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Planning a wedding in six months

Yes, you can plan a wedding in six months. The venue, your officiant and your photographer come first, because everything else hangs on them. Then the marriage license, invitations and the details, in that order.

Put your date into the wedding checklist and it spreads these first jobs over the next four weeks for you, then dates the rest. Nothing is ever marked late. Print the 6-month checklist (PDF).

Do these first

  1. Tour ceremony and reception venuesAsk what is included, the vendor rules, the rain plan and the end time.
  2. Book your venue and sign the contractPopular venues book up a year or more ahead, especially for weekends in spring and fall.
  3. Book your officiantA friend, a religious leader or a professional. Check they can legally marry you in your state.
  4. Book your photographerGood photographers book early. Ask to see a full wedding gallery, not only highlights.
  5. Talk through your budget and who is contributingAgree a total and the three things that matter most to you. Everything else gets easier to decide.
  6. Write a first guest listA rough count is enough for now. It decides which venues are realistic.
  7. Book your catererSkip this if your venue provides the food. Ask about dietary needs and the bar.
  8. Book your DJ or bandAsk what equipment they bring and how long they play.
  9. Ask your wedding partyYour maid of honor, best man, bridesmaids and groomsmen. Tell them early what you hope they will do.
  10. Start looking at wedding dressesGowns are often made to order and can take six months or more. Allow time for alterations.
  11. Choose and order your wedding dressAsk for a delivery date well before your first fitting.
  12. Book your floristBring photos, your colors and your budget.
  13. Send your save-the-datesSend them earlier if many guests are traveling or your date is on a holiday weekend.
  14. Book hair and makeupAsk whether they travel to you and how many people they can do.

6 to 3 months before

  1. Check the marriage license rules where you marryThe license comes from the state where you marry. Each state sets its own waiting period and how long the license lasts, and counties can differ. Check with the county clerk.
  2. Choose suits or tuxedosRent or buy. Allow time for tailoring.
  3. Book your cake or dessert bakerAsk about tastings, delivery and what they need from the venue.
  4. Book transportationFor you, your wedding party and any guest shuttles.
  5. Choose your wedding ringsAllow time for sizing and engraving.
  6. Look at wedding insuranceOptional. It can cover deposits if something outside your control changes. Read what is excluded.
  7. Plan your ceremonyReadings, music, vows and who walks where. Talk it through with your officiant.
  8. Plan the rehearsal dinnerUsually hosted the night before. Decide who is invited and book a place.
  9. Order your invitationsOrder a few extra for keepsakes and mistakes. Allow time for printing.
  10. Talk about bachelor or bachelorette partiesIf you want them. Let whoever is organizing know your dates and anything you would rather skip.
  11. Talk about a wedding shower, if you are having oneUsually hosted by family or friends two to three months before. Share your registry and any dates that do not work.
  12. Do a menu tastingSettle the menu, the bar and any dietary needs.

3 months to 1 month before

  1. Order your veil and accessoriesBritten makes veils to order, so the safe date depends on your wedding date and where you live.
  2. First dress fittingBring the shoes and undergarments you plan to wear.
  3. Do a hair and makeup trial
  4. Look at wills, insurance and beneficiariesMarriage is a good moment to check who is named. You can update them after the wedding too.
  5. Draft your day timelineStart from the ceremony time and work forward and back. Leave room for photos and travel.
  6. Send your invitationsUsually six to eight weeks before. Give an RSVP date about four weeks before the wedding.
  7. Send your photographer a family photo listNames and groupings, plus anyone who needs a hand getting to the photos.
  8. Write your vowsOptional. Keep them short enough to say out loud without notes.

The last month

  1. Add your rings to your insuranceA rider on your renters or homeowners policy usually costs little. Keep the receipt or appraisal.
  2. Apply for your marriage licenseThe license comes from the state where you marry, not where you live. Check its waiting period and how long it lasts with your county clerk before you go. Usually you both go in person with ID.
  3. RSVP deadlineFollow up with anyone who has not replied.
  4. Share your timeline with your vendors and wedding partyGive each vendor their own link to the parts that matter to them. Ask them to say it looks right.
  5. Put together welcome bags for out-of-town guestsOptional. Water, a snack and a note with the timings are plenty.
  6. Pack the emergency kitTwo to three weeks before, so it also covers the rehearsal. Give it to someone dependable to hold on the day.
  7. Final dress fitting
  8. Give your caterer and venue the final guest countInclude dietary needs and vendor meals.
  9. Make your seating chartStart with the people who need to sit together, then fill in the rest.
  10. Confirm each vendor's arrival timeSend the schedule and the venue address, and give them the phone number of someone who will answer on the day.
  11. Pay final balancesCheck each contract for what is due and when.
  12. Send the final timeline to your vendorsAbout ten days before. Your vendor links update by themselves, so a quick note that it is final is enough.

The week of the wedding

  1. Put tips in labeled envelopesCheck each contract first, since some vendors include a service charge. Give the envelopes to someone you trust to hand them out.
  2. Pick up your outfits and rings
  3. Pack for your honeymoon
  4. Choose a point person for the daySomeone who can answer vendor questions so you do not have to.
  5. Check the things nobody can replaceThe rings, the marriage license, vows, shoes and chargers. Check they are packed the night before.
  6. Hold the rehearsalWalk through where everyone stands and when. It usually takes under an hour.
  7. Rehearsal dinnerA good time to give gifts to your wedding party and thank both families.
  8. Give your marriage license to your officiantCheck whether your state needs witnesses.

The day

  1. Sign your marriage licenseWith your officiant, and your witnesses if your state requires them.
  2. Tip your vendorsHand over the envelopes, or ask your point person to.

After the wedding

  1. Return rented itemsFormalwear, décor and anything borrowed.
  2. Have your outfits cleaned and flowers preserved, if you likeDo it soon, before stains set.
  3. Check your signed license has been filedYour officiant usually returns it to the county. Ask how long until your certificate is ready.
  4. Order certified copies of your marriage certificateYou will need one for most name and benefit changes.
  5. Start your thank-you notesWrite a few each day. Mention the gift and something specific about it.
  6. Change your name, if you are taking a new oneOpen the name change tool. It puts the steps in order around your honeymoon.
  7. Leave reviews for your vendors
  8. Share your photos with family
  9. Update insurance and beneficiariesMarriage usually lets you change health coverage for a limited time. Check the deadline with your employer.
  10. Finish your thank-you notesWithin three months is a good aim.
  11. Plan something for your first anniversaryDinner, a trip or simply looking back through the photos.