A wedding checklist as a PDF is something you read once. What actually helps is one that knows what you have done, what is half-done and what has slipped past its date. This is that one: a spreadsheet with the tasks month by month and a summary that counts by itself.
Download it
- Wedding checklist template (.xlsx) — 39 tasks, a status for each and a calculated summary. Opens in Excel, Google Sheets and Numbers.
Free, no sign-up and no email. Inside there is a four-line "How to use it" sheet.
What is in it
A Checklist sheet with seven columns: when, task, category, who, status, due date and notes. Status is a drop-down with three values: To do, In progress and Done.
And a Summary sheet that works out how many tasks you have, how many are done, the share complete and, above all, how many are past their due date and still not done. That is the number to check every Sunday.
The tasks, month by month
The timings are a guide. A summer wedding at a popular venue needs more notice than a small winter one. Move them to your date.
12 months or more
- Set the total budget. To track it, there is the wedding budget spreadsheet.
- Decide a rough guest count.
- Choose the date and the type of ceremony.
- Book the venue and, if it does not include one, the caterer.
- Check the marriage licence rules and timing where you are marrying.
- Book the photographer, who books up almost as fast as venues do.
9 to 12 months
- Videographer and music.
- Dress or suit: fittings take months.
- The guest list. As a spreadsheet, it is in the guest list template.
- The wedding website and the save the dates.
- A hotel block for out-of-town guests.
6 to 9 months
- Flowers and decor, invitations and guest transport.
- The menu tasting. If you are unsure about offering a choice, see beef or fish?.
- The honeymoon.
4 to 6 months
- The officiant and the shape of the ceremony.
- Rings, hair and make-up, and the favours.
2 to 3 months
- Send the invitations.
- Open RSVPs, with meal choice and allergies on the same form. The wording is in how to ask about dietary restrictions.
- Finalise the day's schedule. It is a template too: wedding day timeline.
1 month before
- Get the marriage licence, inside the validity window your local rules set.
- Chase the guests who have not replied, then close the list.
- Do the seating chart, after the list is closed, not before.
1 to 2 weeks before
- Give the caterer the final meal numbers. Every venue has its own deadline: ask when you sign.
- Pay the vendor balances due under each contract.
- Send the timeline to every vendor.
The day before, and after
- Drop off the decor at the venue, and name one contact person for the vendors who is not either of you.
- Afterwards: collect the guests' photos and send the thank-you notes.
Why a spreadsheet and not an app
Wedding planning apps work, but they tie you to a platform and usually to its vendor marketplace. A spreadsheet is yours, you can share it with your partner in Google Sheets in a minute, and it does not disappear if a company changes its plans.
Where a tool does pay off is RSVPs: copying replies into a sheet by hand for weeks is what eats the most time. Our online guest list fills itself in from what guests answer, meals and allergies included, for €49 once. For the rest of the checklist, this spreadsheet is all you need.
Frequently asked questions
When should you start planning a wedding?
Venues and photographers book up first, so a year or more ahead is sensible for a popular date. Everything else can be done in less time: the checklist orders the tasks so the urgent ones do not end up at the end.
What should you do first when planning a wedding?
Three things, in this order: the budget, a rough guest count and the date. All three decide the venue, and the venue decides almost everything else.
When do you need the marriage licence?
It depends on where you marry: the waiting period and how long the licence stays valid change by state and country. The checklist has you check the rules early and get the licence about a month before. Look up your local rules and put the real date in the due date column.
Does the checklist work in Google Sheets?
Yes. It is a normal .xlsx, so it opens the same in Excel, Google Sheets and Numbers. The status is a drop-down and the summary calculates itself.
Can I print it?
Yes. Hide the who and notes columns if you do not use them and print it landscape. On paper, though, it cannot tell you what is overdue, which is the most useful part of the spreadsheet.
Do I have to leave my email to download it?
No. It is a direct link to the file, with no sign-up, no form and no newsletter.
Checklist by the Wedding30s team. Free to use however you like, including if you are a planner and pass it on to your couples. Missing a task? Write to support@wedding30s.com.