The 6–9 Month Wedding Checklist

Venues often have rules that affect your plans in quiet ways: no open flames, no loose confetti, a strict music curfew, a preferred supplier list, or a requirement for vendors to hold liability insurance. Finding these now, before you finalize décor and book more vendors, avoids buying things you can’t use or booking someone the venue won’t allow.

• Often forgottenCouples often forget to ask whether confetti or petals are allowed, and what type.

• “Is there a list of suppliers we must use or avoid?
• “What proof of insurance do vendors need to provide?
• “What time must music stop and guests leave?
• “Are there any fees if décor isn’t cleared on time?

Early budgets are built on guesses. By now, real quotes and contracts show where you’re over or under, and extras such as tax, service charges and delivery fees are often missing from the first numbers. Reviewing everything together at this point leaves time to adjust while decisions are still flexible, and keeps your contingency for genuine surprises rather than costs you could have seen coming.

• Often forgottenCouples often forget that service charges and tax are calculated on top of quotes, which can noticeably change the final total.
• Look at your priorities list before trimming; cut from what matters least to you.
• Small items such as postage, favors and outfit alterations add up quickly.

• “Which costs could still rise, and why?
• “Where would we honestly not notice a cut?
• “Has everyone contributing confirmed their amount and timing?

By now the big bookings are usually done, and what’s left tends to be smaller services: a photo booth, stationery designer, childcare, a late-night food truck. It’s easy to keep adding extras. Checking each one against your shared priorities keeps the budget steady and the planning manageable, and booking now still leaves good availability.

• Check your running budget total before each new booking.

• “Would we actually miss this if we didn’t have it?
• “Does the venue need proof of insurance from this vendor?

Save-the-dates give guests an early heads-up so they can keep the date free, request time off and book travel before prices rise. They matter most when guests are traveling, accommodation is limited or the date falls near a holiday. Sending them also commits you to your guest list, so it’s worth being sure about who’s invited first.

It’s easiest to send these once your date is confirmed and your guest list is settled, since everyone who receives one will expect an invitation.

• Often forgottenCouples often forget that anyone who receives a save-the-date will expect an invitation.
• Only send save-the-dates to people you’re certain to invite.

• “Are we completely sure about everyone on this list?
• “Do any guests need extra notice because they’re traveling?

The ceremony is the heart of the day, and its shape affects many other plans: how long guests are seated, what music you need, who takes part and how the space is set up. Planning the outline now gives readers and musicians time to prepare and helps you see whether any legal or religious elements must be included.

• Often forgottenCouples often forget to plan a moment and a place for signing the marriage documents.
• Keep outdoor ceremonies shorter if guests will be standing or in the sun.

• “Which parts of the ceremony are required, and which can we change?
• “Who would we like to involve, and how?
• “Where will guests stand or sit, and for how long?

A dinner before the wedding is a relaxed way to thank the people helping you and to welcome guests who have traveled. Restaurants and private rooms can book up on busy weekends, so reserving early helps. Deciding now also clarifies who is hosting and paying, which avoids awkward assumptions later.

• “Who would we most like to spend the evening before with?
• “Would a casual gathering suit us better than a formal dinner?

A rough reception outline helps your caterer, venue, band or DJ and photographer plan their work. It shows where the natural pauses are, whether speeches suit the meal, and how long guests will wait between moments. You don’t need exact times yet, but a simple order makes the detailed timeline much easier later.

• Avoid long gaps with nothing happening, especially before dinner.

• “How long does the caterer need for each course?
• “Would speeches work better before the meal or between courses?

Wedding transport can be anything from a friend’s car to a hired vehicle. If you want something special, popular options book early for peak dates. Even if you’re keeping it simple, planning now makes sure someone is responsible for getting you where you need to be on time, including at the end of the night.

• Often forgottenCouples often forget to arrange their own ride home or to the hotel at the end of the night.

• “What happens if the vehicle breaks down on the day?
• “Is waiting time included between the ceremony and reception?
• “Is there room for a full outfit without creasing it?

Wedding party outfits can have long lead times, especially when several matching pieces need ordering in different sizes. Deciding now leaves time for delivery and alterations. It’s also kind to talk about cost early, since expectations vary, and giving people options can make it easier for everyone to take part comfortably.

• Letting people choose their own outfit in a shared color palette is often easier on budgets and body shapes.

• “Is this outfit affordable and comfortable for everyone?
• “Would people prefer to choose their own within a color palette?

Guests may have mobility, hearing, sensory or health needs you don’t know about yet. Some changes, such as step-free routes, accessible restrooms or seating near the front, depend on the venue and are easier to arrange early. Thinking about this now also shapes your invitation wording, so guests feel comfortable telling you what would help.

• Often forgottenCouples often forget that uneven lawns, gravel and dim paths can be hard to manage after dark.

• “Are there any steps between the ceremony and reception spaces?
• “Which guests might need seating, shade or an easy route?
• “Can the venue provide a quiet room during the reception?

Plus-ones and children can change your guest count more than any other decision, which affects catering, seating, budget and even which venues fit. Guests also plan around them: partners book travel, parents arrange childcare. A simple, consistent policy decided early is easier to explain, easier to apply to tricky cases and kinder to everyone than handling requests one at a time. There’s no right answer, only what suits your wedding.

• Often forgottenCouples often forget that parents who are traveling need extra time to arrange childcare, and that a partner who joins later may need an updated invitation.
• Write partners’ names on the invitation when you know them; it feels warmer than “and guest.”
• Simple wording works well, such as: we love your little ones, but this celebration is for adults only.
• For plus-one requests, a kind reply helps: we’d love to include everyone, but our numbers are limited.
• A supervised kids’ room or a trusted sitter nearby can help parents relax if children are invited.

• “Are we comfortable explaining every exception we make?
• “Should single guests who know few people get a plus-one?
• “Could we share local childcare options for traveling parents?

Guests often feel unsure about what to wear, and many plan or buy outfits months ahead. A clear dress code helps everyone feel comfortable and fit in with the atmosphere you want. It also lets you warn people about practical things, such as grass, sand, stairs or an outdoor evening chill, so nobody spends the day in the wrong shoes or without a layer.

• Often forgottenCouples often forget to mention footwear when the ceremony or reception is on grass, sand or uneven ground.
• Common terms, loosely: black tie usually means tuxedos and floor-length gowns; formal or black-tie optional is dressy, with tuxedos welcome; cocktail often means suits and knee- to midi-length dresses.
• Dressy casual is smart but relaxed, such as chinos or a sundress, and casual means comfortable everyday clothes. These are guides, not rules, and people read them differently, so add a one-line explanation.
• Say it plainly, for example: garden party attire, with flat shoes recommended for the lawn.
• If you invite guests to wear cultural or traditional attire, explain what that means for those unfamiliar with it.

• “Will guests be walking on grass, sand or cobblestones?
• “Will it be cold after sunset, or very hot at midday?
• “Is there any attire we’d rather guests avoid?

Booking a few months ahead usually gives you more choice of flights and accommodation. It also leaves time to check passports, entry requirements, any recommended travel health advice and time off work. Deciding now whether to travel straight away or later helps you plan the days after the wedding with less pressure.

• Book travel in the names on your current passports, even if one of you plans to change names.

• “Do we want to rest, explore or a bit of both?
• “Would we enjoy it more if we waited a few months?

The days just before a wedding are busy with deliveries, setup, rehearsals and guests arriving, and the days after are often needed for rest, returns and goodbyes. Asking early gives you the best chance of getting the dates you want, especially in busy seasons. Workplace leave policies vary, so checking now also shows whether you need to save up days or arrange unpaid time.

• Often forgottenCouples often forget to book a day off after the wedding, when rentals, belongings and goodbyes still need attention.
• Keep at least one full day free before the wedding with nothing work-related in it.
• Share a short handover note so colleagues know who to contact instead of you.

• “Does our workplace offer any leave for weddings?
• “Are there busy periods when leave is harder to approve?