You’ve said yes to your partner’s proposal, and you’re ready to get the ball rolling on and start making all of those important decisions. But where do you start? There is the color palette, venue, date, invitation, bridal shower, bachelorette party, bachelor party, ceremony, receptions, etc. The list truly goes on and on. Right about now you are starting to realize that saying “yes” was the first of about 1000 decisions you are going to need to make over the next 12 to 16 months. Don’t you worry! We’ve thought of everything to help you avoid burnout or decision fatigue and ensure that you are equally as excited on your wedding day as you are now. Following this checklist in order should ensure that even the smallest details aren’t overlooked.
12 Months Out
1.) Outline A Budget
Budgets aren’t very sexy, and “personal finances” don’t really scream romance, I get it. Either way the first place you should start is by determining how much you are willing to spend on your wedding and most importantly who is paying for it and how. Are the in-laws splitting 50/50, are you and your partner footing the entire bill? Give as much detail to the budget as you can but be prepared for the budget to change. Think start to finish and be sure that whatever budget you come up with covers everything from photos for save the dates/invitations, to the bridal shower/bachelorette party and bachelor party, through the honeymoon. There are so many things that are involved in planning a wedding that understanding WHAT your budget is, is truly the only way to determine WHERE your budget goes.
It’s highly probable that your budget will change as you continue to plan. To make sure that your budget doesn’t go from $50,000 to $100,000, keep a very organized spread sheet to track where you are in your spending. You should also have a general idea of what portions you are willing to splurge on and which ones you are willing to go a less expensive route. (Can someone say DIY!)
2.) Determine Length of Engagement
First things first, you need to decide on how long you are willing to wait to get married. Aka what is going to be the length of your engagement? According to our article, “A Timeline for Planning a Wedding” the average couple plans to be engaged anywhere from 12 to 16 months. Planning a wedding in this time frame can be stressful, so I am sure you can imagine the stress that is added when the engagement period drops below the recommended 12 months.
Disclaimer: The following checklist will follow a 12-month timeframe, so couples looking to decrease that time should try and accomplish the first six-month’s worth of tasks in the first month.
3.) Make a Guest List
Wow! You’ve settled on a budget, and you’ve determined how much time you’d like to have to plan the wedding, you’re just moving on through this checklist! The next thing you want to do is make a guest list. I know, I know you were expecting to pick the date next, but we aren’t quite ready for that step. Making the guest list is the next most important thing on the to-do list. You can’t start searching for venues if you don’t know how many people you want to invite, and you can’t truly settle on a date until you pick and meet with a venue and see what days they have available. So, make your guest list and do some preliminary research on the average cost per head per plate for weddings. According to a quick Google search the average cost is $40/per person for a plated meal and $27/per person for a buffet style reception.
Consider, in the grand scheme of things how important is food at your wedding and weigh that up against the budget. If you want people to be talking about your food for years to come, you may have to invite a few less people so you can spend a little more money on great catering. Check this guest list and then check it again! When you think you’ve settled on a good head count add 10 more wiggle room seats. Since the final headcount for the catering typically isn’t needed until the month in advance making sure your venue is big enough and you don’t miss any last-minute guests, take priority.
4.) Decide on a Theme and/or Formality
Picking out color palettes, flowers, dresses, etc. we will cover a little bit later. For now, you just want to have a general idea of the “vibe” you are going for. This conversation is important because it will ultimately influence the venues you decide to tour. If you want a black-tie-intimate theme, you probably don’t want to be looking at barns. While decorations will 100% change your venue to fit your theme, you don’t want to waste your time looking at things on the opposite end of the spectrum from what you and your partner want. This is the time where you really get to do some preliminary chatting and exploring with your partner. You can take a minute to envision what the event will look like, and which aspects are important for each of you to have. Check out “Top 7 Wedding Themes” for a little guidance and inspiration.
5.) Find A Venue and Pick A Date
This is the last big thing you want to make sure you get done when you are roughly 12 months out from ‘I Do’. Finding the venue can be the first real task you do that really gets the ball rolling. This is because so many venues have wedding packages and depending on the venue you go with (and your budget) you may find that several items are checked off your planning to-do list just from booking a venue.
Selecting the venue effects EVERYTHING, from the number of guests you can have, the style and options to decorate, the distance your guests/wedding party needs to travel, etc. Do your research, visit places that make sense, and keep an open mind about the wedding packages being offered. Whatever you do, don’t overthink it. Trust your gut and go with the place that is in budget and easiest to envision yourself getting married in! Once you’ve picked a venue, you will have to pick a date that is available and that works best with your families’ schedules.
That’s it for your wedding planning checklist 12 months out! In just one short month you’ve made it through finance talks, ideal engagement length, the preliminary guest list, a general theme/design, and have settled on a venue and therefore a wedding date. You’ve crushed this month! Next time we will work through the 11-8 months out time frame!
