Indian Wedding Planning Timeline

Indian wedding checklist

Planning a multi day Indian wedding is stressful, but with our timeline you can ease some of that stress!  From time to time receive inquiries from brides regarding recommended vendors for their weddings. Here is our final Indian wedding checklist with links to vendors sites and contact information. Fill out the contact us form in the vendor directory to get discounts to these amazing wedding vendors. We are always open to hearing suggestions from our brides to be.  Let us know if you would like us to add items to our Indian wedding planning checklist.

Click on the tabs below to go through the timeline in the sections that you need.  Also you can download the PDF file of one checklist.

Planning your Indian Wedding month by month

Pre Wedding Planning Tasks

It might not be a comfortable conversation, but it’s an important one.  You and your fiance can speak with your individual families and come a decision about the following items.  It will help to hash out these details in the beginning rather than further down the line.  You don’t want to sign a contract for a venue that can only hold 350 people and realize that your in-laws guest list is 250 which means your wedding guest count is going to be well over 400.

♥ Decided on dates for wedding events (what season do you want to get married in) off season will save you $$$
– Depending on your family, you may need to consult with a pandit to get “good dates”
♥ How may events will you have and over how many days (haldi, mehndi, sangeet)
-Consider your budget when choosing the number of events. The less events you have the more wiggle room you will have with your budget
♥ Discuss budget (will you and your fiance help, both families what’s the big number?)
♥ Allocate responsibilities between both families
-While making your wedding binder, make organizers for the 2 people that are going to be helping you the most (mom and sister?)

Click here to Download as PDF

Thanks for visiting our Indian wedding blog! Anything that you feel we need to add to the Indian wedding checklist?  What did you add to this timeline?  Help future brides by leaving a comment below.

So the planning process begins! The first few action items on your wedding planning list aren’t the most fun things, but you can do it!  You need to finalize all the details that go into choosing your venue.  Here are some helpful questions you may need to ask.

♥ Finalize guest list for each event (you need accurate numbers when looking for venues)
-Make A and B lists for each event, allocated numbers for each family, bride and groom
-You can use Google docs or our new favorite OneNote so all parties can work on the same document
-Create columns for each event, number of adults, children, addresses, hotel rooms for each night, address, phone number, save the date sent, invite sent…

♥ Finalize the number of events and the guest counts for each

♥ Discuss ideas for wedding venues, look, feel, season
-Make your list of venues to call, send them your guest counts and space needs, schedule appointments

♥ Hire a wedding planner to help advise you on venues and possibly save you money on your contracts

♥ Get proposals back from venues and shortening your list to your top 2 venues.  Bring this list of Questions to ask Venues

♥ Discussed where your clothes are going to come from and when
-Will you be flying to get your clothing
-Can you get the time off of work along with the time you will need for your wedding and honeymoon

♥ Discuss your dream wedding vendors and make a list for later

 

Let the fun begin, you’ve been pinning your heart out on your secret wedding board (don’t forget to share it with us) and you can finally share your wedding decor ideas!

♥ Book your venues for your wedding ceremony, reception, sangeet etc
♥ Book your dream vendors & photographer and videographer
♥ Book your trip overseas to shop (optional)
♥ Book your caterer
♥ Book your panditji
♥ Book your décor/ florist
♥ Book your DJ
♥ Book your wedding planner/day of coordinator
♥ Let friends/family that are long distance know your dates
♥ Order your save the dates and invitations
♥ Vendors to research: cake, favors, clothing, henna, hair and makeup
♥ Start beauty regimen

♥ Talk to your girls and set dates for your bachelorette and Bridal shower
♥ Order clothes for your wedding ceremonies/events
♥ Setup cake tastings and choose your baker
♥ Book henna artist for yourself and guests
♥ Setup hair trials and makeup trials and book artist
♥ Order wedding bands
♥ Book honeymoon (start shopping for some cute outfits)
♥ Collect mailing addresses of guests
♥ Setup templates for escort cards, wedding programs, menu cards,
♥ If you haven’t already, create your wedding weekend timeline, reception timeline
♥ Check passports for honeymoon and discuss honeymoon locations
♥ Reserve rental items: tent, chairs, tables for events at home
♥ Start working on Song lists
♥ Reserve tuxs
♥ Order wedding favors
♥ Book Transportation: limo, exotic car, charter buses etc.

♥ Start DIY projects: table numbers, guest book table, escort table, décor items, the possibilities are endless
♥ Send out invitations
♥ Prepare table seating spreadsheet
♥ Update timeline for the week and weekend minute to minute timeline
♥ Starting thinking of songs for your entrance, grooms entrance, bridesmaids entrance for the ceremony, first dance, bridal party entrance songs and cake cutting songs for the reception
♥ Delegate tasks, make sure other people know every detail and can handle items if needed (remember you will not always be available)
♥ Find and purchase gifts for people that have helped you and your bridal party
♥ Go over details with officiant and make sure you have all the items needed
♥ Apply for marriage license

Send in your DJ info (songs, lighting)
♥ Reconfirm details with vendors and get final bills
♥ Make final payments with vendors
♥ Pack your honeymoon suitcase
♥ Finalize photolist and list of people you want included in your photos and videos
♥ Give all your vendors copies of your final timeline as well as contact information
♥ Try on your clothes and pack all your outfits with items needed: jewelry, shoes, spanx, bindis, hair accessories, bra and panties for every outfit
♥ Finalize table seating and send to printers
♥ Complete room layout and all floor plans
♥ Pick up marriage license
♥ Catering final numbers

Two weeks out
♥ Try on outfits one last time for final fitting
♥ Relay any changes to vendors
♥ Breathe and if you can manage get a massage

One week out
♥ Last facial make sure you have one week to recover from it
♥ Provide final numbes to your vendors especially venue and caterer
♥ Arrange a person to help you in giving all your vendors final payments
♥ Arrange for someone to drive you around as you are not going to be in any state to drive yourself
♥ Share your weekend timeline with hair appointments and items you need help on with your designated people
♥ Arrange for someone to hold the rings for the ceremony and take jewelry after ceremon

♥ Add columns to guest rsvp spreadsheet and add in gifts
♥ Get thank you cards and send them
♥ Send wedding outfit to dry cleaners to get preserved
♥ Wait for wedding photos and choose albums
♥ Sell items on websites or through Shaadi Bazaar [/dt_tab]