Wedding planning: a to-do list from engagement to the day after

Why start with a list

Many wedding tasks depend on each other: without a date you can't book a venue, without a venue you can't fix the number of guests, and without the number of guests you can't order the menu. Writing all the tasks down at the start lets you put them in the right order and share them straight away between the couple, parents and witnesses.

Preparation timeline

1. 12–9 months before: budget, date, a rough guest list, venue, photographer and band or DJ — the best ones are booked a year ahead.
2. 8–5 months before: dress and suit, videographer, decorations and flowers, transport, invitations.
3. 4–2 months before: send the invitations, rings, menu tasting, accommodation for guests, paperwork for the ceremony.
4. Final month: guest confirmations, seating plan, fittings, final arrangements with the venue and suppliers, the plan for the day.
5. After the wedding: settling up with suppliers, thank-you notes, collecting photos and video.

Task list to copy

• Set the budget and a rough guest list
• Book the venue (with the deposit deadline)
• Book a photographer and videographer
• Book a band or DJ
• Choose and order invitations
• Buy the rings
• Order flowers and decorations
• Sort out the paperwork for the ceremony
• Collect RSVPs from guests
• Prepare the seating plan
• Agree the plan for the day with suppliers

How to do it in Add My Task

1. Create a “Wedding” board and invite your partner, plus any parents or witnesses helping with the preparations.
2. Add the tasks, assign people and set dates: deposits, fittings, tastings, meetings with suppliers. Note the agreed price, contact details and contract terms in the card description.
3. The calendar shows every appointment, and if the same person has two at once, you'll see a conflict warning.
4. Keep the wedding budget in a project: add tasks as costs with amounts and group them into stages (e.g. Venue and menu, Music and photos, Outfits). A task moved to “Done” counts as money spent, and the chart shows how much of the budget is left.
5. A day with several appointments in different places? Give them a location and plan a route.

Watch out for

• Keep 10–15% of the budget for unexpected costs — you'll almost certainly need it.
• Add deposit deadlines as separate tasks with dates — they are easy to forget.
• Don't add everything at once: fill in the details as each stage gets closer.
• The card's change history shows who changed what and when — useful when several people are involved.