What Should I Be Doing? A 12-month Wedding Planning Checklist | The Weducation Series

“I’m Engaged, now how do I plan my wedding?” A Wedding Planning Checklist & printable for the next 12 months of awesome.

Everyone says to us “I have no idea what I’m doing!” We totally get it – even if you’ve been to a hundred weddings, it’s totally overwhelming once you realize what goes in to all of the behind the scenes. We’ve got a handy Wedding Planning Checklist broken down over 12 months to get you started, including a printable version for you (download that below)! Is there anything you’d add to this wedding planning checklist?

11-12 MONTHS

Take at least a week without making decisions.
Envision your wedding
Set up a wedding email
Set a budget. Who is helping, whenWashington State amp; how much?
Set priorities. What’s important to you?
Have 3 tentative dates in mind
Start looking at venues and make viewing appts.
Book your venue
Start thinking about guest list
Hire a coordinator or planner
If you have any high priority vendors, book them
Get wedding insurance

 

8-10 MONTHS

Have an engagement party
Book your wedding photographer & do engagement session
Book your videographer
Book your hair & makeup
Book your MC/DJ
Book your florist
Envision your food and start scheduling tastings
Try on Bridal Gowns and Order Yours
Envision wedding party clothes
Order Wedding bands
Reserve Room blocks
Send out Save the Dates
Create your Registry
Order Invitations and Paper Goods

BONUS TIP: Set up your wedding website now, too!

 

6-8 MONTHS

Finalize your guest list
Reserve rentals (tables, tent, chairs)
Book your catering
Book your dessert baker
Book your officiant
Book any live musicians
Reserve your decor and game rentals
Order bridal party outfits
Groom choose and reserve his outfit
Reserve Hotel Room blocks

 

4-6 MONTHS

Mail out invitations
Have your dress altered to fit you
Make sure passports are in order
Start planning honeymoon
Have Bridal Shower
Reserve your Day Of Transportation

 

2-4 MONTHS

Plan & Order gifts for parents, attendants & spouse
Do your Hair & Makeup trial
Make nail and haircut appts for before wedding
Hire a Day of Coordinator if you haven’t yet

 

1-2 MONTHS

Get marriage license
Have final dress fitting & bustle training
Final fitting for groom
Draw up final decor plans
Finalize honeymoon plans
Create your emergency kit
Order Thank You Cards (if non-photo)
Finalize RSVP list and send out final counts to vendors

 

2-4 WEEKS

Final walkthrough to plan reception layout
Timeline created and sent to vendors for approval
Create family photo grouping list
Final haircuts
Pack boxes of decor, details, documents, plans gifts, payments/tips, take home bag and emergency kit for transport to wedding
Final song list to MC/DJ
Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties
Confirm Day Of Transportation
Plan order of standing, processional and recessional
Write all final checks and tips and delegate who will hand out

 

THE FINAL WEEK

Take the week off work
Steam Dresses
Pick up any final items needed
Nails done
Pick up rental suits
Confirm vendor details and timeline
Confirm delegations to family & bridal party
Write your vows
Have rings cleaned
Have rehearsal & rehearsal dinner
Arrange rental returns/pickup
RELAX!!

 

WANT TO DOWNLOAD A COPY? GET ACCESS HERE. 

 

author avatar
Kate of GSquared Weddings Wedding Photographer & Certified Wedding Coordinator
Wedding photographer, certified wedding coordinator, and the Type A half of GSquared Weddings. Kate has been behind a camera since 1997 and has documented 640+ weddings across Seattle and Snohomish County since 2011. With a background in marketing, business management, and wedding coordination, she brings more to your day than just great photos — she brings 15+ years of knowing what's about to go sideways and quietly fixing it before you notice. Kate is a passionate advocate for Color Integrity editing because your skin tone and wedding colors should look like they actually looked. Featured in HuffPost, Style Me Pretty, PNW Weddings, and Print Media Centr. Runs on coffee and an unreasonable number of browser tabs. GSquared Weddings is a husband-and-wife wedding photography team based in Snohomish, WA with 170+ five-star reviews on WeddingWire, 200+ Facebook recommendations, 90+ 5-star Google reviews and 11 consecutive WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards. Typical investment is $4,500-$10,000.

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You may have noticed something new around here.  As we align our brands - @gsquaredwedding and @gsquaredsessions we felt that this best match for who we are as people.  The mountain is one we see daily out our front windows - Mt Pilchuck.  And the star - we both love stargazing and find a special magic in the stars (and the moon!).  We are so excited to be rolling out the new GSquared just in time for @mysnohomishwedding  Tour on May 31.
You may have noticed something new around here. As we align our brands - @gsquaredwedding and @gsquaredsessions we felt that this best match for who we are as people. The mountain is one we see daily out our front windows - Mt Pilchuck. And the star - we both love stargazing and find a special magic in the stars (and the moon!). We are so excited to be rolling out the new GSquared just in time for @mysnohomishwedding Tour on May 31.
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Liljebeck Farms wedding venue guide: capacity, pricing, indoor backup, vendor info, and firsthand photographer's notes from GSquared Weddings, upd 2026. https://gsquaredweddings.com/liljebeck-farms-wedding-venue-guide/?utm_source=instagram-business&utm_medium=jetpack_social
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Just had an amazing evening at Rosario with these two - cannot wait for their wedding in July <3
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