Planning a wedding is both stressful and expensive. We will show you how to plan a wedding step-by-step to ensure that you don’t forget anything and that everything runs smoothly. We will also provide free custom printables that you can use to save a fortune and they are so good that nobody will know they were free!
Congratulations! You have decided to get married but have no idea how to start planning a wedding! We have you covered with free planners that will cover all steps to planning a wedding.
How to start planning a wedding?
If you download at least one of the printables from each of the following sections you will have a guide on how to plan a wedding step by step. We cover every step of the way and offer a few different printables and formats for each section. All our wedding planners are free and editable so if there are additional things you want to add, you are free to edit and change each document. If there are things that are not relevant you can delete them.
How long does it take to plan a wedding?
The time it takes to plan a wedding depends on a lot of factors and changes from couple to couple. However, the average couple usually takes between 12 to 18 months to plan their special day. If you have less time to plan we have you covered! Our free planners will help you get everything done in as much time as you have.
Wedding Planning Checklist
If you are not sure how to plan a wedding then our wedding to-do list will take you through each step and ensure nothing is forgotten. Our free wedding planning checklist starts 12 months before the wedding. It is editable, so if you start planning before or later you can change the dates. If you select the Excel version then the wedding planning schedule will be updated according to your planned wedding date. It includes all things you should take care of so it is basically a step-by-step wedding guide.
The printable wedding checklist is available in three formats: Word, Excel, or PDF.
Wedding Planner
This free wedding planning guide is available in two different versions: a printable wedding planner or a digital version that you can use with any PDF annotation app and an iPad or Android tablet. It will help you plan your wedding from the beginning to the end of your magical day. It will help you determine your wedding style, your priorities, wedding ideas, etc. We also offer a free wedding spreadsheet with 15 tabs or organize every aspect of your wedding.
Please note that the wedding planner includes all the printables to help you plan your wedding but they are not as comprehensive as the other printables on this site. For example, the checklist includes the main things to take care of but the standalone checklist is much longer and more detailed. It is also free as are all the wedding printables on this site. Even if you download and use the planner you might want to supplement it with other printables from this site.
In addition to the digital and printable wedding planner, we also offer a comprehensive wedding spreadsheet that will plan every aspect of your wedding.
Save the Date Cards
One of the first things you will need to do is to ask guests to save the date! With our free online save-the-date creator, you can add your own photo and text and create a free custom save-the-date!
Will you be my bridesmaid?
Wedding Guest List
One of the first steps to planning your wedding is to decide who you will invite to participate in your special event. The number of people attending will determine your budget and the venue.
Our free Excel wedding spreadsheet will keep track of your guestlist, who was invited, and who has confirmed. You can record special meal requests if any of your guests have dietary restrictions. The wedding list will also keep track of gifts received and whether or not you have sent a thank you card.
Wedding Seating Chart
One of the most important parts of wedding planning is determining where your guests will be seated. You probably don’t even know where to start. We have you covered! Our free wedding seating chart takes all the people who have RSVP’ed and lists them in an organized list. It then shows you the list of available tables. Once you select a table for each guest you will see the table seating plan for each table. If you see that you have put the wrong people together you just change the table for anyone and the seating plan will change accordingly.
Wedding Budget
Another one of the first steps to planning your wedding is to set your budget. Your budget will determine where you can have your wedding, which dresses you can buy, which caterer you can afford, etc. Once you have determined your budget you can start budgeting each item. Our free wedding budget spreadsheet starts with an estimated budget that you decide on. It then breaks down your budget into different categories and determines how much you can spend on each category. You can change the priorities of the different categories or the total budget. Within each budget, you will then have an idea of how much you can spend on everything. Once you have started to price different items you will get a better idea if your budget was realistic or not. You can then change your budget if you need to or set a target budget for each item. The spreadsheet will keep track of how much you have spent, how much you have left to spend, and how much is still due.
How to plan a wedding on a budget?
We offer free tips on how to plan a wedding on a budget.
Wedding Menu
Your wedding menu can make or break your wedding. You will probably not even taste the food but your guests will want to enjoy their meal. We will help you plan your meal and create a free wedding menu template so that your guests know what is on the menu.
Wedding Vows Template
Writing your wedding vows might seem overwhelming and you might not even know where to start. Our free marital vow template will take you step by step until you have written the perfect vows. We also offer a free wedding vows generator!
Wedding Timeline
With our free online app, you can create your own wedding timeline for free! We offer many ready-made templates and every element on each template can be customized.
Wedding Program
We offer free printable wedding program templates that you can create for your special day. In addition to the pretty templates, you can also create a wedding program with a unique theme such as a newspaper or magazine format.
Wedding Countdown
The chances are you will be anxiously waiting for your special day and constantly wondering how many days until your wedding. With our free printable wedding countdown, you will know how many days are left at any given time. You can personalize the countdown with your own photo to add that special touch.
Use our free wedding photo checklist template to make a list of shots that you want your photographer to take at the wedding.
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