How to use this checklist
This checklist breaks a year of wedding planning into small monthly tasks. It is designed for a North Indian wedding in a big city with several functions, but most of the tasks apply to any Indian wedding. Print it, stick it on the fridge, or share it with both families. When a task is done, tick it; when it is delegated, write the person’s name next to it.
If your wedding is less than a year away, start at the month that matches and pull the earlier tasks into the first two or three weeks. The most time-sensitive items are the venue, the photographer, the makeup artist and the bridal outfit.
Why the order matters
Some decisions constrain others. The budget determines the guest list; the guest list determines the venue; the venue fixes the date and often the caterer; the date decides which vendors are free. Work in that order and you will avoid paying advances for vendors on a date that later changes. The budget calculator is the right first step, followed by the venue size calculator once you have a rough guest count.
Tips for staying on track
- One owner per task. Every task needs a name. "The family will handle it" means nobody will.
- Weekly check-in. A 20-minute call every Sunday with the key people keeps things moving.
- Put deadlines in a shared calendar with reminders a week before.
- Keep every quote and contract in one shared folder so anyone can check what was agreed.
- Track money as you go against the budget; small overruns in every category add up.
Calculators that match each stage
At twelve months, use the budget and savings calculators. At ten months, the guest stay calculator helps you block the right number of rooms. At five months, the invitation calculator tells you how many cards to print. At four months, check the caterer’s quantities with the food calculator and the bar with the alcohol calculator.
Tasks that are easy to forget
- Marriage registration. Gather photographs, address proofs and witnesses’ details in advance so registration can be done soon after the wedding.
- Leave and travel. Apply for leave early, and check passport validity if the honeymoon is abroad.
- Elders’ comfort. Wheelchairs, ground-floor rooms, medicines and a quiet room at every venue.
- Tips and small payments. Drivers, dhol players, venue staff and the mehendi team all expect something; budget it.
- Weather backups. Umbrellas, heaters, coolers or a covered area, depending on the season.
The final month
The last few weeks bring the most small tasks. Confirm every vendor in writing, write a run-sheet, and hand responsibility for each function to a trusted person. On the day itself, switch to the wedding-day checklist. For the bigger picture, read how to plan an Indian wedding.
The checklist
60 tasks · tick them off as you go. Your progress is saved in this browser.