Wedding Vendor Checklist: Create a Wedding Checklist Timeline

A wedding vendor provides goods and services to ensure a couple’s wedding day goes as smoothly as possible. They range from caterers and clothiers to planners and officiants. When you hire the right wedding vendors, you enlist a team capable of making your perfect wedding aspirations a reality. You might also need to get in touch with vendors for preliminary wedding events like the bridal shower or bachelor party.

You will need an expansive team of people to pull off the wedding of your dreams. Here are ten common wedding vendors you can consider hiring:

1. 1. Caterers: These food providers prepare and serve drinks on the wedding day. More often than not, you’ll need to find another vendor to provide the wedding cake. Just as some chefs specialize in cooking and others are more adept at baking, the same proves true for wedding caterers.
2. 2. Clothiers: There are plenty of different options when it comes to finding the right clothes for your big day. A tuxedo rental company might fit the bill for the groomsmen. Each member of the bridal party might prefer to go to their own preferred vendor for their bridesmaid dress, although they’ll usually follow parameters the bride has set. Some brides seek out custom-made wedding dresses, while others try to find something in a store.
3. 3. DJs: These musical professionals ensure the dance floor is full throughout the wedding reception. A DJ also announces the entry of the wedding party, the first dances, and any other important information for guests throughout the event. A wedding band can perform a similar function.
4. 4. Florists: You might need someone to create floral arrangements and decorations for your wedding ceremony and reception. Florists will put together gorgeous bouquets and centerpieces featuring your favorite flowers.
5. 5. Hair and makeup artists: When you tell hair stylists and makeup specialists how you’ve always wanted to look on your wedding day, they’ll do their best to make it happen. You’ll often have to find separate vendors for this, although some companies provide joint hair and makeup teams.
6. 6. Hotels: If you’re planning a destination wedding, it’s customary to set up your family members and friends in hotel rooms. If it’s a more local wedding, you can cross this concern off the list. Even in the former case, some couples simply inform their guests ahead of time they’ll need to find their own hotel rooms.
7. 7. Jewelers: While your jeweler won’t be present on your wedding day, they’re still a very important vendor to include on your wedding planning checklist. Don’t put off picking out your wedding rings until the last minute. See if you can find wedding bands you think will pair well with your engagement ring.
8. 8. Photographers: You’ll want a record of your special day, and that’s where wedding photographers and videographers will help you the most. Some also offer special deals when you take your engagement photos with them, too. Sift through as many portfolios as you need to before settling on the right photographer for you.
9. 9. Venues: The wedding venue itself is one of the main vendors you’ll need to book. Some provide catering and other wedding favors (e.g., linens). You can also check with venues whether they have any preferred vendors with whom they enjoy working.
10. 10. Wedding planners: Your wedding coordinator or wedding planner will help you organize your vendor checklist and orchestrate each aspect of your wedding. For that matter, they will be there beforehand for the rehearsal dinner, too.

A wedding vendor checklist is an essential to-do list for keeping track of all the vendors you need to hire. It ensures you have everyone in place to make your wedding day the perfect memory you always hoped it would be. Use it to stay organized, and you’ll stay on top of deadlines and payments, too. Think of it as the template to create the ideal celebration for yourselves and everyone else on your wedding guest list. It’ll take you from the engagement right up to obtaining your marriage license.

Building a template to navigate the wedding planning process will prove useful for you and your spouse-to-be. Keep these steps in mind as you strive to create the best wedding checklist possible:

• Decide on a timeline. Set up your checklist in chronological order. For example, you’ll need to contact vendors who make save-the-date cards and wedding invitations long before you have to book a DJ. Follow your wedding planning timeline and check off each box as you get closer to the day itself.
• Keep other tasks in mind. Remember there are some tasks with which you’ll need to take a DIY approach. For instance, you’ll need to invite people while remaining cognizant of the venue’s guest count, work on providing all the information necessary for your wedding website, and build a seating chart as the RSVPs arrive. The sooner you outsource all the other work to professional vendors, the more free time you’ll have to focus on these sorts of initiatives.
• Research your options. Make a checklist of all the vendors you need—as well as the order in which you’ll need them—and then spend an ample amount of time finding just the right people for the job. Work with a coordinator to find vendors who have already worked together. Talk to your spouse about what wedding style you’re going for, then look for people and companies who specialize in that aesthetic.
• Stick to a budget. Pair each element of your checklist to a concrete wedding budget. Your dream wedding still needs to fall within preset cost parameters. If you find a vendor outside of your price range, you can always lower the range you’re targeting for a less important type of service.

Have a wedding to plan? Learn how to take on the process strategically. Discover Mindy Weiss’s approach to setting a budget, choosing a theme, and sending invitations when you sign up for the MasterClass Annual Membership.