No questionnaire required

Wedding tips.
Timelines you can actually see.

Jump straight to the part you need. These are the same practical guides built into our personalized planning tool, now available on their own whenever you need them.

Pick what you need

Everything in this section.

No need to read it in order. Use this page like a reference shelf.

Wedding Planning Printable Library

Read it here. Print it. Check it off.

Prefer paper or a PDF you can keep? Print the entire planning library, or choose only the guide or timeline you need. The print versions expand the guidance and turn task lists into checklists automatically.

EDITABLE GOOGLE DOC Big Decisions + Elopement Workbook

Type directly into the guide, add notes, and customize it for your wedding.

Make a Google Doc Copy
INTERACTIVE GOOGLE SHEET Wedding Planning Tracker

Use real checkboxes, owners, dates, costs, notes, and DIY/Hybrid/Hire decisions across six tabs.

Make a Google Sheet Copy

Part 1

The big decisions

Each guide gives you a starting point, questions to ask, and a quick gut-check before you commit. Open only the one you need right now.

01Budget + prioritiesFigure out what you can actually spend before the spending starts.

Start here

  • Decide the maximum total you are comfortable spending.
  • Identify who is contributing and whether that money has conditions attached.
  • Pick your top three priorities before assigning money to categories.
  • Hold back a buffer for taxes, service charges, tips, overtime, and things you forgot.

Questions to answer

  • Is this budget cash-on-hand, monthly savings, family contributions, or a mix?
  • Which three categories would genuinely disappoint us if we cut too far?
  • Which categories do we barely care about?
  • What number would make us regret the wedding afterward?

How you know it works

The budget leaves room for your priorities and normal life. You can explain where the money is going without saying “we’ll figure it out later” for half the total.

02Guest listThe decision that quietly affects almost every other decision.

Start here

  • Create an A-list of people you would be genuinely upset not to have there.
  • Add partners, children, and plus-ones using one consistent rule.
  • Build a B-list only if you are comfortable using one.
  • Count households as well as individual guests—you will need both later.

Questions to ask yourselves

  • Are coworkers included? Cousins? Children? New partners?
  • Who gets a plus-one and why?
  • Are parents adding guests? If so, how many?
  • Would we rather have more people or a more expensive experience per person?

How you know it’s right

The list matches your real budget and venue size, and the rules feel consistent enough that you can explain them without inventing exceptions person by person.

03VenueCapacity, cost, rules, logistics, weather, and the date all live here.

Start here

  • Know your rough guest count and total budget first.
  • Choose your geographic area and whether you want one venue or separate ceremony/reception locations.
  • Decide your non-negotiables: indoor/outdoor, accessibility, parking, hotel proximity, catering style, noise restrictions, pet-friendly, etc.
  • Tour your strongest 3–5 options with the same question list.

Where to look

  • Google Maps and venue websites
  • Local wedding Facebook groups
  • Wedding directories and marketplaces
  • Instagram location tags and real-wedding posts
  • Planner/photographer recommended-vendor lists
  • Restaurants, museums, gardens, community spaces, hotels, private dining rooms, and nontraditional event spaces

Questions to ask

  • What is included in the rental price—and what is absolutely not?
  • What are the guest minimums/maximums and food-and-beverage minimums?
  • What time can vendors enter? When must everyone be out?
  • Is there a ceremony fee, room flip fee, security fee, cleanup fee, cake-cutting fee, corkage, parking fee, or overtime rate?
  • Are outside caterers/bartenders allowed? Is there a required vendor list?
  • What is Plan B for rain or extreme heat/cold?
  • How many restrooms are available? Is the property accessible?
  • What are the alcohol, candle, confetti, sparkler, décor, and noise rules?
  • What tables, chairs, linens, getting-ready rooms, AV, lighting, power, and staff are included?
  • What is the cancellation/reschedule policy?

Red flags

  • Important promises are verbal but not in the contract.
  • You cannot get a clear total after required fees/minimums.
  • The backup-weather plan would make you hate the wedding.
  • Capacity only works if every table is squeezed in with no dance floor or service space.
  • Communication is already difficult before you have paid a deposit.

How you know it’s the one

It works for your guest count, budget, logistics, and backup plan—not just your Pinterest board. You can picture the actual guest experience from parking to last call.

04Planner or coordinatorDecide whether you want help planning, help executing, or both.

Know the difference

  • Full-service planner: helps shape and manage the entire wedding.
  • Partial planner: steps into selected areas or later in the process.
  • Month-of/day-of coordinator: focuses on final logistics and wedding-day execution.
  • Venue coordinator: works for the venue; their job is not automatically the same as your personal coordinator.

Ask

  • Exactly when do you begin working with us?
  • Do you create the timeline and contact vendors directly?
  • Do you attend rehearsal?
  • How many assistants are included?
  • What setup/breakdown tasks are included?
  • How do you handle emergencies and vendor no-shows?

Good fit

You trust them enough to make judgment calls without you, their communication style lowers your stress, and their scope fills a real gap instead of duplicating what the venue already provides.

05Photography + videoStyle matters, but reliability and coverage matter just as much.

Where to look

  • Instagram and real-wedding galleries
  • Venue tagged posts
  • Planner and venue referrals
  • Local wedding groups
  • Friends whose wedding photos you actually love

Ask

  • Can we see two or three complete galleries, not just highlights?
  • Who is actually shooting our wedding?
  • How many hours are included? What is overtime?
  • Is a second shooter included or recommended?
  • What is the backup plan for illness/equipment failure?
  • How are files backed up?
  • What is the delivery timeline and what usage/printing rights do we receive?
  • For video: how is ceremony/toast audio captured?

Good fit

You like how they handle dark rooms, messy weather, families, candid moments, and ordinary people—not just perfect golden-hour portraits.

06Food + barPrice per person is only the beginning.

Start with

  • Service style: plated, buffet, stations, family-style, cocktail reception, brunch, etc.
  • Dietary needs and child/vendor meals.
  • Bar model: hosted, limited, beer/wine, signature drinks, cash bar where appropriate.

Ask

  • Are staffing, china, flatware, glassware, linens, rentals, setup, cleanup, tax, and service charge included?
  • What are the minimums?
  • How are allergies and dietary restrictions handled?
  • When is final guest count due?
  • What happens to leftovers?
  • Are vendor meals different from guest meals?
  • For bar service: who provides alcohol, mixers, ice, garnishes, glassware, bartenders, licenses, and insurance?

Good fit

The food still tastes good when served to a crowd, the service plan fits your timeline, and the final estimate includes the unglamorous costs—not just menu prices.

07Music + entertainmentThe playlist is only one part of the job.

Decide first

  • DJ, live band, musician + DJ, playlist, or a mix.
  • Whether you need ceremony sound, cocktail-hour sound, reception sound, microphones, announcements, uplighting, or special effects.

Ask

  • Who emcees and keeps the timeline moving?
  • What equipment and backup equipment is included?
  • How do you handle song requests and do-not-play lists?
  • Do you attend or coordinate ceremony audio?
  • How much setup time/power/space do you need?
  • What happens if the event runs late?

Good fit

They understand the energy you want, can read a room, and can handle awkward transitions without turning every announcement into a performance.

08Attire + beautyThink backward from alterations, delivery, and getting-ready time.

Plan for

  • Ordering/production lead time
  • Alterations and final fitting
  • Shoes, undergarments, jewelry, accessories, veil, ties, belts, socks, etc.
  • Steaming/pressing and transport
  • Hair/makeup trials
  • Wedding-party getting-ready schedule

Ask vendors

  • What is the realistic order-by date?
  • How many alteration appointments are typical?
  • What happens if sizing changes?
  • For beauty: how long per person, how many artists, travel fees, minimum services, touch-ups, and trial policy?

Good fit

You can sit, eat, dance, walk, hug people, and use the restroom. “Looks incredible for eight minutes” is not enough.

09Ceremony + officiant + legal piecesThe meaningful part and the paperwork part both need owners.

Build the ceremony

  • Choose officiant
  • Decide procession order
  • Choose readings, music, vows, traditions, and any unity ritual
  • Decide whether you need rehearsal
  • Plan microphones/seating/accessibility

Legal checklist

  • Check the official marriage-license rules where the ceremony legally occurs.
  • Confirm identification requirements, waiting periods, expiration dates, witnesses, and officiant eligibility.
  • Decide who is responsible for returning/filed paperwork after the ceremony.

Good fit

The ceremony feels like you, guests can hear it, everyone knows where to stand, and the license plan is written down instead of living in one person’s memory.

10Florals + décor + rentalsStart with the room you actually have, not a pile of inspiration photos.

Start here

  • List what the venue already provides.
  • Choose 2–3 visual priorities: ceremony backdrop, bouquets, tables, lighting, lounge, etc.
  • Separate “needed rentals” from “pretty extras.”
  • Create one cohesive palette/material direction.

Ask

  • Delivery, setup, flip, breakdown, pickup—who does each?
  • Can ceremony florals be repurposed?
  • Are candles/open flame allowed?
  • Who supplies vessels/stands and who takes them home?
  • What substitutions happen if specific flowers are unavailable?
  • Does the rental minimum include delivery?

Good fit

Your design plan enhances the venue instead of fighting it, and somebody other than you knows exactly who sets up and removes every physical object.

11Invitations + website + RSVPsThink of this as one guest-communication system.

Decide what lives where

  • Save the date: names, date, city/destination, website.
  • Wedding website: evolving source of truth for travel, schedule, FAQs, registry, dress code, wedding party, and updates.
  • Invitation: formal event details and RSVP direction.
  • RSVP: attendance, meal choices, party size, plus-ones, dietary needs, event-specific attendance if needed.

Ask yourselves

  • Do international/destination guests need more lead time?
  • Who is tracking households and missing replies?
  • What information could change after printing?
  • Do you need separate RSVPs for rehearsal, welcome party, brunch, shuttle, etc.?

Good fit

A guest can answer “where do I go, when, what do I wear, where do I stay, and how do I RSVP?” without texting you.

12Travel + hotels + transportationEspecially important for destination and out-of-town weddings.

Plan for

  • Hotel block or recommended hotel list
  • Airport/train guidance
  • Shuttle pickup/drop-off windows
  • Parking and rideshare availability
  • Welcome-event transportation
  • Accessibility needs and guests who should not be expected to drive

Ask hotels/transport

  • Is the block courtesy or financially guaranteed?
  • What is the cutoff date and attrition/cancellation policy?
  • Are there resort/destination/parking fees?
  • How many shuttle trips are included? What is the overtime rate?
  • Who communicates delays and where do guests wait?

Good fit

The plan works for the least mobile, least local, least tech-savvy guest—not just the people who would “figure it out.”

13Wedding party + family rolesClarity prevents resentment and wedding-week confusion.

Decide early

  • Who is actually in the wedding party?
  • What expenses are you asking them to take on?
  • Which events are expected versus optional?
  • Who has specific wedding-day responsibilities?
  • Which family photos are must-haves?

Communicate

  • Attire and order deadlines
  • Travel/accommodation expectations
  • Rehearsal and getting-ready times
  • Transportation plan
  • Who holds rings, vows, phones, gifts, marriage license, emergency kit, etc.

Good fit

People know what you need from them without needing to decode group-chat fragments from six months ago.

14Final logistics + wedding-day timelineEvery unfinished decision eventually becomes a timeline problem.

Your final master plan should include

  • Vendor arrival/setup times and contacts
  • Getting-ready timing
  • Photo/video coverage windows
  • Transportation movements
  • Ceremony processional/recessional
  • Cocktail hour, introductions, dinner, toasts, dances, cake, open dancing, last call, exit
  • Who moves décor/cards/gifts/leftovers at the end

Final confirmations

  • Final guest count + dietary notes
  • Seating assignments
  • Vendor meals
  • Outstanding balances/tip plan
  • Rain/weather plan
  • Emergency contacts
  • Rental pickup/return responsibilities

Good fit

The couple is not the central dispatcher. If someone asks “who handles this?” the answer is a named person who is not getting married.

Part 2

The stuff people forget

Not every wedding needs every item. This is the “check before it surprises you” list.

Venue + logistics

  • Setup/access time
  • Breakdown deadline
  • Parking instructions
  • Accessible route/restrooms
  • Rain plan
  • Heat/cold plan
  • Power/extension cords
  • Lighting after sunset
  • Noise cutoff
  • Open-flame/confetti/sparkler rules
  • Restroom capacity
  • Coat/bag storage

Money + vendors

  • Sales tax
  • Service charges
  • Gratuities/tip envelopes
  • Final-payment due dates
  • Overtime rates
  • Delivery/pickup fees
  • Vendor meals
  • Insurance requirements
  • Damage/security deposits
  • Cancellation/reschedule terms

Guest experience

  • High chairs/booster seats
  • Kids meals
  • Allergy information
  • Mobility needs
  • Shuttle return trips
  • Welcome bags and who distributes them
  • Water before outdoor ceremonies
  • Bug spray/sunscreen/blankets/fans if relevant
  • Phone charging / weak cell service
  • Who answers guest questions that day

Ceremony

  • Marriage license
  • Witness requirements
  • Who brings/returns paperwork
  • Rings + ring box
  • Vow books
  • Reserved family seating
  • Microphone
  • Reading copies
  • Ceremony music cues
  • Rehearsal location/time

Reception

  • Cake knife/server
  • Cake stand return
  • Table numbers + holders
  • Place cards/escort cards
  • Card box + who secures it
  • Guestbook pens/signage
  • DJ pronunciation notes
  • Who has toast order/names
  • Leftover food/cake plan
  • Who takes gifts/decor home

Personal

  • Breakfast/lunch while getting ready
  • Water
  • Steamer
  • Emergency sewing kit
  • Comfortable backup shoes
  • Medication
  • Phone chargers
  • Touch-up makeup
  • Bustle instructions
  • Someone who knows how to help with attire/restroom logistics

After the wedding

  • Rental returns
  • Dress/suit cleaning
  • Preserving bouquet if wanted
  • Marriage certificate copies
  • Name-change tasks if applicable
  • Vendor reviews
  • Photo/video delivery dates
  • Thank-you notes
  • Download/backup guest photos
  • Return borrowed décor/items

Part 3

Three sample planning timelines

These are examples, not deadlines carved in stone. The point is to see the pace and order—not to panic over a month number.

Build my personalized timeline
More runway

18-month timeline

Space decisions out and book high-priority vendors early.

18–15 mo.
Build the foundation
  • Budget + priorities
  • Rough guest list
  • Venue search + date
  • Planner, if using one
  • Destination/travel research if applicable
15–12 mo.
Book the big availability pieces
  • Photographer/video
  • Catering/bar if separate
  • DJ/band
  • Start attire shopping
  • Launch wedding website
  • Save-the-dates when appropriate
12–9 mo.
Shape the experience
  • Florals/decor/rentals
  • Hotel block + transportation planning
  • Wedding party attire
  • Officiant
  • Registry
9–6 mo.
Design + guest details
  • Invitation design
  • Menu/bar decisions
  • Hair/makeup
  • Cake/dessert
  • Build ceremony outline
6–3 mo.
Move into execution
  • Send invitations/open RSVPs
  • Finalize travel guidance
  • Begin timeline
  • Confirm décor/signage
  • Alterations
3–1 mo.
Lock the plan
  • Collect RSVPs
  • Seating plan
  • Final counts
  • Vendor confirmations
  • Marriage license plan
  • Final payments/tips
Wedding week
Hand it off
  • Rehearsal
  • Steam attire
  • Pack details/rings/license
  • Hand off timeline + emergency contacts
  • Stop adding projects
Short engagement

6-month timeline

Prioritize availability first, then simplify anything that becomes unnecessary stress.

Weeks 1–2
Secure the essentials
  • Set budget + guest range
  • Choose/secure venue + date
  • Decide planner/coordinator support
  • Book photographer/video, food, music, officiant based on availability
Months 6–5
Get moving immediately
  • Wedding website + save-the-date/invitation strategy
  • Order attire immediately
  • Book florals/decor/rentals
  • Hotel/travel plan
Months 5–4
Fill the remaining vendor gaps
  • Beauty
  • Cake/dessert
  • Menu/bar
  • Wedding party attire
  • Send invitations/open RSVPs earlier if travel is involved
Months 3–2
Turn decisions into a plan
  • Ceremony plan
  • Transportation
  • Signage/details
  • Alterations
  • Start timeline
Final 6 weeks
Close the loops
  • Chase RSVPs
  • Seating
  • Final counts
  • Vendor confirmations
  • License
  • Payments/tips
  • Cut anything that has become unnecessary stress

Part 4 · For fun (but also genuinely useful)

How to elope

If the planning spreadsheet makes you want to disappear into the mountains with your favorite person... that is technically an option.

  1. Decide what “elope” means to you.

    Just the two of you? A courthouse? A photographer and dinner? Ten favorite people in Italy? There is no elopement police.

  2. Choose the place.

    Courthouse, city hall, park, beach, mountain, backyard, destination hotel, chapel, restaurant private room—start with the experience, then check the rules.

  3. Check the legal requirements.

    Use the official government source for the location where you will legally marry. Confirm license timing, identification, residency rules, witnesses, officiant requirements, waiting periods, and filing procedures.

  4. Choose the date + travel plan.

    For public outdoor locations, also check permits, weather, sunrise/sunset, crowds, accessibility, parking, and backup options.

  5. Book only what matters.

    Common elopement splurges: photographer/video, attire, bouquet, hair/makeup, beautiful lodging, private meal, transportation, or an unforgettable activity.

  6. Plan a real ceremony.

    Even with no audience, decide what you want to say, whether you want vows/readings/music, and how you want the moment to feel.

  7. Tell people—or don’t yet.

    Announce before, livestream, call family afterward, send “we did it!” cards, or keep it private until you are ready.

  8. Celebrate on purpose.

    Champagne picnic. Fancy dinner. Tattoos. Boat ride. Room service in wedding clothes. Tiny reception later. The point is not “less wedding”; it is a wedding built around what you actually want.

The one boring-but-important rule: marriage laws vary by location. Always verify current requirements directly with the relevant government office before making travel or ceremony plans.

Want less browsing?

Tell us where you are. We’ll narrow this down for you.

The free “I Just Got Engaged... Now What?” tool turns your date, guest count, budget status, priorities, and what you’ve already handled into your next five moves.

Build My Starting Plan

This page provides general planning guidance, not fixed rules. Venue requirements, vendor availability, cultural traditions, contracts, local practices, and your own priorities may change the timing that makes sense for your wedding.