staying organized with a

by melissa orozco-mcdonough

date posted: March 16, 2017

Planning a wedding is a huge task, and can often lead to high levels of stress and anxiety. But if you strategize correctly, you can ultimately avoid getting frazzled.

The key to stress-free wedding planning is staying organized, and the easiest way to do this is to create a checklist, complete with a timeline.

To get you started, here is a straightforward and easy-to-follow checklist, based on Real Simple’s “Ultimate Wedding Planning Checklist.”

9–16 months prior to your ideal wedding date/season

Begin a wedding-themed Pinterest board, binder, folder, etc. to collect all your wedding day ideas
Choose your wedding party with your fiancé
Decide on a budget. This will inform many of your decisions for planning your big day
Create your guest list—size will be based largely on your budget
Decide on a date and venue
If necessary, hire a planner to help with much of the work on this list!
Choose an officiant (religious, non-religious, etc.)
Begin researching vendors (i.e., caterers, florists, photographers, etc.)
If desired, have an engagement party

8 months prior

Book your entertainment (band, dj, string quartet, etc.)
Hire your photographer/videographer
Find and purchase your dress
Meet with and book a caterer
Create a registry
Reserve hotel rooms for out-of-town guests
Create a wedding website (and include the URL on your invitations)

6–7 months prior

Design and purchase invitations
Choose dresses and suits for your wedding party and let them know where they can be purchased or rented
Meet with your chosen officiant to discuss what you would like to include in your ceremony
Create and send save the date cards (a good idea for guests who will be traveling)

6–7 months prior (continued)

Book your florist
Book your other vendor rentals (i.e., photo booths, portable bathrooms, extra lighting or seating, props, etc.)
Begin planning your honeymoon
Make transportation arrangements, not only for yourself but also for your guests, if needed
Begin composing your wedding day timeline (very important!)

4–5 months prior

Plan your rehearsal and rehearsal dinner
Proof your wedding invitations
Choose and order your cake/dessert
Choose and schedule hair and makeup artists
Plan your wedding playlist—specific songs you want to hear during the ceremony and reception
Buy your shoes and begin dress fittings

3 months prior

Order your favors
Finalize your menu and flowers
Finalize readings for the ceremony and decide who will read them
Create a list of people giving toasts and discuss this with them
Finalize the timeline/order of the ceremony and reception
Schedule and attend your 2nd fitting (same goes for bridesmaids)
Create menus (if desired) and programs for your guests to follow
Find and purchase your perfect wedding rings
Send your wedding day schedule to your vendors

2 months prior

Meet with your photographer and discuss what you want to have photographed and where
Review your playlist and timeline with your band/DJ
Touch base again with all your vendors and review the timeline
Mail out the invitations, with the RSVP deadline three weeks in advance of the wedding date

1 month prior (the excitement builds!)

You’re only one month away from being married and you could not be more excited! But it can be hard not to get stressed when you’re this close to the big day.

You’re feeling like you still have a lot to do, but worry not. Take a deep breath, relax, and continue following your well-thought-out checklist—it will get you through this!

Get your marriage license (extremely important!!)
Mail out rehearsal dinner invitations
Begin collecting RSVP’s and entering them into your spreadsheet
Attend your final dress fitting (with your wedding day shoes on, of course!)
Confirm times for all vendors
Send out final payments (so you don’t have to write checks on your wedding day)
Get your bar stocked up
Assign seating (this one could take a while)
Print/email directions for your transportation drivers
Purchase bridesmaids/groomsmen gifts
Write your vows

wedding week (omg! already? ahhh!)

Reconfirm times with vendors
Provide your bridal party with a timeline
Assign small wedding day tasks to friends, family, and members of your bridal party
Check in with your photographer/videographer and give them a list of what you want to have captured Pick up your dress
Send the final guest list/headcount to your caterer and all other necessary vendors (48-72 hours in advance of the big day)
Set aside checks for vendors (and cash tips in envelopes, ready to go)
Spa treatment anyone? Get nails done 2-3 days in advance and tack on a massage while you’re at it!
Break in your shoes to avoid wedding day blisters!
Pack for your honeymoon (pssst: don’t forget the passports)

the big day

This is it! After months of planning, your day has arrived. You have nothing to stress over, because you stuck to your handy-dandy checklist, and everything will go off without a hitch. You have one task, and one task only today: GET MARRIED!!! Congratulations! You did it! Now go enjoy wedded bliss with your new spouse