Checklist
for the Bride and Groom
12 Months Before
____ Announce engagement in the newspaper (if desired)
____ Send out engagement announcements (if desired)
____ Plan
an engagement party (if desired)
____ Discuss
wedding arrangements with parents
____ Determine if parents will be assisting with the wedding costs
____ Meet with wedding planner to begin wedding preparations and decide on
style and theme of wedding
____ Finalize wedding date
____ Decide
on ceremony and reception venues
____
Select bridal party and other attendants and ask them to participate in
your wedding
____ Prepare
invitation list
10-11 Months Before
____ Determine what customs
and/or traditions, personalized vows, readings and/or exchanges you would
like to include at the ceremony (e.g. lighting of unity candle, flowers to
mothers, etc.)
____ Select and meet with wedding officiant
8-9 Months Before
____ Sign up for premarital
counseling, if required
____ Bride to select and purchase wedding dress, headpiece/veil, shoes,
lingerie and accessories
____ Bride to select bridesmaids and flower girl dresses and accessories
6-7 Months Before
____ Make arrangements to have bridesmaids and flower girl fitted with
dresses
____ Have mothers select their dresses
____ Get listed at a gift registry and select desired gifts
____ Provide any required deposits for vendors
____ Begin planning and booking honeymoon including air, transportation,
hotels and entertainment and update passports, obtain visas and any inoculations
required
____ Reserve rooms for out-of-town guests
____ Arrange with a family member or friend to finalize out-of-town
accommodations, as required
____ Sign all vendors/suppliers contracts (after reviewed by wedding
planner)
5 Months Before
____ Select invitation design
____ Select ceremony music
____ Select reception music and prepare list of requests
____ Finalize wedding invitation list
4 Months Before
____ Review budget with wedding planner to ensure on track
____ Purchase wedding rings and arrange for engravings
____ Groom to select and get fitted for tuxedo or alternative formalwear
and shoes
____ Have groomsmen (and ring bearer and ushers, if applicable) fitted
for tuxedos or alternative formalwear including shoes
____ Meet with caterer (with wedding planner) for tastings and to find
out menu options
____ Select all flowers for the wedding
____ Select an emcee and decide on other speakers (e.g. individuals
making toasts) at the reception and ask these individuals about performing
these duties
____ Select and arrange with individual(s) to handle guest book at
ceremony and reception
____ Select and arrange with individual(s) to hand out wedding ceremony
programs
____ Reserve honeymoon suite for wedding night
____ Bride to reserve getting ready suite for the day of the wedding,
if required
____ Make arrangements for the planning of a rehearsal dinner and day
after wedding brunch, if desired
3 Months Before
____ Bride to make all appointments for hair, makeup and manicure/pedicure
for wedding
____ Get blood tests and/or have medical examinations, if required
____ Finalize food/menu and beverage selections
____ Select any readings (and readers) for the ceremony
____ Meet with the officiant to review ceremony and finalize vows
____ Determine what customs and/or traditions you would like to include
at the reception (such as formal cake cutting, toasts, etc.)
____ Finalize time and location of rehearsal
____ Provide finalized wedding invitation list to wedding planner
2 Months Before
____ Bride and bridesmaids to attend follow-up wedding attire fittings
____ Bride to prepare guest list for shower and give to maid of honor
____ Groom to prepare guest list for groom’s get together and
give to best man
____ Bride to select going away outfit
1 Month Before
____ Obtain marriage license (within legal time period required)
____ Send out thank you cards for gifts received or advise wedding
planner of gifts received so that she can send out thank you cards
____ Pick up wedding rings and ensure they fit and are engraved
____ Finalize lists of photos to be taken and video to be shot and
provide these to wedding planner
____ Purchase gifts for bridal attendants, parents, ushers and each
other
3 Weeks Before
____ Advise wedding planner of any special seating arrangements for
reception
____ Prepare wedding reception toast/speech
____ Update insurance policies (life, household, car, etc.)
____ Complete any change of name or change of address paperwork
____ Open joint bank account (if desired)
____ Select individual to arrange for return of groom’s formalwear
attire
____ Select individual to drop off bride’s wedding gown at the
cleaners
____ Select individual to take flowers to be pressed
2 Weeks Before
____ Bride and bridesmaids to pick up their gowns/dresses and all accessories
(including veil and/or headpiece for bride, lingerie for bride, shoes, jewelry,
etc.)
____ Bride to decide on wearing something old, something new, something
borrowed and something blue on wedding day
____ Pick up all tickets, itinerary, travelers’ checks, etc. for
honeymoon
____ Provide honeymoon details to close friend or family member
____ Bride to arrange bridesmaids luncheon and give gifts to attendants
____ Groom to arrange groomsmen get together and give gifts to attendants
____ Groom to get hair cut
1 Week Before
____ Meet with the wedding planner to review all wedding plans and
to provide her with the marriage license
____ Advise wedding planner where wedding gifts and cash that are received
on day of wedding are to be dropped off
____ Prepare final checks for vendors’ fees (such as musicians,
officiant, caterer, florist and wedding planner fees, etc.) and provide these
to the wedding planner
____ Pack for honeymoon including clothes, toiletries, tickets, passports,
visas, maps, guide books, travelers checks, money, etc.
____ Pack for wedding night including going away outfits, wedding night
clothes and next day clothes and toiletries
____ Arrange for temporary stoppage of newspaper and mail while away
on honeymoon
2 Days Before Wedding
____ Groom and his attendants to pick up tuxedos/formalwear
____ Give gifts to parents and to each other
____ Confirm early meeting times with bridal party for the day of the
wedding
____ Bride to go in for trial hair and makeup appointment(s) and confirm
wedding day appointments
____ Bride to get manicure/pedicure
Day Before Wedding/Rehearsal
____ Attend rehearsal (plan to arrive about 20 minutes early)
____ Groom to give bride’s ring to best man (or to wedding planner,
for safekeeping, if a ring bearer is involved in the wedding)
____ Bride to give groom’s ring to maid of honor (or to wedding
planner, for safekeeping, if a ring bearer is involved in the wedding)
____ Attend wedding rehearsal dinner/party
Day of Wedding (Prior to Ceremony)
____ Wake up with plenty of time to get ready for your special day
____ Remember to eat and drink lots of water
____ Bride to get hair and makeup done
____ Get dressed
____ Bride to wear something old, something new, something borrowed, something
blue (if desired)
____ Bride to wear garter (if desired)
____ Get to the ceremony venue on time
Day of Wedding (Ceremony and After)
____ Enjoy the day!
Day of Wedding (Reception)
____ Enjoy the evening!
After the Wedding
____ Send wedding announcement to the newspaper
____ Send out wedding announcement cards
____ Send out thank you cards for gifts
____ Send out change of address cards
____ Complete any name change paper work
____ Pick up wedding dress from cleaners
____ Pick up pressed flowers
____ Update wills