How to use the planner
- Type your names and the wedding date, or leave both empty and write them in by hand. They appear large on the overview and small in the top corner of every other sheet.
- Switch off any page you won't use and choose one or two guest list pages.
- Download the PDF and print it at actual size. A ring binder or a clipboard keeps the sheets in order.
Fill in the overview first. It holds the facts you will look up most often: both venues and their start times, the guest count, the total budget, the date replies are due and a short table of key contacts.
Working backwards from the date
The checklist runs in nine phases: 12 months or more before, 9 to 12 months before, 6 to 9 months before, 4 to 6 months before, 2 to 4 months before, 1 month before, 1 week before, the day before and on the day. Start at your wedding date and count back, then write the real calendar date on the line next to each phase heading. A loose "6 to 9 months before" becomes "by March 14", which is much easier to act on.
If you have less time than the list assumes, merge the early phases and work through them in the first week or two. Book the things that only one supplier can do on your date first, such as the venue and the person leading the ceremony, and leave tasks you can do yourself, like making a playlist, for later. Strike through tasks you decide to skip so you can see at a glance that they were a choice. Every phase ends with a blank line for something of your own.
Keeping the budget
The budget sheet starts with venue, catering and drinks, attire, hair and makeup, photography and video, flowers and decorations, music, rings, stationery and postage, transport, ceremony fees and rentals, then Other and a block of blank rows. Before you book anything, spread your total over the Planned column until the lines add up to the figure on the overview. That step forces the hard choices early, while they are still easy to change.
Each time you sign a contract, write the agreed price under Actual. Each time money leaves your account, add it to Paid. The gap between Actual and Paid is what you still owe, and the four boxes at the bottom of the page give you the overall picture: total budget, total actual, paid so far and still to pay. If one category runs over, decide straight away which other line gives up the difference.
Managing RSVPs
Write every invited guest on a numbered row with a phone number or email address, so that chasing late replies takes minutes rather than an evening. Put the reply deadline in the RSVP by field on the overview and on the invitation itself.
As answers arrive, tick Yes or No and note the meal choice straight away, so the numbers are ready when the one month phase of the checklist asks you to send final counts to the venue and caterer. Add table numbers once the seating plan is settled. After the wedding, the two Gift columns help you keep track: tick Received when a gift or card comes in and Thanked when your note has gone out. The totals line on the last guest page holds the counts.
Vendors and the day itself
The vendor sheet lists common services in the first column and leaves room for the company, the contact person and a phone number or email. Record each deposit with the date you paid it, then the balance and its due date, and tick Paid when it is settled. The three boxes at the bottom show what has gone out in deposits, what is still owed and when the next payment falls due.
About a week before, fill in the day-of schedule: the time, what happens, who is in charge and where. Give a copy to your helpers and to each vendor, so questions on the day go to them instead of to you. The short list underneath covers what to bring, from the rings to a phone charger.
Tools to plan with
The wedding budget calculator splits a total into categories you can rename, tracks estimated, actual and paid amounts, and shows the cost per guest. The countdown timer counts down the days, hours and minutes to your date and can be shared as a link. If a group meal before or after the wedding ends with one bill, the itemized bill splitter divides it by what each person ordered, with shared items, tax and tip. For an engagement party, a shower or a rehearsal dinner, the printable event planner has its own timeline, guest list and shopping list.
Frequently asked questions
Is the wedding planner free?
Yes. Download and print it as often as you like, for your own wedding or to hand to a friend who is planning one. There is no signup and no watermark; each page has one small line with our web address at the bottom.
Can I leave out pages I do not need?
Yes. Under Pages to include, tap a page to switch it off, and the index on the overview and the page numbers adjust. At least one page stays on. If you already have a budget spreadsheet or a guest list elsewhere, print only the sheets you are missing.
How many guests fit on the guest list?
On US Letter, one page has 29 numbered rows and two pages have 60. On A4 it is 31 and 65. Each row has room for a name, a phone number or email address, Yes and No boxes, the meal choice, the table number and two ticks for the gift and the thank-you note. The last page ends with a line for the totals.
Does the checklist fit every kind of wedding?
It sticks to practical jobs such as booking, confirming, paying and packing, and leaves out anything tied to one tradition. Some tasks end with "if any" or "if wanted" because not every couple needs them. Cross out what does not apply and use the blank line under each phase for your own.
Why are some characters missing from our names?
The PDF uses a standard font that covers English and most Western European letters. Emoji and other alphabets, such as Greek, Cyrillic or Arabic, cannot be drawn with it, so they are left out, and a few rare accented letters print without the accent. A note under the fields appears when that happens, and the preview shows the text exactly as it will print.
Should I print on Letter or A4?
Use the paper in your printer. The page starts on US Letter when your browser is set to US or Canadian English or Canadian French, and on A4 for every other language; you can switch before downloading. A4 is slightly taller, so the guest list gets a few more rows.