Wedding Planning Checklist and Timeline

A wedding is one of the biggest projects most people ever take on, and looking at the whole thing at once can feel overwhelming. The trick is to break it into a sequence of manageable steps spread across the months leading up to the day. This checklist walks you through what to tackle and when, so nothing important gets left to the last minute.

First: budget, guest list and a rough date

Before you book anything, sort out three things. These decisions shape almost every other choice you'll make.

• Budget: Decide what you're comfortable spending and how you'll split costs if family is contributing. Set your own figure based on your situation, then let it guide every booking that follows.
• Guest list: A rough headcount changes everything, from the size of the venue to the catering bill. Draft your list early, even if it shifts later.
• A rough date or season: You don't need the exact day yet, but knowing whether you're aiming for spring, autumn or a particular month lets you check venue and vendor availability.

12+ months out

This is when you lock in the big-ticket items and anything that books out well in advance.

• Confirm your budget and finalise the guest list.
• Tour and book your venue (or venues, if the ceremony and reception are separate).
• Book vendors that fill their calendars early: photographer, videographer and celebrant are usually first to go.
• Start a wedding folder or shared space for quotes, contracts and inspiration.
• Consider engagement photos if you'd like them for save-the-dates.

9 months out

With the foundations set, move on to the things that need lead time to order or prepare.

• Choose and order wedding attire. Dresses and made-to-measure suits often need several months plus fittings.
• Book your caterer if it's not included with the venue, and start thinking about menu style.
• Send save-the-dates, especially if guests are travelling or you're marrying during a busy season.
• Book any additional vendors such as florist, stylist or entertainment.

6 months out

The details start coming together now.

• Order invitations and any stationery like menus and place cards.
• Choose and order your cake.
• Book music for the ceremony and reception, whether that's a band, DJ or playlist setup.
• Sort accommodation and transport for yourselves and, where needed, guests.
• Plan your honeymoon and check passports are valid if you're heading overseas.

3 months out

You're in the home stretch of the major bookings.

• Send your invitations and set an RSVP deadline.
• Finalise the menu and any dietary requirements with your caterer.
• Order wedding rings and allow time for sizing or engraving.
• Book hair and makeup trials, and lock in your day-of appointments.
• Confirm the schedule with your celebrant and write or refine your vows.

1 month out

This month is about confirming and finalising everything you've arranged.

• Chase up any outstanding RSVPs so you have a firm headcount.
• Build your seating plan around the final guest list.
• Confirm details, timings and arrival points with every single vendor.
• Make final payments as they fall due and keep receipts together.
• Pick up attire after final fittings and break in your shoes.

The week of and the day before

The planning is done, so now it's about smooth execution.

• Write out a run sheet with clear timings for the whole day, from hair and makeup through to the last dance.
• Share the run sheet with your vendors and wedding party so everyone knows where to be.
• Delegate day-of roles: someone to manage vendors, someone to hold the rings, someone to gather people for photos.
• Pack an emergency kit with items like safety pins, a sewing kit, pain relief, plasters, a stain remover and a phone charger.
• Give yourself an early night and trust the plan you've built.

Keep the whole thing in one place

The hardest part of wedding planning isn't any single task, it's holding all the moving pieces together at once. When your guest list lives in one app, your budget in a spreadsheet and your vendor contacts in your phone, things slip through the cracks. Keeping everything in a single place, shared with your partner so you're both across the details, saves a lot of double-handling.

The Events module in CHAIOS Nexus is built for this. It brings your guest list, RSVPs, budget, vendor list and run sheet together, with one shared calendar you can share with your partner. It's a free app, so you can keep the entire wedding organised in one spot without juggling half a dozen tools.

However you choose to track it all, the principle is the same: start early, work backwards from the date, and tackle one milestone at a time. A wedding built as a series of small, timely steps comes together far more calmly than one crammed into the final few weeks. Keep this timeline handy, tick things off as you go, and give yourself the room to actually enjoy the lead-up to your day.