The Complete Gay Wedding Ideas Wedding Checklist

Listed below are all the topics discussed in the guide consolidated into an easy-to-print wedding checklist. This is a great way to stay on top of the tasks to be done along the timeline to your big day. Feel free to share your thoughts with us on our website: GayWeddingIdeas.net as well as your friends, family, and your wedding consultant as you wish!

9-12 Months From Wedding Day
• Announce your engagement
• Decide a wedding date
• Hire a wedding consultant
• Selecting the wedding style you want: time of day, formality, number of guests, location, etc.
• Determine budget and how expenses will be distributed
• Develop a record-keeping system for payments made
• Form the complete guest wedding checklist (your guests and your partners guests broken down into three categories)
1. Essential Guests to be Invited
2. Those Who Should Be Invited
3. Those Who Should Invited If Possible
• Select and reserve ceremony site
• Select and reserve reception site
• Select and reserve your officiate
• Select and order your bridal gown and headpiece (brides) or suits (grooms)
• Select your color scheme
• Buy a wedding calendar to record any and all important dates
• Making a Photographer Selection
• Select maid of honor, best man, bridesmaids and ushers (approx. one usher per 50 guests)

6-9 Months From Wedding
• Select flower girl and ring bearer
• Reserve wedding night honeymoon suite
• Select attendant’s dresses, shoes, and accessories
• Select and book caterer (optional)
• Select and reserve ceremony/reception musicians
• Schedule fittings and delivery dates for yourself, attendants, flower girl and ring bearer
• Select and book videographer
• Select and book florist

4-6 Months From Wedding Day
• Reserve rental items needed for ceremony and reception
• Complete total guest wedding  checklist
• Purchase Wedding Announcements; Thank You Notes; Invitations & Envelopes; Ceremony Programs; Response Cards & Envelopes; Seating Cards; Save-the-Date Cards; Location Map; Napkins; and Other Stationery
• Address invitations or hire a calligrapher
• Set date, time and location for your rehearsal dinner
• Select and book all other necessary services (ex. Valet parking, wedding registry)
• Purchase shoes and accessories

2-4 Months From Wedding Day
• Select bakery and order wedding cake
• Order party favors
• Select and order room decorations
• Purchase honeymoon attire and luggage
• Select and book transportation for wedding day
• Check blood test and marriage license requirements
• Shop for wedding rings and engrave them
• Consider writing a will and/or prenuptial agreement

6-8 Weeks From Wedding Day
• Mail invitations. Include accommodation choices and address for ceremony and reception sites.
• Maintain a RSVP’s wedding checklist and all gifts received. Send thank you notes upon receipt of gifts.
• Decide hair style and makeup
• Schedule to have your hair, makeup and nails done the day of the wedding
• Finalize shopping for wedding day accessories such as toasting glasses, ring pillow, guest book, etc.
• Set up an area or a table in your home to display gifts as you receive them
• Check with your local newspapers for wedding announcement requirements
• Have your formal wedding portrait taken
• Send wedding announcement and photograph to your local newspapers
• Change name and address on driver’s license, social security card, insurance policies, subscriptions, bank accounts, memberships, etc.
• Select and reserve wedding attire for groom, ushers, father of the bride and ring bearer
• Select a guest book attendant. Decide where and when to have guests sign in.
• Mail invitations to rehearsal dinner
• Obtain marriage license
• Plan a luncheon or dinner with your bridesmaids/groomsmen. Give them their gifts at that time or at the rehearsal dinner.
• Finalize your menu, beverage and alcohol order

Two to Six Weeks Before Wedding
• Confirm ceremony details with your officiant
• Arrange final fitting of bridesmaids’ dresses
• Have final fitting of your gown and headpiece
• Finalize rehearsal dinner plans; arrange seating and write names on place cards (optional)
• Make final floral selections
• Make a detailed timeline for your wedding party
• Make a detailed timeline for your service providers
• Confirm details of Gay Wedding Ideas wedding checklist with all service providers. Give them a copy of your wedding timeline.
• Start packing for your honeymoon
• Contact the guests invited from wedding checklist (from the 6-9 months section) who haven’t responded
• Pick up rings and check for fit
• Make a detailed timeline for your wedding party
• Make a detailed timeline for your service providers
• Continue writing thank-you notes as gifts arrive
• Remind bridesmaids/groomsmen and ushers of when and where to pick up their wedding attire
• Form a wedding ceremony/reception seating chart and give to ushers.
• Make arrangements for the care of any pets you may have

The Last Week
• Pick up wedding attire and make sure everything fits
• Do final guest count and notify your caterer or reception site manager
• Gather everything you will need for the rehearsal and wedding day
• Arrange for someone to drive the getaway car
• Review wedding checklist event schedule and last minute arrangements with your service providers
• Confirm all honeymoon reservations and accommodations.Pick up tickets and travelers check.
• Finish packing your suitcases for the honeymoon
• Familiarize yourself with guests’ names. It will come in handy during the receiving line and reception.
• Have the Post Office hold your mail while you are away on your honeymoon

The Rehearsal
• Review list of things to bring to the rehearsal
• Put suitcases in getaway car
• Give your bridesmaids the lipstick, nail polish and accessories you want them to wear for the wedding
• Give best man the officiant’s fee and any other checks for service providers (if not taken care of by the wedding consultant.)
• Instruct him to deliver these checks the day of the wedding.
• Arrange for someone to bring accessories such as flower basket, ring pillow, guest book and pen, toasting glasses, cake cutting knife and napkins to the ceremony and reception
• Arrange for someone to mail announcements the day after the wedding
• Arrange for someone to return rental items after the wedding
• Provide each member of your wedding party with a detailed schedule for the wedding day
• Review ceremony seating with ushers
Wedding Day
• Review list of things to bring to the ceremony
• Give the groom’s ring to the maid of honor. Give the bride’s ring to the best man.
• Simply follow your detailed wedding checklist schedule of events