You’re engaged! Congratulations! You are beyond excited and ready to dive into planning, but you may be thinking… where do I even begin? We know that planning your wedding can feel a bit overwhelming, especially at the start. We are here, not only to help with your venue planning, but to guide you through this exciting time and provide some recommendations to make your experience as seamless as possible. With that, we have curated the ultimate wedding planning timeline to help get your planning started. Use this as a list of ideas and benchmarks to reference as you work through bringing your unique celebration to life!
Images by Trish Allison Photography
16-18 MONTHS OUT
The first step in your wedding planning timeline is to set the foundation! Think big picture details that help give structure to the type of celebration you want to host, such as size, budget and location.
- Set your overall budget.
- Draft a guest list to give you an idea of guest count.
- Choose your wedding season.
- Decide on wedding style/formality.
- Find your venue and reserve your date!
12-14 MONTHS OUT
Book your first priority vendors. These vendors may have limited availability per weekend and will likely book up earliest, especially for popular peak-season dates.
- Hire your coordinator – At The Hutton House we require a Day Of Coordinator to be onsite the day of your wedding. With this, your DOC must be confirmed a minimum of 4 months prior to your wedding. However, if you choose to work with a coordinator for full-service planning, you’ll want to make this one of the very first vendors you book!
Additional First Priority Vendors:
- Photographer & Videographer
- Caterer
- Band or DJ
- Officiant
- Hair & Makeup artists
- Florists
9-12 MONTHS OUT
Book your remaining major vendors and start to hone in on the pieces that will set the tone for your day, such as the decor design, your invitations, and your bridal looks.
Remaining major vendors:
- Bakery/Cake designer
- Rental/Decor companies
- Hotel blocks for wedding party & guests
- Transportation
- Ceremony musicians
- Stationery
- Content creator
- Go dress shopping. Early shopping allows plenty of time for shipping and alterations, as needed.
- Choose a color palette and think about your overall event design.
- Schedule your engagement photos. Ideally plan this for 6–10 months before the wedding. It’s great to have these images in hand for things like your Save-the-Dates and your wedding website.
- Shop for bridesmaid dresses & groom’s attire. It’s best to order early to avoid shipping delays or sizing issues.
6-9 MONTHS OUT
At this stage in your wedding planning timeline, your focus starts to shift from big-picture decisions to the finer details that enhance your guest experience and bring your wedding plans to life! Plus, now your guests get their first glimpse of what you’ve been working on with your Save-the-Dates going out.
- Menu tasting with your caterer.
- Begin your honeymoon planning. Think booking flights/hotel and checking your passports, if needed.
- Set up your registry & wedding website. Have these items ready before your invitations go out.
- Send Save-the-Dates. This is especially important for large, travel-heavy guest lists, destination weddings, or holiday weekends.
4-6 MONTHS OUT
As you reach the 6 month mark, your to-do list involves personalizing and ensuring the celebration reflects you as a couple. From refining your ceremony plans, to confirming your menu, and customizing your bridal look.
- Schedule Dress Alterations. Many brides plan for 2–3 fittings, with their final fitting falling 2-4 weeks out from the wedding.
- Plan your ceremony details. Select readings, your music, your vows, and determining the ceremony timeline.
- Finalize your menu.
- Book your rehearsal dinner location.
2-3 MONTHS OUT
This stage is all about locking in details, communicating with guests, and making plans to ensure you look and feel your best for the big day.
- Mail your invitations. Ideally 8–12 weeks before the wedding, or earlier for destination weddings.
- If you will be having one, now is a popular time to host a bridal shower.
- Choose your cake/desserts.
- Schedule your hair & makeup trial(s).
- Attend your first dress fitting.
1 MONTH OUT
At this point in your wedding planning, final logistics and finishing touches really come into play! Confirming every last detail, completing payments and making sure you’re fully prepared for a smooth, stress-free wedding day.
- Collect your final headcount. At The Hutton House this is due two weeks out from your wedding date.
- Finalize your floor plan.
- Finalize your bar service.
- Submit any final payments that are due and plan for any day-of vendor tips.
- Confirm your day-of details such as final seating concepts, day-of timeline, and your transportation schedule.
- Organize your wedding morning “emergency kit”; think stain remover, band-aids, safety pins, and more.
- Pick up your marriage license.
- Attend your final dress fitting.
- Break in your shoes. You won’t regret this!
WEDDING WEEK
Keep things light and simple this week and soak in all the moments leading up to your big day.
- Steam your outfits.
- Enjoy any beauty/wellness appointments you have planned.
- Pack your overnight bag & bridal party gifts.
- Rehearsal dinner and/or welcome dinner.
- Finish your vows and any speeches.
- Hydrate and get good sleep.
WEDDING DAY
Your wedding day is finally here. With a dream team of vendors behind you, all the work you’ve put into planning the perfect day is about to pay off. Relax and enjoy – it’s time to celebrate!
Images by Trish Allison Photography
LEARN MORE
Contact us to learn more about hosting your upcoming wedding with The Hutton House. From your very first venue tour, to your last dance, we look forward to guiding you through your wedding planning experience and helping you bring your celebration to life!
