is important!

Check in With Your Venue or Coordinator

This is really important to ease any nerves or last-minute worries you might be having – plus they’ll be able to advise on anything you might have missed. Together, you’ll go through a wedding ceremony checklist and schedule, including everything you need to know about the legal aspects of the day and how they work. This should take about half an hour.

Buy Thank-You Gifts

Think about what you want to buy the key members of your wedding party to say thank you. You might also want to get a gift for your partner to give on the morning of the wedding or write a cute card.

Catch Up With Your Photographer

A month before the wedding, you should call or meet with your wedding photographer and videographer, if you have one, to inform them of any particular shots, moments or people you’d like captured. If you want group shots, let them know which ones and who will be involved.

Write Your Vows

With a matter of weeks before the big day, it’s time to turn your attention to your wedding vows if you’re choosing to write your own. Though it can be tempting to write these closer to the time, penning them now gives you plenty of time to revisit them and ensure you’ve said everything you need to.

Confirm Guest Numbers & Start the Table Plan

Once all of your RSVPs are rounded up, this is the time to start on your seating plan, though it’s best left to the last possible minute in case of any cancellations. Once you’ve created it, send it on to your venue and caterers, along with a final copy of the headcount and details of any dietaries (and where those with dietary requirements will be sitting) a week before the wedding.

Break in Your Shoes

One that’s always forgotten… but we promise you won’t regret it!

Week of the Wedding

Just one week to go! Remember all those months ago when you were wondering ‘how to plan a wedding’? Now you could probably do it with your eyes closed…

Have Your Final Fitting

By this point your dress should be perfect and ready to take home, aside from any possible small alterations.

Have Any Final Beauty Appointments

From brow shaping to manicures, spray tans to haircuts – there might be things you want to fit in to ensure you look and feel your best at the wedding. To help you know what treatments should be done when on your wedding planning checklist, our beauty countdown starts six months ahead of the big day.

Go Through the Schedule with Your Wedding Party

This is vital to ensure everyone is clear on timings, who is responsible for what and where they need to be at all parts of the day. It can also be helpful for your maid of honour to note down things like local taxi numbers and details of all the suppliers in case they’re late (if you don't have a coordinator handling this).

Tick Off Last Minute Tasks

Sure, everything major has been done by now, but a few things you might not have considered include:

• Picking your perfume/fragrance shopping
• Planning a wedding-day surprise for your partner
• Packing a wedding day emergency kit – lip balm, spare hair pins, plasters, clear nail polish, paracetamol, nail file, safety pins etc
• Collecting your dress/suit if you didn’t take it away with you at the final fitting

Day of the Wedding

Our checklist for wedding planning wouldn’t be complete without a wedding day checklist. The most important thing is to enjoy this time – from the moment you wake to the very last dance. The hard work is done!

Eat!

Opt for filling and energising foods that will keep you fuelled throughout the morning (and soak up that champagne) like a veggie omelette or fibre-rich muesli. We’ve even got some wedding morning breakfasts to inspire you. 

Get Ready

Get your outfit laid out and ready, including your jewellery, shoes and your wedding-day emergency kit. Have your evening outfit ready to go too if you’re planning to change.

Do What You Can to Relax

If you have time and the weather is good, go outside for a 15-minute walk, it will revitalise you if you didn’t sleep well. Also consider forwarding all calls to your maid of honour’s phone or turning off notifications – and instead use your phone to take plenty of getting ready selfies!

Give Out Your Wedding Party Gifts

The giving of gifts is usually left until the thank-you part of the speeches. That said, if your gifts are something you’d like the recipient to wear or carry with them on the wedding day, these can also be given first thing in the morning.

Leave With Plenty of Time

If it begins to rain, leave 10 minutes earlier than scheduled, pin the bottom of your dress loosely inside itself, change into flat shoes and cover your hair with a lightweight scarf.

Meet The Registrar

You’ll have been talked through this part prior to the day, but your registrar will meet with you separately around 15 minutes before the ceremony in a preparation room at the venue (or when you arrive at the registry office).

Consider a First Look Shoot

Totally optional, of course, but we adore a first look shoot. This is when you and your partner see each other in a private moment for the first time dressed up in your wedding outfits – it takes place before the ceremony and is a great chance to get some amazing photos, as well as calm any nerves!

Post-Wedding Checklist

When the last glasses of champagne have been drunk and the last slices of cake devoured, your wedding planning checklist doesn’t end there. Don’t forget these essential tasks once the big day is over.

Collect Things From Your Venue

It can be helpful to have someone from the wedding party on the night to be responsible for things that need to be cleared, including gifts, cards, your wedding guest book and any décor items – but some venues will hang onto them until the morning.

Change Your Name

Once the fun of your wedding is over, you might want to consider changing your name, double barrelling it or creating a completely new surname altogether. Whatever you decide, we have everything you need to know about changing your name after the big day.

Write Thank-You Cards

Wedding thank-you cards are almost as important as the invitations. Since your guests have spent time, effort and money to attend your big day and get you a gift, it’s only polite to thank them. It can also be a nice idea to send thank-you notes to any key suppliers who you felt went above and beyond on your day – or at the very least, leave them a good review.

Wedding Planning Checklist for your Wedding Planner

If you’ve paid for the services of a wedding planner or your wedding venue has an in-house wedding coordinator to assist with the running of your day, you can work with them on a wedding planning checklist to ensure you’re not stepping on each other’s toes and you’re clear on who is looking after what.

You might be wondering; do I need a wedding planner if I use a checklist? This is completely up to you, of course, but there are huge benefits to having a wedding planner or coordinator on the big day at the very least.

Your to-do tasks should be minimal on the wedding day so you can truly relax and enjoy everything that you’ve planned. Having someone there to ensure the smooth running of the day will ensure you’re able to do that.

Here are some of the things your UK wedding planner or coordinator will have on their planning a wedding checklist – be sure to share yours to make sure you’re on the same page.

Checking Final Numbers

You’ll need to keep your wedding planner informed on how your RSVPs are looking so they know how many people will be in attendance.

Creating Your Wedding Timeline

One of the key tasks on your wedding plan checklist PDF is to work on your wedding day timeline. Your coordinator can help with this and explain the best timings for everything – trust their expertise on this one!

On-the-Day Contact With Vendors

One of the key benefits of having a coordinator or on-the-day planner is that they will communicate with all your wedding suppliers on the day, letting them know where to set up and what to do.

Set Up Signage

If you have any on-the-day stationery or signage, your wedding coordinator will have it on their planning wedding checklist to ensure it’s set up and in the right place.

Keep on Top of Paperwork

Your wedding coordinator will keep on top of all documentation needed for your wedding day and can provide your vendors with a copy of the timeline on the morning of the wedding. Your photographer will also need a wedding photo list, and the DJ a song list, which they can help with.

Keep Track of Important Items

The paper your vows or speeches are written on, the rings… these can all be looked after by your coordinator so they don't get lost.

Oversee Set-Up & Take-Down

Your planner or coordinator will be on hand to ensure everything is set up correctly and exactly how you wanted it. Always check in whether your coordinator offers a take-down service, too.

FAQs: Wedding Planning Checklist

Want to know more about how to use your wedding planning checklist? We've answered all your questions.

Q: What is a wedding planning checklist?

A wedding planning checklist is a detailed guide of tasks and timelines to help couples organise their wedding. From setting a budget and booking vendors to creating a day-of schedule and post-wedding tasks, a checklist ensures nothing is forgotten and planning stays stress-free.

Q: How do I use a wedding planning checklist?

Start by reviewing the full checklist and highlighting the tasks that apply to your wedding. Follow the timeline step by step, ticking off completed items as you go. You can customise it to suit your wedding size, style, and personal priorities.

Q: When should I start my wedding planning checklist?

It’s best to start as soon as you’re engaged! Even if your wedding is years away, early planning gives you time to research venues, book popular suppliers, and manage your budget effectively. Many checklists provide guidance from 18–12 months before the wedding.

Q: Can I use a wedding planning checklist if I have a wedding planner?

Yes! A checklist helps you and your wedding planner stay on the same page. You can coordinate tasks, assign responsibilities, and ensure every detail is covered, making the planning process smoother for everyone involved.

Q: Is there a printable wedding planning checklist?

Many couples find it helpful to download a printable wedding planning checklist PDF. This allows you to tick off tasks, make notes, and keep a physical copy handy throughout your planning journey.

Q: What are the must-do items on a wedding planning checklist?

Some of the most important tasks include setting a budget, booking your venue, finalising the guest list, hiring key vendors like photographers and caterers, choosing your attire, and organising your wedding day schedule.

Printable Wedding Checklist

Click below to get your own copy of our free printable wedding planning checklist, or check out our wedding planning spreadsheet article for more templates.

So, there you have it. A wedding planning checklist for UK weddings that takes you all the way from your initial engagement to after the wedding. Before you know it, it’ll be time to read our ultimate guide to wedding anniversaries…