Wedding Checklist: Every Task From 12 Months to the Day
Updated
This checklist walks you through the whole wedding, from a year out to the day itself. Every task is grouped by timeframe, so you always know what comes next. Print the list and tick things off as you go.
Treat the timeframes as guidance, not rules. Every wedding is different; shift whatever does not fit yours. What matters most is the order: date, budget and venue first, then the vendors, and the details last.
12 months and earlier
Set your wedding date
Pick your date or at least narrow down the season. Popular dates are often booked more than a year ahead.
Set a budget frame
Decide how much you want to spend overall and whether family will contribute. The frame guides every decision after it.
Draft your guest list
Write a first list of everyone you want with you. The guest count drives the venue, the budget and much more.
Book your venue
Visit your favorites and book one. Ask what the price includes and until when you can cancel for free.
11 to 9 months before
Decide on your ceremony
Civil only, religious, or with a celebrant-led ceremony? Ask about dates early and secure the celebrant you want.
Ask your witnesses
Ask the people you want by your side on the day. The earlier they know, the better they can support you.
Contact photographers
Browse portfolios and reach out to your favorites. Good photographers are often booked far in advance.
Contact a DJ or band
Decide between a DJ and a band and ask about your date. Listen to demos or catch a live set first if you can.
Contact caterers
If your venue does not cater, get quotes now. Also ask how they handle allergies and special dietary needs.
Send save the dates
Give your guests the date as early as possible, by card or digitally. Especially important for everyone traveling from far away.
Find your dress or suit
Start looking for your outfits. Made-to-measure pieces and alterations need several months of lead time.
8 to 6 months before
Contact a florist
Ask a florist about the bouquet, boutonnieres and table flowers. Bring photos of your venue and your color ideas.
Reserve a room block for guests
Reserve a block of rooms at a hotel nearby for your overnight guests. Note the date when unbooked rooms are released.
Plan your honeymoon
Decide where you want to go after the wedding. Check in time that your passports are valid and whether you need visas.
Collect documents for the registry office
Which documents you need for the marriage registration depends on your situation. Ask your registry office directly and allow time in case you have to reorder certificates.
Collect guest addresses
Collect your guests' current addresses so the invitations can go out without delay later.
Register your marriage at the registry office
Register your marriage (Anmeldung der Eheschließung) at the German registry office. The registration is valid for six months, so the earliest filing is about six months before the date. No guarantee, please confirm with your registry office.
Design your invitations
Design your invitations and send them to print. Include everything guests need: schedule, directions, accommodation, dress code and the RSVP deadline.
Book hair and makeup
Book your hair and makeup appointments for the wedding day and schedule a trial a few weeks before.
5 to 3 months before
Order your wedding cake
Find a bakery and order your cake. Many offer a tasting beforehand, make use of it.
Choose your wedding rings
Pick your rings and order them. Crafting and engraving can take several weeks.
Send your invitations
Send out your invitations and record who is invited. That way you keep track of the responses.
Organize the wedding car or transfers
Work out how you and your guests move between ceremony, venue and hotel. Book a wedding car or a shuttle if needed.
Review your budget
Compare planned and actual costs. Now you can still adjust before the last big invoices arrive.
Finalize the menu
Taste and confirm your menu with the caterer or venue. Plan alternatives for guests with allergies or special dietary needs.
Choose music for the ceremony
Pick the music for walking in, the ceremony and walking out. Check with the registry office or church what is technically possible.
2 months to 4 weeks before
Plan the day's schedule
Plan your day from getting ready to the party and align the schedule with the venue, photography and music.
RSVP deadline
By this day every guest should have accepted or declined. Only with firm numbers can you finalize the seating plan and catering.
Order menus and place cards
Order menu cards, place cards and the seating chart display. Hold off on the names until all responses are in.
Hair and makeup trial
Do the trial for hair and makeup. That way you know exactly what to expect on the wedding day.
Chase missing RSVPs
Kindly follow up with everyone who has not replied yet. Usually the invitation just got buried.
Give the final guest count to the caterer
Report the final guest count to the caterer and venue, including kids' meals and special dietary needs.
Settle details with the venue
Walk through the final details with the venue: setup times, tech, table layout and who is the contact person on the day.
3 to 2 weeks before
Send the rooming list to the hotel
Send the hotel the list of who sleeps in which room. Mind the deadline when the hotel releases unbooked rooms from your block.
Finish the seating plan
Finish the seating plan once all responses are in. Only small changes after that, or the puzzle starts over.
Final fitting and outfit pickup
Do the final fitting and pick up your outfits. Remember shoes and accessories, and break in new shoes.
Write your vows
If you want to speak your own vows, write them now. Short and honest beats long and perfect.
The last week
Confirm all vendors
Go through times, places and contact persons with every vendor. Hand a phone list to your witnesses so nobody has to call you on the day.
Pack an emergency kit
Pack a small kit for the day: plasters, a sewing kit, tissues, snacks and chargers. Give it to one of your witnesses.
Bring decor and place cards to the venue
Bring decorations, place cards and the seating chart to the venue and agree on who sets up. That way the day starts relaxed.
Hand the rings to your witnesses
Give the rings to your witnesses. Then you have one thing less to think about on the wedding morning.
The day itself
Enjoy your day
Today you organize nothing, that is what your witnesses are for. Eat something, drink enough water and enjoy every moment.
Once the RSVPs are in, the biggest single task is waiting: the seating chart. The guide how to make a wedding seating chart walks you through it step by step, free in your browser with no sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
When should you start planning your wedding?
About 12 months before the date: set the date, agree on a budget frame, draft the guest list and book the venue. Popular dates and sought-after vendors are often booked more than a year ahead.
When do you register your marriage at the registry office?
About six months before the date; in Germany the registration (Anmeldung der Eheschließung) is valid for six months, so the earliest filing is around then. Which documents you need depends on your situation, so ask your registry office directly. No guarantee, please confirm with your registry office.
When do you send save the dates and invitations?
Save the dates about nine months ahead, especially for guests travelling from far away. Invitations go out about four months before the wedding, with an RSVP deadline around six weeks before the day.
When should the seating plan be finished?
About two weeks before the wedding, once every RSVP is in. Order menus, place cards and the seating chart display six weeks out, but hold off on the names until the guest list is final.
What happens in the last week before the wedding?
Go through times and contact persons with every vendor, pack an emergency kit, and the day before, hand over decor, place cards and the rings. On the day itself you organize nothing; that is what your witnesses are for.