11 Months Before Wedding (good you have plenty of time)

How much will you spend? Create a budget
Decide on guests
Determine a time frame for your wedding date
Set the date
Select your theme
Select the colors of your theme
Make a list of ceremony venues
Where will your reception be held? Make a list of venues
Start requesting quotes from local DJs, caterer, photographer/videographer, and florist
Hire a wedding coordinator if your budget will allow it

10 Months Before Wedding (it helps to get someone to help you, sister, brother or friend)

Book your ceremony venue. Negotiate cost, deposit and payments schedule
Book your reception venue. Negotiate cost, deposit and payments schedule
Choose the members of your wedding party – maid of honor and best man, bridesmaids, groomsmen, ring bearer,
flower girl as well as your ushers – and invite them to take these roles
Create your wedding website – optionally you can create a Facebook page

9 Months Before Wedding (Ask if anyone knows someone they’ve used in the past)

Book your caterer. Negotiate cost, deposit and payments schedule and begin working on a menu.
Book your DJ and/or band. Negotiate cost, deposit and payments schedule
Set up your registries. Add registries page to your wedding website.
Book your photographer/videographer and schedule engagement photo shoot. Negotiate cost, deposit and payments schedule.
Book your florist. Negotiate cost, deposit and payments schedule.
Search for an officiant.
Book your officiant. Negotiate cost, deposit and payments schedule.
Reserve blocks of hotel rooms for out-of-town guests. Add accommodations and travel info to your wedding website, so your guests know what to expect.
Send save-the-date cards (be sure your guest list is finalized first). Include hotel information for out-of-town guests, if it’s available, plus your website address.
Start shopping for your gown.

Wedding Plan List tip – research Pinterest, ask on Facebook for referrals for any vendors you may still need.

8 Months Before Wedding (Don’t forget to use Yelp, Thumbtack, WeddingWire, Wedding.com etc.)

Select your wedding dress and place the order. Negotiate cost, deposit and payments schedule
Search for a wedding cake baker.
Order your wedding cake. Create deposits/payments schedule.
Finalize floral arrangements and design with florist.
Search for a wedding stationer for invitations, plus place cards, menus, announcements (if you’ll use them) and thank-you stationery (which you may need to order now).
Ceremony ideas: musician or DJ background music
Select an invitations service. Negotiate cost, deposit and payments schedule.
If there will be music during your ceremony, make sure to book your musician or negotiate with your DJ to also host the reception.
Plan for rehearsal dinner — who will host? Whoever is hosting should begin searching for a venue. You will also need to negotiate who will be invited.

7 Months Before Wedding (Don’t over think it, think of what will make your day simple, yet memorable)

Attend engagement photo shoot with photographer.
Search for a vendor to help with your hair, makeup, or any pre-wedding pampering.
Select your bridesmaid dresses and flower-girl dress, and have your attendants place their orders.
Purchase accessories for your gown, such as a veil, shoes, undergarments, and jewelry.
Choose groom’s attire.
Rehearsal-dinner host should finalize venue.
Book accommodations for your wedding night.
Book your hair and makeup trial appointment.
Plan and book your honeymoon, including travel, accommodations, and activities.

Wedding Plan List tip – 6 months to go and things are coming together. If you’re starting to plan with 6 months to go, make sure your budget is reasonable to your expectations. Remember that you’re not trying to impress anyone. Your goal is to have the wedding day of your dreams.

The Wedding Plan List for 6 months
wedding plan list – Mastermind DJs

6 Months Before Wedding (ask your dj or event coordinator if they have a quick plan guide they can share with you)

Finalize the text for your invitations and place the order. Also consider purchasing thank-you notes and wedding announcements from the same vendor.
Finalize the menu and service details with your caterer.
Choose your bridesmaids’ accessories (shoes, jewelry, etc.). Purchase or pass along the purchasing information.
Choose groomsmen’s and ring bearer’s attire (including a rental shop if they’ll be renting formal attire). Send them the information necessary to purchase or rent.
Purchase your wedding bands.
Check your gift registry. If items on your list have been discontinued, you may want to update the registry.
Design and start creation of favors.

5 Months Before Wedding

Discuss and confirm party plans for bachelor and bachelorette parties, as well as any shower that is offered, with your maid of honor and best man.
For an international honeymoon, begin to get your papers in order (passport, birth certificate, visas, vaccinations, etc.).
Ask your readers to be a part of your ceremony. Begin a search for readings, and discuss them with your officiant.
If you are handling the bridesmaid dress order, confirm the delivery date.
Schedule gown fitting appointments. Your first appointment should be directly after you receive the gown, and the last appointment should fall no later than three weeks before the wedding.
Provide guest lists to your maid of honor and best man for your shower, bachelorette party, bachelor party, and other social events.
Search for a transportation vendor (limo, bus for guests, etc.)
Book your transportation vendor. Create deposits/payments schedule.

4 Months Before Wedding

Stuff and send out wedding invitations.
Track gifts received from guests and send thank-you notes.
Check on your hotel room blocks to ensure important guests have made their travel arrangements.
Design your ceremony programs and print them. Create menu cards for the reception tables, if you’ll be using them.
Research local marriage license requirements. Schedule a blood test appointment if one is required in your state.
Don’t forget to check when the license expires and if there is a waiting period.
Decide on a guest book option.
Purchase or make gifts for your bridal party and close family. Don’t forget ushers, flower girls, ring bearers, and
readers!

Wedding Plan List tip – by this time you should have all your ducks in a row. By now you should have given the DJ your song list for every cue of your wedding and have hopefully had a conversation and cleared out your special dance song.

3 Months Before Wedding

Alert your wedding party to the rehearsal. The rehearsal-dinner host should send rehearsal dinner invitations.
Obtain a marriage license. Follow your state’s guidelines concerning how soon you can apply, and how long the license is valid for.
If you have a DJ/band, work on a list of ‘must-play’ and ‘do-not play’ songs. Be sure you also send them selections
for your introductions, first dance, cake cutting, father/daughter dance, anniversary dance, and last dance.
Determine your ceremony music selections and send the list to your ceremony musicians.
Shop for all additional accessories like undergarments, jewelry, headpiece, bridal purse, etc.
Create a wedding day schedule. Send the information to your wedding party and vendors.
Finalize any special preferences, readings, or other ceremony details (in writing) with your officiant.
Notify your maid of honor/mother/or friend to attend your final gown fitting so they can learn how the bustle will be tied.

2 Months Before Wedding

Verify with your reception venue to make sure your vendors will have access to the site when they need it.
Confirm delivery locations, times, and final arrangements with your florist. Make a list of who will get bouquets,
corsages, and boutonnieres, and recruit someone to oversee this on the wedding day.
Confirm the rehearsal details and wedding day schedule with your officiant.
Pick up the tuxedo/suit and try it on at the shop. See if there are any additional alterations to be made.
Confirm location, date, and time with your photographer. Create your ‘must-take’ photo list.
Confirm location, date, and time with your videographer.
Confirm all honeymoon travel plans. Give someone a copy of your itinerary and contact information in case of an emergency.
Shop and pack for the honeymoon.
If you’re having a receiving line, determine the order everyone will stand in.

1 Months Before the Big Wedding

If you have guests attending from out of town who have children, help them by locating babysitting options for
them.
Write your vows if you choose to personalize them. Send a copy to your officiant.
Pick up wedding rings and check the inscriptions before you leave the store.
Call guests who have not yet RSVP’d for the wedding and rehearsal dinner to get a final head count.
Create your seating chart. Make place cards or give typed names to your calligrapher.
Give the seating chart to your caterer, reception venue manager, and wedding coordinator.
Prepare your toasts and thanks to friends and family.
Send your transportation vendor the schedule, addresses, and contact phone numbers for the wedding day.
Confirm all final payment amounts with your vendors. Mail your payment checks or make arrangements for the
wedding day.

1 Week Before Wedding

Give final head count to the caterer. Confirm set-up instructions and menu items.
Confirm number of bouquets, boutonnieres, and centerpieces with your florist.
Confirm head count, delivery time, and location with your wedding cake vendor.
Pick up your gown. Before leaving the shop, try it on to make sure there are no additional alterations to be made.
Drop off favors, place cards, guest book, pens, cake knife, toasting flutes, and all other reception items at the
reception venue.
Pull together wedding gown, veil, shoes, stockings, and a last-minute emergency kit (aspirin, makeup, hairspray, safety pins, mints, etc.).

After Wedding

Arrange for gown and veil to be cleaned and preserved. Make sure the provider is experienced in preserving wedding gowns.
Take the bridal bouquet to be preserved, or save a petal to be pressed for your scrapbook.
Do paperwork for official documents if you are changing your name.
Write thank-you notes for all the gifts you received at the wedding and before. Traditional etiquette gives you an 8-week grace period

We hope that this wedding plan list will help you through this special moment in your life.

wedding plan list – Mastermind DJs

Mastermind DJs is a Bay Area local DJ service specializing in weddings of any size. Our expert DJs will rock your crowd on the dance floor and entertain your guests all night. To find out about our availability call request a quote at Mastermind DJs – book us!