How many of us have dreamed of arranging the perfect wedding ceremony? You envisioned meeting the person of your dreams and everything playing out like it does in a fairytale. Ceremony, kiss, happily ever after!
But the reality can be far different from what we all imagine and have mapped out in our minds. From planning dates, to invites, to dress fittings and guest lists, wedding planning can feel like a full-time job all on its own. And yet as John Lennon famously said in his song “Beautiful Boy”, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”
So to engaged couples who are looking to tie the knot with us in Brighton, let us say that you should still take a moment for one another here and there all throughout your wedding planning timeline.
And for newly engaged couples who want more insights into what they can expect on the road ahead, heed this little guide. Here’s what you can expect from your wedding planning timeline, counting down from the day after your engagement party to the big day itself.
The Starting Line: 12+ months to go
The average timeline for wedding planning is typically 12-18 or months, for couples who have no preferential dates for their ceremony. Generally speaking though, you can expect all the items on your wedding to-do list to take about 12 months to tick off in total. So the best way to start planning for your wedding is to invest in a dedicated annual planner.
By keeping a diary in 2025, and jotting down all the to-do list items and their respective deadlines, you can keep track of how much time you have for each task – and all at a glance. This reference point can greatly reduce the stress of juggling all the appointments, decisions, and invoice due dates that accumulate during your wedding planning.
Budget Considerations: 11-12 months to go
Mapping out your budget is foundational when planning a wedding, which is why you’ll want to sit down with your partner and get a sense of the numbers as early as possible. Having a rough understanding of what you’d prefer to spend on flowers, catering, venue costs, event photography, and even on your honeymoon, can help ensure you can plan the wedding of your dreams without having to eat into your newlywed nest egg.
Pro tip: if you’re getting financial support from family, finalise the figures as promptly as possible too. It’s best to have a realistic budget (inclusive of support from parents and inlaws) to work from well before you start communicating with any prospective vendors.
Venue, Dates, Invites: 9-11 months to go
You should aim to give your guests at least 6-8 months to prepare for the occasion at a minimum. This is why most couples aim to have their RSVPs finalised and sent out beginning 9-11 months before the big day.
Of course, to have your RSVPs sent out, you’ll need to have already booked your venue! So the first few months following your engagement party will likely be spent touring potential venues and sending emails back and forth with venue managers to determine which location you’ll go with for your ceremony and reception.
If you’re planning for a wedding date falling in late spring to early autumn (which is typically considered to be peak wedding season here in Brighton), you’ll want to ensure your venue is booked as early as possible to reduce your chances of missing out!
Pro tip: you can save time and money during your wedding planning process by booking a venue that also offers their own wedding packages. Our wedding packages here at The Brighton Savoy include not only reception and ceremony packages but also a beach wedding backup package designed to ensure that your beach wedding can take place like a dream – even if Melbourne does decide to throw some of its signature wild weather your way on the day!
Ceremony & Reception Planning: 6-9 months to go
When should you start shopping for a wedding dress or a tux? When you’re planning all the fine details of your ceremony and reception, of course! Being in the middle of designing colour palettes, dinner menus, floral arrangements, the wedding cake, wedding favours, table placemats, and all the other little things that make up your special day will naturally help provide all the inspiration you need to find dresses and suits that pair well with the wider theme.
But speaking as seasoned wedding event planners ourselves, we have to acknowledge that planning all these details can be quite overwhelming for engaged couples. There are always more details to consider than you’d expect, and as such, it’s basically impossible to make all the core decisions you need to make independently.
So the best piece of advice we can give to engaged couples is to delegate and outsource. Take the suggestions made by your vendors on board. They’re pros after all, and if they’ve come recommended by your venue or by loved ones, then they’re sure to have your best interests at heart. And with smaller decisions room decor and scheduling being made for you, you and your partner can focus on things like seating arrangements, music, speeches, and all the other good stuff that makes up a personalised wedding reception.
Bridal Party & Honeymoon Planning: 3-6 months to go
With some of the more practical details of your ceremony and reception being handled for you by your trusted vendors at this stage of the process, you and your partner can focus your attention on finalising both your bachelor/bachelorette parties and (arguably more importantly) your wedding dress, groom’s tux, bridesmaid dresses and groomsmen suits/tuxes. This phase of the process is the perfect time to secure all your looks, and go in for preliminary fittings and alterations as well.
And whilst you’re already planning your hens and bucks parties, this phase of the process can also be the perfect time to start mapping out your honeymoon trip itinerary. If you haven’t booked your honeymoon yet, start looking around for good deals at this point in time so that you’re not left scrambling to organise a holiday with mere weeks left to go before your wedding. Trust us – you’ll have bigger priorities during the home stretch.
The home stretch: 1-3 months to go
You’re in the final few weeks now, and all that’s really left to do at this stage is to keep the ship on course. Confirm with your bridal party, chase up any remaining save the dates that you’re yet to hear back from, and start booking your bridal makeup, hair, and beauty appointments to make sure you can look your best on your big day.
This is also where it is wise to check in with your celebrant/officiant to make sure all the legal admin for the day has definitely been set in place. Some celebrants may also take your vows from you a few weeks earlier to make sure they’re stylistically similar. If you are sharing your vows earlier with your celebrant, then make sure they’re ready for that agreed upon deadline.
Any last minute dress alterations should also naturally take place during this phase of the process!
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While there are certainly things to do in the final week, the day before and on the day, the most important thing to remember is to enjoy yourself and remind yourself to embrace the day. Feel the love. Congratulations!