Wedding Planning Checklist: Month by Month (Australia)
The question’s been popped, the ring is on, and you’re officially in fiancé territory… what happens now, and in what order?
In Short
- Most Australian couples plan across twelve to eighteen months. Twelve is comfortable, under six is tight but possible.
- Book the venue first, then the photographer, then the entertainment. Those three fill their calendars earliest.
- Your Notice of Intended Marriage must be lodged at least one month and one day before the wedding. That one is a legal deadline.
- The final month is for confirmations, not decisions. Every supplier should have your run sheet by then.
This is where the fun begins
Here is the whole thing, month by month, with Australian supplier lead times. Start at whichever month you are in.
You’re about to dive headfirst into wedding planning, equal parts exciting and overwhelming (but mostly exciting – promise). Pop some bubbles, soak up the love, and get ready to bring that dream day of yours to life with our wedding planning checklist.
Yes, there’s a lot to organise, but don’t panic. We’ve done the hard work for you with the ultimate wedding checklist, a step-by-step wedding planning guide that doubles as your very own wedding to-do list. Think of it as your roadmap from “just engaged” to “just married” without the late-night stress spirals.
From planning your engagement party and setting a realistic budget to choosing the perfect venue and celebrant, our wedding planning timeline covers all the essentials. It’s even broken down into a wedding checklist by month, so you know exactly what to tick off and when.
So, congrats lovers, your next chapter starts here. Ready to see how to plan a wedding and account for everything? Let’s get into it.
Check out our 18-month calendar wedding checklist below or continue reading our web version for your convenience:
Download the Ultimate Wedding Planning Checklist – For the best experience, use our planning checklist on desktop.
Note: For the best experience, use our planning checklist on desktop
Hey Jack Wedding Planning Checklist
18 Months Prior
Think about your budget
Talk about who will pay for what. You might cover the entire thing, or maybe your families will each commit a specific amount. Need help? We’ve done the legwork for you in our Hey Jack Wedding Budget Spreadsheet.
Start a favourites board
We recommend using Canva. Use it early and often. Start by browsing Real Weddings galleries online and taking screenshots of weddings that suit your vibe.
Plan an engagement party
Not everyone has one. Traditionally you or your fiancé’s parents host, but anyone can throw it for you. If you’re having one, you’ll want to set a date and draft the guest list.
Decide on city and season
Trust us, the first question everyone will ask you when they hear you’re engaged is where and when you’re having the wedding. So, talk it out. Summer or spring? Close to home or a destination? A wedding in the CBD or a bit more traditional?
Start your guest list
Start with immediate family and friends, then move on to the rest of the invitees in order of importance (sounds harsh, but it’s the best way to keep organised). Use our Guest List Manager to make it easy.
Research reception venues
When looking for your reception venue, consider the following: budget, guest list and distance to the ceremony site. Once you’ve found a few spots that may work for you, make a few appointments for site visits.
Send engagement party invites
You can do it the traditional way and send out by mail, or you could also reinvent this tradition and send digitally via Paperless Post. A fabulous Facebook event does the trick too!
14 Months Prior
Finalise your wedding budget
Be detailed when putting together your budget. Track big-ticket items and smaller costs like postage, pamper appointments and invitations in our Hey Jack Wedding Budget Spreadsheet to avoid surprises later on.
Schedule reception venue tours
Congrats on making it this far in the venue search! It’s time for a thorough walk-through of your final contenders. Make sure to create a list of questions before the tours.
Estimate your guest count
Finish up those family negotiations and get a robust estimate. You’ll need it to find your venue.
Research ceremony sites
Does your reception venue have a designated place to hold your ceremony? If not, consider a nearby park or church.
Book your reception venue
Time to say “I do” to your venue. First, request a contract and review it carefully. Ask questions, and then ask some more. Once you’re comfortable, it’s time to sign and provide the venue a deposit if required.
12 Months Prior
Book your ceremony site
Make sure you request a contract and put down a deposit. Look to your wedding mood board to get ideas on how you can decorate the space.
Book your celebrant
No matter where your wedding ceremony takes place, it’s essential that your celebrant is someone who both you and your partner trust, and will set the tone for the entire day. They should be willing to get to know you as a couple.
Block out hotel accommodation for guests
You might want to start with fewer rooms and then add more if needed (some hotels require you to pay in advance).
Book your wedding night hotel
When you call to make a reservation, mention you’re booking the room for your wedding night. You might get a free upgrade!
Wedding planner
Do you have the budget to squeeze it in? If so, we highly recommend it. Having some help with suppliers, styling and on-the-day coordination is worth every cent in the lead up to your day.
10 Months Prior
Create a weather “plan B”
In case any weather disasters come up last-minute, it’s a good idea to have a “plan B” in place. If your wedding is outdoors, consider a tent with sides, or an indoor space that can accommodate your guest list.
Book your photographer
Your wedding photographer will be with you throughout your entire wedding day, so they should be someone you really click with. Make sure to have a good chat with them and let them know your story and what you envision for your photos. Even better if you have some inspo pics!
Book your videographer
Do your research and ask critical questions about the wedding videography before you book. Check out some of Hey Jack’s love stories.
Research & book your caterer
Your caterer will play a huge role in coordinating the evening and will likely supply the bar too, so prep your questions beforehand and book in the one that resonates with your foodie vision best!
Research acoustic artists for ceremony and canapé hour
When you hire an acoustic duo, you’re putting your trust in them to help set the tone. Reviews are crucial and make sure they have plenty of videos to watch online, you should get a good idea from the moment you press play whether they’re the right fit for you.
Research bands and DJs for reception
Ensure you’ve chosen something that fits with your style and overall personality. If you love live music, hire an epic trio or band to bring the party. If you have a tighter budget or just prefer the epic bangers that a wedding DJ can provide, go for it!
Choose your wedding party
Whether you’d like just your bestie standing next to you, 10 on each side, or even bridesmen or grooms women. When you pop the question to your wedding party, make it clear how involved you’d like them to be.
Dress shopping
Save your favourite designers on Instagram and ensure these fall in line with your budget, then get your tribe together and book in a day to visit a few stores for try-ons.
9 Months Prior
Order save-the-dates
This is one of those milestones that make the planning you’ve done so far feel real! If you have a designer in mind, now is the time to order. You want to send them between 7–9 months beforehand. You could also send these via Paperless Post.
Book your wedding entertainment
Ensure your music is 100% locked in at this stage.
Research wedding invites and paper goods
Paperlust is a fantastic supplier for wedding invitations delivering Australia-wide. Or, save some trees and go digital via Paperless Post (an excellent way to save some costs too).
Schedule engagement photos
They’re an extra cost, but an engagement photoshoot is well worth the money. Of course you’ll get great images, but it will also help you feel more comfortable with your photographer having a camera pointed at you all day.
Book your florist
Ask them to send photos of their work from past weddings to see if they fit with your wedding vision.
Decide on your dress
Pick your dress and purchase it! This leaves time for it to be custom-made, or if you’re buying off the rack, alterations.
7–8 Months Prior
Decide on wedding party bouquets
Chat with your bridal party and get some advice on a particular style. This could help you with the decision making, and then lock in the florals!
Decide on wedding party boutonnieres
There are so many options! Check out Etsy and Pinterest for some inspo here and order them as it could take a few months due to the customisation.
Decide on your ceremony decorations
This is something your planner and/or florist can give advice and help with. Refer to your mood board and get some help with specific décor/florals that would suit your style and budget. Book this all in.
List potential honeymoon options
Put together a list of all the places you might want to explore for your honeymoon. If you already know, start collecting hotel and restaurant ideas and read up on the most popular hot spots.
Plan the day-after brunch
Think of the morning-after brunch as a last thank-you to your guests before they head home. You can keep it low-key, as most guests will be dropping in on their way out.
6 Months Prior
Book honeymoon flights and hotels
It’s time to firm up plans and make those flight and hotel reservations. Then make a list of any activities you want to do while you’re there as well. Too busy? Consider using a travel agent.
Buy or rent menswear
This is the time to secure accessories like bowties, tux shirts and cummerbunds. Schedule tuxedo or suit fitting with the boys. If you have someone who lives far away, get them to go to a local tailor and get measurements.
Plan and book transportation
Consider both luxuries (such as limos for you and your families) and essentials (like parking). Then do your research and narrow down your options. Are you having a remote wedding and require a bus charter?
Make a list of your accessories
There are actually a lot of pieces you’ll need to finish off your wedding day look, including under-the-dress essentials, shoes and jewellery. List them out to keep track of what you’ll need to buy.
List ceremony extras to buy
Is there anything you’ll need for your ceremony that won’t be provided by your venue, florist or rental company? Details like your aisle décor, flower girl and ring bearer props, or a custom refreshment station will make your ceremony feel more personal.
Buy reception extras
Start shopping so you can tick off some of those items from your reception extras list. After each purchase, subtract the price from your budget to help you keep track.
Decide on a bridal shower outfit
Whether it’s a little white dress or something that fits the colour or theme, now is the time to figure out what you’re wearing to your bridal shower.
Order wedding rings
Visit jewellery stores and ask friends for recommendations. Want to really personalise it? Engrave the inside with a meaningful phrase or your wedding date.
Collect addresses for invites
Reach out to family and friends via Facebook, email and text and populate all the addresses in a spreadsheet.
Frequently asked questions
Twelve to eighteen months is the normal range in Australia. You can do it in six, and plenty of people do, but you will be choosing from whoever still has your date free rather than from a shortlist.
The venue, then the photographer, then the entertainment. Those three fill their Saturdays earliest, and the venue sets the date everything else works around.
Ten to twelve months for a summer or autumn Saturday. Melbourne’s peak season runs October to April and well-known photographers are often booked eighteen months out. Winter and weekdays are much easier.
Enjoy it for a fortnight. After that, the budget, because it decides your guest list, and the guest list decides which venues are even possible.
Work backwards from your date in monthly blocks, and put each task in the month it has to be finished rather than the month you would like to start it. Then share it so it is not living in one person’s head.
Have more questions?
Please reach out to us with any questions you may have while planning your wedding, we’re kind of experts on this. And if you’re looking for wedding entertainment, a wedding photographer or wedding videographer in Melbourne, we’ve got you covered, submit an enquiry to check availability and get a quote. We can’t wait to hear all about your wonderful plans so far!
