Six months out: the planning timeline we give every couple

Most planning stress is not caused by having too little time. It is caused by making decisions in the wrong order.

Six months out

Guest count, budget ceiling and venue. Nothing else can be decided sensibly before these three, because all three constrain everything downstream.

Five months

Photographer and planner. The good ones book out first, and both need lead time to be useful rather than reactive.

Four months

Design direction frozen. Not sketched — frozen. Every week the concept stays open after this point costs money in re-fabrication.

Three months

Catering tasting, entertainment confirmed, outfits in production, invitations out.

Two months

Floor plans, seating logic, run sheet drafted, all vendor contracts signed.

One month

Final guest numbers, load-in schedule circulated, contingency plans agreed in writing.

The last week

Nothing new. Only confirmations. If something is being decided in the final week it has already gone wrong somewhere.