Congratulations your engaged! As your new BFF, we’ve crafted the ultimate wedding timeline to help you visualize the overall flow and to make the planning process a breeze!

How to start planning a wedding

Once you’re ready to start planning your wedding, make sure to take a moment to go over some important details with your partner. Begin establishing a wedding budget and start to come up with a guest list. But the most important thing is to discuss what both of your ideal wedding looks like.

Once you have an idea, it’s time to research! Research photographers, florist, invitation suites, cake, décor, music, hair and make up, venues and ceremony locations. This may start to feel a little stressful and that’s okay & totally normal. For most people this is their first wedding! Not know where to start is okay.

Only a little bias here… BUT this is why hiring a wedding planning should be first on your list! We’re here to help with all those big & small suggestions, location scouting & venue tours, vendor recommendation, & SO much more. A planner is here to help from start to finish of your day & can help ease the stress of planning, design & all the things inbetween.

Either way! Let’s talk about the basics you should review & look at when planning your day!

This timeline is based on a 12 month engagement! Now every couple is different, so just make adjustments to this timeline as it fits your needs.

12 Months Out

Now that we’ve started down the rabbit hole of wedding planning it’s time to put the plans in motion! In general, you have to decide between two things to start the planning of your day. Is the venue more important or is the date. A lot of times we find that you will fall in love with a venue & then you’ll pick the date based off availability. BUT if the date is more important we work around that! Either way once you decide what is more important to you you should prioritize that!

-Decide what is more important. The venue or the date.

-Book your venue and ceremony location

-This is also the time to book your photographer and videographer

-Secure and book hotel accommodations/room blocks

-Purchase invitation suites

8 – 10 Months Out

This is where the fun starts to come in! Once you have secured the vendors that go the quickest you can move onto some of the other exciting parts of your day!

-Book your food and beverage. Especially if you are looking to have a food truck or a bar cart for your reception.

-Order your wedding cake or any type of deserts you are looking to have.

-Send out your Save the Date cards – this is important if you’re getting married out of the country or during a very busy time of year.

-Book band and/or DJ for reception.

-Get an officiant

-Beauty services

5 – 7 Months Out

-Book florals

-Book any reception activities like having a photobooth, outdoor games, or any activities

-Pick out rentals – like tables, chairs, linens, plates, cups, silverware, and lighting

-Design services

2 – 4 Months Out

-Send out RSVP’s – I would recommend this around 4 months out so that around 2 months you can finalize them

-Put together a photo shot list for your photographer

-Finalize your floor plan and seating chart

-Organize transportation

-Finalize menu items

-Guest list

-Table top stationary

1 Month Out

We are just 1 month away from the big day! The pre wedding jitters are coming in, but so is the excitement!

-During this time your timeline for your wedding day should be done

-Going over everything with your vendors

The Ultimate Wedding Day of Timeline!

Now let’s chat about the day of and the overall events to take place! The order is highly dependent on how you would like the flow of the day to go, how many hours you book for photo & video, and other factors such as if you have a bridal party, if your doing a first look, etc.. These are some events to consider adding to your timeline:

Hair and Make-up

Male grooming

Getting ready photos

First look

Ceremony

Photos with guest

Newlywed photos while guest are at cocktail hour

Cocktail hour

Private room reveal

Reception

Grand entrance

First dance – this could also be done later in the evening

Sunset/Blue Hour Photos

Dinner

Speeches and thank you speech

Cake cutting

Dancing

Grand Exit

This ultimate wedding timeline should be taken as a guide. If you don’t want to include any of the elements we’ve mentioned you don’t need to. Your wedding should be all about you and your partner and the celebration of your love! Want more great examples?! Here are some of our favorite sites that will help you with your research, Wedding Wire, The Knot, Green Wedding Shoes and Junebug Weddings.

Still feeling completely lost?! Have no fear. Our amazing team at Ember and Stone can help with all the details of planning your big day & making it the best day of your life! We can’t wait to hear from you!