It’s that time of year when everything gets busy.  

Thanksgiving is upon us and Christmas is right around the corner.  We all have a to-do list a mile long.  The calendar is filling up with parties, dinners with friends, seasonal events, shopping days, and more.  

Then on top of all of that…wedding planning.  

So how do you keep yourself sane, enjoy the busiest time of year, AND plan a wedding?  

Our #1 Tip:  

We implemented this strategy for our own wedding (which we planned in just under 6 months from 6 states away) and it SAVED OUR SANITY.  

Get yourself a wedding planning calendar/checklist.  

I’m not just talking about any old calendar.  Here’s what I mean:  

1. Search the internet for a pre-made wedding planning calendar or checklist (like THIS ONE from The Knot).  Look for checklists that recommend tasks based on how many months stand between you and your wedding day, i.e. 6 months before:  Do ____, 4 months before:  Do ______, etc.
2. Open up a Word or Excel document to create your own version, because we know those things never quite fit our own plans/timeline AND if it doesn’t make sense, you won’t keep using it!
3. Create headings for each time frame, i.e. 12 months before wedding date, 10 months before wedding date, etc.
4. Then we recommend using 4 columns:  
5. Column 1:  Use this column to check off items as you complete them!
6. Column 2:  Use this column to pencil in a goal date of completion for each item.  We recommend doing this at the beginning of each month or week so you know which items you’re working on and when.  
7. Column 3:  Use this column to paste “tasks” or “items” you need to work on to plan your wedding!  This is where that internet search comes in handy.  Copy and past relevant tasks into the appropriate time frame.  
8. Column 4:  Use this column to make notes about tasks, i.e. “call again on 1/16” or “delegate to MOH” or “order 200”
9. If your wedding is sooner than 12 months away, realistically place tasks into a time frame that’s feasible for you instead of following the online calendars exactly.
10. Print your checklist and put it in a binder or folder to reference often.  We recommend setting a reminder on your phone or calendar to refer back to your checklist at least once a week!  

But that’s not all…

Knowing what you need to do and when is one of the hardest parts of wedding planning.  After reading as many business, personal development, and time management books as we have, we know that having a system in place to track tasks is SO IMPORTANT.  It only works, though, if you use your system and have accountability to check in with your system regularly.  

Your stress level will SIGNIFICANTLY decrease if you implement your tracking system with a guaranteed trigger (in this case, a phone alarm or reminder) to check in with your system.  It also helps to set aside time weekly or bi-weekly to work on wedding related tasks.  I found that scheduling time on my calendar to complete wedding related tasks helped me keep my brain from whirling with wedding details 24/7 and allowed me to focus on people and other areas of my life.  

So Get Started!

To help you get started, we created a Wedding Checklist Template using the system described above!  Now you can skip right to filling in your tasks and dates and get started sooner!  Our hope is that this transforms your wedding planning experience!  

Download the Template Here

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