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Wedding Planning Checklist

The Most Comprehensive Wedding Planning Checklist Ever!

Texas Wedding Venue | The White Sparrow: Spring Wedding Trends

At White Sparrow Barn, it seems we are forever creating a checklist for one task or another. But we are not complaining; creating a thorough checklist before diving into a task makes all the difference!

Keeping that in mind, here’s the mother of checklists we have compiled to take care of everything for your wedding – from guest lists to wedding shoes, we hope this makes your planning a breeze.

Twelve to Nine Months Before

  • Begin leafing through bridal, lifestyle and food magazines for inspiration and start a wedding binder or folder.

  • Envision your wedding and work out a budget. Establish your top priorities – where to save and where to splurge.

  • Pick your wedding party, who do you want by your side at the altar?

  • Compile your preliminary guest list.

  • Assemble your planning team. Hiring a planner can make things easy.

  • Find a venue for your ceremony and reception and reserve the dates.

  • Research for an all-star vendor team starting with an officiant, caterer and photographer/ videographer.

Eight Months Before

  • Continue interviewing and booking vendors and when you hire one make sure to put everything in writing.

  • Create your gift registry and launch a wedding website.

  • Book the DJ/Entertainment for your ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. Attend gigs of potential acts to see if you like them.

  • Book the caterers; start looking for one now and hire by early next month.

  • Think about, shop for and order your gown and schedule time for at least 3 fittings.

Seven to Six Months Before

  • Select and purchase your wedding invitations.

  • Start planning your honeymoon.

  • Allow at least six months’ time for the bridesmaids’ dresses to be ordered and sized.

  • Send out your save-the-date cards.

  • By this time you will have figured out what your wedding palette will be so you can go ahead and book a florist.

Five to Four Months Before

  • Book the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner venues.

  • Ask for samples of finished invitations and tweak them to suit your needs.

  • Attend several tastings then select and order your cake since some bakers require a long lead time.

  • Bring your bridal shoes on your first dress fitting so your dressmaker and adjust the length of the gown.

  • Make a few appointments with your local hair and makeup artists to try them out.

Three Months Before

  • Since food and flowers are affected by the season, now is the right time to finalize them.

  • Ask the loved ones you would like to give a toast at your reception.

  • Finalize what you would like to have read at the ceremony and whom you wish to do the readings.

  • Finalize the order of the ceremony and the reception.

  • Purchase the rings now so you will have time for resizing and engraving.

  • Send out first drafts of your event schedule to vendors which will give you time for feedback.

Two Months Before

  • Meet with all vendors to confirm date, deposits and details.

  • Send out invitations 6 to 8 weeks before the ceremony.

  • Publish a newspaper wedding announcement and include a photograph!

  • Enjoy a bachelorette party with your girlfriends.

One Month Before

  • Enter RSVPs and meal choices into a database.

  • Obtain marriage license and complete name change documents.

  • Send out your rehearsal dinner invitations.

  • Have your final dress fitting. Bring along your bridal shoes and accessories.

  • Assign seating and create a seating chart or place cards.

  • Write your vows.

Week of the Wedding

  • Give your final head count to the caterer and all venues hosting wedding related events.

  • Pick up your gorgeous wedding dress.

  • Break in your new wedding shoes.

  • Now is the time to book a spa for facial or massage.

  • Reconfirm arrival times and finalize the wedding timeline with the vendors and the wedding party.

  • Figure out final payments and tips for vendors and put them in clearly marked envelopes.

  • Start packing for your honeymoon.