A wedding checklist dated from your wedding day
A generic list that says “ten months before” is only half useful; you still have to work out which month that is. Type your date into this wedding checklist and every task gets a real deadline — “by 12 Feb 2026” — counted back from the big day, with anything already past flagged as overdue so you know what to catch up on first.
Choose a Western wedding or an Indian wedding with several functions: the Indian list adds the muhurat, venues for mehendi and sangeet, lehenga and jewellery shopping, the pandit, qazi or granthi, return gifts and marriage registration. Tick tasks as you go — they are saved in your browser — add your own, and print the whole timeline or download it as a PDF.
How to use the Wedding Checklist & Timeline
- Enter your wedding date and choose Western or Indian (multi-function).
- Read down the timeline: each period shows its deadline and overdue tasks carry a badge.
- Tick tasks as you finish them. Your ticks, date and own tasks are kept in this browser for next time.
- Use Add your own task for anything specific to your wedding and pick when it is due.
- Press Print checklist, Download PDF or Download PNG for a paper copy with ticked boxes, or Copy as text to share it.
Wedding Checklist & Timeline features
Dated timeline
Thirteen periods from 12 months before to after the wedding, each with a real date worked out from yours.
Indian or Western
Around 45 tasks per list, with Indian functions, rituals and family gifting or Western wedding-party, registry and licence tasks.
Overdue warnings
Planning on a short timeline? Tasks whose date has passed are marked so you can deal with them first.
Saved ticks
Your progress, date and own tasks stay in this browser’s storage — no account, nothing uploaded.
Your own tasks
Add as many as you like to any period and remove them again.
Print-ready PDF
A vector A4 or Letter PDF with ticked boxes, plus PNG and direct printing.
The wedding planning timeline at a glance
| When | Main jobs |
|---|---|
| 12 months before | Budget, guest list, date (muhurat), venues |
| 10–8 months | Photographer, caterer, music, makeup, outfits, florist, save-the-dates |
| 6–4 months | Invitations, honeymoon, priest or officiant, transport, menu, rings, gifts |
| 3–2 months | Ceremony plan, cards out, fittings, vendor confirmations, legal notice |
| 1 month | Licence or notice, final headcount, seating, final fitting |
| 2 weeks – 1 day | Timeline to vendors, payment envelopes, delegate, pack, rehearse, rest |
| After | Thank-you notes, registration, returns, name changes |
Legal steps that need a deadline
- India, Special Marriage Act, 1954: the couple gives notice to the Marriage Officer, the notice is published, and the marriage can be solemnised after the 30-day notice period. Hindu marriages are usually registered after the ceremony under the Hindu Marriage Act.
- England and Wales: you must give notice of marriage at your local register office at least 29 days before the ceremony.
- United States: marriage licences come from the county clerk; how long they are valid and any waiting period depend on the state, so check before you book the date.
- These rules change; confirm them with the registrar for your area.
Tips from couples who have done it
- Fix the guest count early. It sets the venue, catering and budget — try the wedding budget calculator alongside this list.
- Book the scarce people first. Popular photographers, makeup artists and venues fill a year ahead in wedding season.
- Plan the bar and invitations with tools. The drinks calculator and the invitation card maker cover two jobs on this list.
- Delegate. In the last two weeks hand jobs to named people — payments, the emergency kit, guest transport.
Wedding Checklist & Timeline FAQ
What should be on a wedding checklist?
Budget and guest list first, then venues, photographer, caterer, music, outfits, invitations, officiant or priest, transport, rings, legal paperwork, seating and final confirmations. This wedding checklist gives each a date counted back from your wedding.
How far in advance should I start planning a wedding?
Twelve months is the classic timeline and the one used here. With less time, enter your date anyway — earlier tasks show as overdue, which makes a handy catch-up list.
Is there a wedding checklist PDF I can print?
Yes. Choose A4 or Letter and press Download PDF. Ticked tasks print with a tick, so you can print a fresh copy whenever you want an update.
Does the checklist work for an Indian wedding?
Yes. Choose “Indian wedding (multi-function)” for tasks such as fixing the muhurat, booking mehendi and sangeet venues, the pandit, qazi or granthi, return gifts and marriage registration.
Where are my ticks saved?
In your browser’s local storage on this device only. Nothing is uploaded; clearing site data removes them.
Is there a wedding checklist for the bride specifically?
The list covers the whole couple, including outfit shopping, fittings, makeup trials and beauty prep. Add personal items with “Add your own task”.