Wedding Planning Timeline
Congratulations! You’re engaged! Now it's time to get down to wedding planning. It may seem overwhelming, but we’ve put together a wedding planning timeline to help you stay organized!
10-12 months before wedding
Establish a wedding budget - this will help guide the rest of your planning.
Draft a guest list - this list will dictate which venues you can use.
Find a venue for ceremony and/or reception - search for a venue that fits your wedding style and accommodates your guest list.
Set a wedding date - once you have found a venue, you will be able to select when your wedding will take place.
Just a note that the guest list, venue and wedding date can all be decided in tandem. We have met brides that fall in love with our venue, which may be smaller than their original guest list, so they bring out the red pen. We’ve also met couples who thought they had to have a June reception, but when they find a venue that only has autumn availability, suddenly their date seems much more flexible.
Choose a wedding party - you may want to ask friends or relatives to stand beside you on your wedding day.
Determine your wedding style - the vibe that you want your wedding to have will guide your color scheme, desserts, and more!
Hire a planner - if the venue you choose doesn’t offer planning services (don’t worry - we are full service!), you may want to consider bringing in outside help. Even the most type A brides will say how helpful it was to have another set of eyes making sure everything runs smoothly on their big day.
Attend engagement party - celebrate your engagement with your friends and family! There is no hard and fast rule about who hosts an engagement party. Sometimes the groom’s family likes to host (as the bride’s family traditionally foots a larger part of the wedding bill); more and more mature couples are taking it upon themselves to celebrate their engagement with a party; and some good friends like to a host a casual get together to fete their engaged friends. This is one area where anything goes!
Take engagement photos - capture your love before the big day (plus, these can be used for your save the date cards).
8-10 months
Send save the dates - let your guests know when they should pencil in your wedding date.
Find a photographer/videographer - find someone to capture your special day! However, you may want to book sooner if this vendor is known for booking up fast.
Plan menu for reception - Narrow down what you’d like to indulge in on your wedding day.
Say yes to your wedding “dress” - even if you decide not to wear a formal wedding dress, make sure you order your outfit in enough time to get alterations (if needed).
Book officiant - prior to booking, do some research to find the perfect celebrant for your union.
Employ entertainment - for those who want a DJ, live band, or musical instrument played at your ceremony and/or reception. At the Iroquois Club, we can make recommendations for entertainment we’ve worked with and trust.
Create a registry - don’t forget about these commonly forgotten items!
Hold hotel rooms - for out-of-town guests and those who’d like to stay close to the venue.
Create a wedding website - a one-stop-shop for guests to have all of your wedding details. A few years ago this seemed like an unnecessary add on, but now it’s practically standard for couples to have a simple site where people can gather important info (like the address of the venue, the time of the ceremony, links to registries, info about the hotel, etc.).
Order bridesmaid dresses - you may have your wedding outfit, but you’ll need to find attire for your leading ladies.
Hire a florist - see what flowers they offer and view arrangements they have designed previously. We’d love to make recommendations on floral designers we’ve had the pleasure of working with at the Iroquois Club.
Organize bridal shower guest list - you may not be planning your shower, but make sure the host has a list of your guests. You don’t want Great Aunt Betsy to be overlooked!
6-8 months
Book honeymoon - especially if you are planning to get away immediately after the wedding.
Shop for groom and groomsmen attire - don’t forget about the main man and his guys!
4-6 months
Order wedding invitations - choose invitations that reflect you and your partner’s style.
Wedding bands - you got the rock, so now it’s time to find wedding bands for you and your beau.
Apply for passports - if you’re honeymooning out of the country, make sure you have a valid passport.
Attend premarital counseling - consider counseling (or it may be required in some faiths) before the big day.
3 months
Order dessert - after doing some research and tastings, place an order for your wedding treats. A cake is traditional but many weddings are now choosing for other ideas like donuts, cupcake stations, ice cream stands and even pie.
Choose wedding favors - show appreciation to guests with a small gift!
Hire transportation - decide if you’d like a limousine, party bus, horse-drawn carriage or another mode of transportation on your big day.
Attend your bridal shower - it’s time for family and friends to shower you with love, games and gifts!
Hair and makeup trials - go through a practice run to see what works and what doesn’t. You do not want any surprises on your wedding day.
Mail invitations - pop your beautiful invites in the mail. If you’re attempting to do a b-list mailing, you may even want to send the initial invites out sooner.
1-2 months
Obtain a marriage license - check with your state to find out what documents are required.
Confirm with all vendors - as the wedding nears, make sure all vendors are on the same page.
Design wedding program - let guests know what to expect during your nuptials.
Write vows - if you and your fiancé want to write personalized vows, plan to write them during this time.
Reception seating chart - when you’ve received RSVPS from guests, you can begin to create a seating chart. This can be a stressful part of the planning process for people. If you’re having your nuptials at the Iroquois Club, we’d love to give you some tips for tackling this.
2 weeks
Haircut and/or color - if necessary, get any hair touch-ups at this time.
Song list - provide your DJ, band, or other musical entertainment with a list of songs you’d like to dance to.
Attend bachelorette/bachelor parties - celebrate your final days before marriage.
Have final fitting - if wearing a wedding dress, get fitted for the last time to make any adjustments.
1-7 days
Pack bags - if going on honeymoon directly following the wedding, pack your vacay necessities!
Spray tan - if you’d like a nice glow for the wedding, we recommend getting it at least 1 week before your I dos, especially if you’ve never gotten a spray tan before (don’t want to look orange on the altar).
Get manicure and pedicure - get your tips and toes ready.
Celebrate at rehearsal dinner - the last big event before you say “I do.”