Wedding timelines and vendor list

Wedding planning timeline is something you should start to make right after the engagement. This article will provide a to-do checklist to plan your wedding and a vendor list in the wedding timeline order.

The average time from engagement to the wedding is 17 months. Even though it might seem like a long period of time, you should get down to creating your wedding timelines and schedules as soon as possible. The following wedding planning timeline is adapted from a wedding planner’s schedule and you could use as a template for your own schedule. Below is the wedding planning timeline from your engagement to your wedding day. You will have to have another timeline for your wedding day (day-of timeline):
 
12-24 months before or as soon as possible – This phase starts as soon as you are engaged

• Estimate the number of invited guests
• Think of potential location for ceremony, reception and honeymoon
• Think of potential wedding dates
• Research potential vendors (Below you will find a list of most common vendors you will need in a wedding timeline order)
• Determine a budget

The number of guests and your budget will pretty much decide most of other decisions, thus these decisions should be made as early as possible

10-18 months before the wedding

• Develop your wedding theme
• Go to see possible venues for ceremony and reception
• Select date and book venues
• Contact and see potential vendors
• Finish up the guest list
• Look for the formalwear (for bride, groom, bridesmaids)

This is the design phase in which you can visualize and create vision for the theme of your wedding and your wedding dress. I think this is a very exciting phase and you can go wild with your imagination.

6-12 months before

• Book selected vendors and make needed contracts and payments
• Select wedding gown
• Select and book tickets and hotels for honeymoon
• Send out save-the-date cards

4-8 months before

• Draft scheduling of wedding day
• Plan the layout of ceremony and reception sites

2-6 months before

• Prepare gift registry
• Reserve hotel rooms for out-of-town guests
• Take engagement pictures
• Send out invitations
• Apply and obtain marriage license
• Obtain name changing forms

Be aware that if you are going to have a destination wedding abroad, you will have to prepare for the legal issues even earlier. In addition to applying for a passport, you might have to take blood test or apply for a visa, depending on the country you are having your wedding in.

1-6 weeks before

• Finalize seat arrangement
• Finalize confirmed guest list (see who have or haven’t RSVP)
• Finalize wedding program
• Confirm with vendors for wedding day details
• Prepare gifts, favors and wedding stationery (name cards, table cards, etc)
• Pack for the honeymoon

The day before

• Rehearse the ceremony
• Any final confirmations
• Get enough sleep for your big day

The earlier you start to build your own wedding timeline checklist, the less hurry you will have in the end. The timeline checklist also acts as a master schedule and help you to stay on track and not missing out anything.

Below you can find a list of the most common vendors in wedding timeline order for your reference. This is not a comprehensive wedding vendor list but it covers all of the ones you might need in a budget wedding:

Please follow and like us: