The following is a suggested timetable for wedding planning. It was drawn from various sources. It may be helpful not only as a guideline for when things need to be done, but also to help you think of all the things you might need to do.

Please be aware that this is not intended as a list of “what you  must do” instead, read each item as “if you choose to do this thing, this is a rough idea of when you should do it.”

Obviously, what needs to be done when varies depending on where you live (some things will required more lead time in a big city, and less is a small town) as well as you personal priorities.

This list assumes that you can figure out that once you start planning something, you may need to take further steps as you go along. For example, at some point after you order your wedding dress, the shop will receive it and you will need to go in for fittings. It is assumed that you and the shop will discuss this and figure out when to do it. Similarly, after arranging for a band/DJ for the reception, at some point you will need to provide a list of the music you would like to hear. It is assumed that you and the band/DJ can decide when to do this.

At time of engagement

• Buy or make a wedding organiser. Think about whether you will want to have it as a keepsake later on; if so, this may influence your decision about what kind of organiser to have. At bare minimum, you should have an organised way to keep track of appointments/payments etc., and a system for keeping track of invitations, gifts and thank-you notes.
• Write to your close friends and relatives to let them know, unless you plan to have an engagement party.
• Keep up with thank you notes as you receive gifts. The best time to write a thank you note is immediately after opening the gift; unless you receive hundreds of gifts in one day, it should never take more than 6 weeks to send a thank you note (unless you are on your honeymoon).

9 to 12 months in advance

• Determine what you and your families expect your wedding to be like. What religion, if any, will the service be performed in? How many guests do you want to have? Is it important to have dancing? A seated meal? Live music? An outdoor setting? Alcohol?
• Decide how the wedding will be financed. If parents are helping to pay for it, find out how they want to deal with this. The lowest-stress method for everyone is for the parents to commit a specific amount of money, which the bride and groom can supplement with their own money. However, many parents wish to retain greater control over the budget that this method allows. It may be helpful to do some research about wedding costs in your area before attempting to come up with a budget.
• Determine the style and time of day of the wedding. If money is an issue, you can often adjust the time of day so that the reception will be more economical. If you do not have the reception during a common meal time, for example, you will not need to serve a meal.
• Select wedding date. This may need to be done in conjunction with selecting ceremony/reception sites.
• Select and reserve ceremony/reception sites.
• Find a wedding officiant, if one does not come with the wedding site. Speak with your officiant to determine if there are any requirements for them to marry you, and when these requirements need to be met. Discuss also when you should meet to discuss the ceremony.
• Select bridesmaids and groomsmen. It is OK not to single one out as the Maid of Honour at this early stage.
• Secure a photographer/videographer for your chosen date.
• Secure catering arrangements for your reception site, if the site does not come with a caterer.
• Secure a florist.

6 to 9 months in advance

• Select and order the bridal gown and accessories, or arrange for a seamstress to make it.
• Make arrangements for music at your ceremony/reception.
• Select and order bridesmaids’ dresses, or arrange for a seamstress to make them.
• Start working on guest lists. Typically, there are four: the bride’s family’s list, the groom’s family’s list, the bride’s list and the groom’s list.

4 to 6 months in advance

• Order invitations and any other stationary you will need (such as informal notes to use when writing thank yous. Remember that informals engraved with your married name cannot be used until after you are married, so you also need some stationary to use for gifts that arrive before you are married.)
• Plan the honeymoon. (Often arranged by the groom.)
• Help the mothers to select their dresses.
• Plant the rehearsal dinner. (Often given by the groom’s family, so they may do most of the work.)
• Register for gifts.

2 to 4 months in advance

• Select attire for the men in the wedding party.
• Purchase wedding rings and have them engraved.
• Obtain any immunisations you will need for the honeymoon.
• Make sure out-of-town guests will be appropriately lodged. You may want to reserve a block of rooms at a hotel; the hotel will usually give your guests a reduced rate.

6 to 8 weeks in advance

• Mail the invitations.
• Consult relevant newspapers for requirements o wedding announcements.
• Have a formal portrait taken in wedding gown for newspaper announcement.
• Purchase gifts for each other.
• Purchase gifts for wedding party.
• Purchase going-away outfit, trousseau.
• Consult hairstylist about wedding-day hairstyle.
• Consult makeup person about wedding-day makeup.

4 to 6 weeks in advance

• Investigate legal details, such as naming fiance as beneficiary in will and life insurance, obtaining insurance to cover joint property, consolidating auto insurance, opening joint banks accounts etc.
• If you will be changing your names, make a list of where you need to do this and when.
• Decide on a seating plan for the reception.
• If you will need foreign money for the honeymoon, make arrangements to obtain it.
• Be sure attendants are kept informed of rehearsal plans, other commitments they have.

1 to 2 weeks in advance

• Make final checks on everything: catering, honeymoon, photographer, videographer, florist, musicians, officiant, rehearsal etc.
• Make sure that announcements are addressed, arrange for someone to mail them on the wedding day.
• Think about what you are going to take on the honeymoon, decide when you will pack.
• Buy traveller’s cheques for honeymoon.

1 to 3 days in advance

• Make sure everyone arriving from out-of-town is met by someone, knows where everyone else is staying etc.
• Pack an “emergency kit” containing things like spare pantyhose, sewing supplies, panadol etc to take with you to the wedding.
• Attend rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. You may choose to give gifts to attendants and each other at this event, or at a more private moment.