The Complete Wedding Checklist Every Bride Needs
"Planning my own wedding will be a piece of cake..."
- Me, 45,898 Pinterest pins ago
Planning and styling an event can be overwhelming!
We have had the honour of working with thousands of brides and stylists over the years. We've also seen all the details, and challenges, of planning the perfect wedding.
So stop spending your time searching online for partial wedding to-do lists! We've helped countless couples through this time. And we want to help you. We're sharing our exclusive Sketch & Etch Wedding Checklist! It's a simple wedding checklist to make sure you have all your bases covered. Don’t worry - we’ve thought of everything you need from 12 months out until way after the wedding.
Download your free Wedding Checklist here, and read on for a breakdown of our top tips from years of helping brides and grooms!
Ready to get your wedding organised? Grab a glass of wine, your comfiest Oodie, and your favourite seat in the home. Your wedding planning is about to get organised.
Wedding Checklist: 12 Months To Go
Congratulations, you’ve made it to the 12-month mark! For some of you, this may have meant a long engagement (or a longer than planned engagement with Covid). Others may be planning a swift engagement. Whichever you are, now is the time to celebrate! We know. This may seem a little premature, but trust us. The next 12 months will be busy (but 100% less stressful with our wedding checklist). So now is the time to let loose! Have fun with your loved ones, and get everyone excited about the even bigger celebration to come.
Wedding Themes
It's time to settle on your wedding theme! Maybe you have a clear vision board. Or, perhaps you haven't thought twice about it.
Consider what theme will celebrate you and your partner's personalities the best. Are you a boho bride, or a classic couple? Do you want to have bold colours, or are subtle tones more your thing? Is there a common interest you and your partner have? We’ve seen and created pieces for some stunning and tastefully themed weddings.
The plus side? You can use some of that decor at your engagement party and on your big day too! Acrylic signs, custom made wedding hashtag neon signs, and wishing wells can all be used multiple times. This means a better return on your investment. Plus, it beautifully carries your theme from your engagement to your wedding.
Book Key Wedding Venues and Suppliers
Have you had your eye on an amazing supplier you’ve been following on Instagram? Or planned on getting married at a dream venue since you were seven? Get on the phone and book them in now.
Some of the first suppliers to get booked out? Videographers, photographers, wedding celebrants, caterers and wedding venues! They're fundamental items on any wedding checklist. So be sure to tick these off nice and early to avoid disappointment.
Save the Date Cards
Many things make for a good wedding, but one of the most important is to have the right people by your side. Allow your loved ones plenty of time to prioritise your wedding. Guests may need to make travel plans, accommodation or organise sitters. Order and send out your Save the Date cards with plenty of time to spare.
Sketch & Etch offer a great range of timeless Save the Date Cards. They tie in with so many themes and have made ordering online a super quick and simple process. Exactly what you need when trying to tick things off your wedding checklist!
Wedding Checklist: 8 Months To Go
So, you’ve taken care of some of the bigger formalities - well done! Now it’s time to get stuck into some of the fun parts. Next up on your Wedding Checklist? Dresses, cakes, florists, musicians, and all things pretty!
Wedding Dresses, Cakes and Florists
Organise a fun day out with your closest besties. While this is one of the most enjoyable parts of our wedding planning checklist, it can also be tiring. We recommend inviting a small handful of people from your support network to get this done. This may or may not include your other half! If this isn’t their thing, let them and yourself off the hook and delegate them to another wedding task. It will definitely make this part quicker and easier.
Even better, consider making a girls weekend of it! Get everything organised at once including your wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses, and flowers. It may be a good idea to get your partner involved in cake tasting and rings though.
Wedding Decor and Stationery
Now is also the time to reach out to wedding decor and stationery suppliers. While many companies do have a relatively quick turn-around time, it’s far better to get in early. This allows them to prioritise your items with their design and production teams. It also allows plenty of time to allow for any potential courier delays - floods, fires, pandemics - we’ve seen it all!
Consider choosing a comprehensive Wedding Decor and Stationery supplier. Sketch & Etch are a complete one-stop-shop for all things wedding. They offer a huge range of stunning pieces ready to order online. This includes pre-wedding items like wedding invitation cards (pssst...it’s time to get these ordered now if you haven't already)! They also have gorgeous on-the-day decor like Welcome Signs, Seating Charts, Personalized Place Cards, Table Menus, Bar Menus and more.
Something else to start thinking about is a statement wedding piece. Neon signs have been soaring in popularity as a 2021/2022 wedding trend, and folks - it’s here to stay! This stand-out piece is ideal to use at the ceremony, and again at the reception. It is the perfect wedding backdrop to the dance floor, the wedding photo booth, or the bridal table. Our personal favourites are the Sketch & Etch
- To the Moon & Back Neon
- Modern Love Neon
- Custom Phrase Neon (surname neons like ‘The Smiths’ or ‘The Perrys’ are extremely popular)
Sketch & Etch also have a huge range of fun and classic wedding sayings.
What we love even more is that wedding neon signs are that they’re designed to last. So they can be enjoyed well after the big day in your new home - Sketch & Etch have a huge 24-month warranty guys!
Wedding Checklist: 4 Months To Go
Now’s the time to get things locked in. Finalise your menu, choose your wedding favours. Make sure all outfits fit - including yours, your partner’s, and the bridal party’s. And don't forget to send out those wedding invitations, and lock in your wedding decor.
Wedding Checklist: 1 Month To Go
@briannahpaigelongo
You’ve nearly made it! Celebrate your last few weeks of singledom by having a memorable Hens or Bucks party. Thankfully, you can just tick this one off the list and leave the rest of the planning to your bridal squad.
Wedding Legalities
Lodge your Notice of Intention of Marriage. This is one of the few rules and regulations you’ll need to follow to ensure you’re legally married at the end of it all. Double your state or country’s rules around this. Be sure to also check this with your Officiant - many will lodge this paperwork for you as part of their service.
Wedding Details
It’s all in the details. It's time to tick off those final items on your Wedding Checklist. Confirm your final guest list, and finalise your on-the-day schedule. And don't forget! Share it with key people including your bridal party, wedding photographer, and caterer.
Have your last rehearsals, then take a moment to soak it all in. Before you know it, you’re going to be married!
Wedding Checklist: After the Wedding
Congratulations! You are now officially wed.
After you’ve had a chance to recover from your big day, there are a couple of things we recommend as part of wedding etiquette. Planning a wedding is often one of the biggest events someone will organise in their life. And this doesn't happen by yourself!
Send out thank-you cards to all your helpers. Don't forget to share your favourite photos with your vendors and suppliers too! As a small business, we love every moment of being part of a couple's wedding journey. It would mean the world to us if we could see photos of how your big day turned out. If you’re feeling extra generous, leave us a review! You’ll make our day.
Looking for something a little extra? While these aren’t on our official wedding checklist, we’re loving this as a thoughtful surprise for your new bride or groom. You can customise these Sketch & Etch Vow Boards with your special wedding vows. They make the perfect ‘just because’ gift, or are great as an anniversary gift!
So that’s it, in 12 minutes, you’ve learnt how to plan and organise your perfect wedding from start to finish!
Ready to get started? Visit our Wedding & Events page for inspiration. And don’t forget to download your free copy of the complete Wedding Checklist.