Wedding Planning Essentials Checklist for All Engaged Couples

In collaboration with Video Caddy

Determine Your Budget 

The first critical step to planning your wedding is determining your budget. It will impact every single decision you make later on. It affects your choice of venue, invitations, guest list, wedding video editing services, and more. 

Make sure that both you and your partner are comfortable with the wedding budget. Talk it out and ensure that you won’t go into excessive debt. If your parents are covering a part of the costs, discuss how much they’d be willing to provide. Don’t just make assumptions, as it will only lead to arguments if you’re not all on the same page. 

Find the Perfect Venue 

With a clear budget in mind, start looking for your perfect venue. You might want to start with researching wedding styles before you look up venues, as it will help you narrow down your search. 

If you want a casual yet Pinterest-worthy wedding, a cozy barnyard could be a way to go. A glam wedding requires a nice hotel, while a vineyard could be an excellent choice for a classic wedding. 

Ideally, you’ll want to book the wedding venue about 12 months in advance to ensure no one snatches it. So, give yourself enough time to find the perfect venue that’s available during the month you want to get married. 

Find a Reputable Caterer 

Once you have your venue, you’ll need to find the caterer. After all, your wedding is likely the biggest dinner party you’ll ever have, and you’ll need to feed all the guests. 

Many venues will have their own in-house caterers you could work with. If you’d prefer to find your own, you should do it as soon as possible (around nine to 12 months in advance). You’ll need to schedule a tasting and come up with a viable menu, which takes some time. 

Don’t forget to choose your cake early on as well. At the very latest, you should have your cake and baker scheduled about four months before your wedding. 

Hire Your Photographer and Videographer 

Besides you and your spouse-to-be, photographer and videographer are perhaps the most important people at your wedding. They’ll help immortalize your wedding and enable you to relive it any time you open your wedding album. 

Make sure that you hire professionals who are experienced at shooting weddings! Pros who have the right skills, equipment and bring an experienced video caddy with them are often fully booked a full year in advance. So, don’t wait around! Hire them as soon as possible. 

If you want a wedding movie or tear-jerking highlights, find pros who offer wedding video editing services. 

Don’t Forget About the Band! 

Just as with the photographers and videographers, you’ll want to hire a band/DJ about ten to 12 months in advance. They’ll set the mood and ensure that your wedding goes smoothly. 

When searching for a band, have a vague idea in mind of what kind of music you’d like to have at your wedding. You don’t need a full song list immediately, just an approximation. It will help you narrow down on your ideal band. 

Start Looking for a Wedding Dress and Suit 

Around nine months before the date, you should start searching for your wedding dress and suit. They’re likely the most important garments you’ll ever wear, so you’ll want to get them right. 

It’s a good idea to try on a few different wedding dress styles. Many brides today love the modern mermaid dress, but there are plenty of other gorgeous options. Who knows, maybe a fluffy ball gown suits you better? 

Don’t bring too many people in with you when you’re choosing the dress. Your mom and maid of honor are more than enough to provide you with adequate feedback. The more people you have with you in the dressing room, the more difficult it will be to choose your perfect dress. 

Organize Your Rehearsal Dinner 

Weddings are usually quite hectic, and you won’t have much opportunity to spend some quality time with your loved ones. That’s why rehearsal dinners are the perfect opportunity to celebrate your union with people you care about the most. 

Start organizing the rehearsal dinner about six to seven months in advance. While it doesn’t need nearly as much planning as the wedding, you’ll still need to find the venue, the caterer, the photographer, and the band. 

Look for Gorgeous Wedding Bands 

Wedding bands are the symbol of your marriage, so it’s quite essential to find the right ones. If you want a matching pair, look for more straightforward rings that you can wear daily without them getting in your way. 

You don’t need to be in a rush when finding the best wedding bands. Start looking them up about three to four months before the wedding. 

Book the Rentals

It can be easy to forget many of the rentals you’ll have to book for your wedding. You have the chairs, flowers, decorations, lighting, photo boots, balloons, draperies, and so much more. While they’re not as essential as your video caddy, they’re quite important for completing your wedding. 

You’ll want to book them about six to seven months in advance if you want a Pinterest-perfect wedding. 

Send out Wedding Invitations 

Finally, with almost everything in order, it’s time to send out your wedding invitations. You’ll want to have them match your overall wedding theme and color scheme.  

You’ll need to send out save-the-dates around seven months before the wedding to ensure that everyone can make it to your wedding. Actual invitations can go out about two months prior. 

Ask for obligatory RSVPs that are due about a month before your wedding. That will help you organize the seating arrangement that’ll keep everyone happy. 

Final Thoughts 

Weddings can be quite overwhelming to plan, but you’ll enjoy yours that much more by doing it all yourself. So, just stay organized, set reminders for yourself, and get to work! Before you know it, you’ll be having your first dance with the love of your life. ​