Wedding timeline planner
Two timelines from one date: a month-by-month wedding planning timeline, and an hour-by-hour schedule for the day itself. Change any answer and both rebuild instantly.
Edits you make in the editor are saved to "My timelines". Changing the answers on the left regenerates a fresh copy.
The wedding planning timeline, month by month
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 12–13 months out | Set the budget and guest count; book the venue and officiant. These two decisions fix everything else. |
| 10–11 months | Book the photographer and videographer; decide whether you want a planner. |
| 8–10 months | Book caterer and music. Send save-the-dates around 8 months (earlier for destination weddings). |
| 6–9 months | Choose outfits — made-to-order dresses commonly take four to six months plus alterations. |
| 4–7 months | Florist, cake, hire items, hair and make-up, transport. |
| 2–4 months | Order invitations, then send them 6–8 weeks out. Check your local marriage licence rules and timing. |
| Final month | RSVP deadline, seating plan, final fittings, and send every supplier the day schedule. |
Building the wedding day timeline
Work backwards from the ceremony. Guests arrive 30 minutes before; you need to be dressed about 45 minutes before that (plus travel); hair and make-up must finish 15 minutes before dressing.
After the ceremony, family photos and drinks usually take 60–90 minutes. A first look shortens this, because couple portraits are already done.
Speeches before or during dinner keep them short and let the speakers relax; cake cutting and first dance then lead straight into the party.
Prefer to start from a finished example? Open the wedding day timeline template or the full wedding planning template.
Wedding timeline questions
When should I start planning a wedding?
Twelve to eighteen months ahead is typical, mainly because popular venues and photographers book up a year or more in advance. The planner compresses every task proportionally if your date is sooner, so a six-month engagement still gets a workable order.
When should wedding invitations go out?
Six to eight weeks before the wedding, with an RSVP deadline three to five weeks out. Destination weddings usually send invitations about three months ahead, after save-the-dates at eight to twelve months.
How long does wedding hair and make-up take?
Plan roughly 45 minutes per person for hair and make-up combined, and more for the couple. The day schedule multiplies this by the number of people you enter and adds a 15-minute buffer before getting dressed.
How long is a wedding ceremony?
A civil ceremony is often 20–30 minutes; religious ceremonies commonly run 45–60 minutes or longer. Enter your length and everything after it moves.
Should we do a first look?
A first look (seeing each other privately before the ceremony) lets you take couple portraits early, so you can join your guests for drinks afterwards. Toggle it in the planner to see how it reshapes the afternoon.