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Wedding planning checklist

A month-by-month wedding timeline, with the InviteBird features that help with invitations, RSVPs, seating, meals, and the day itself.

Last reviewed 4 min read

On this page9 sections
  1. 2 to 3 months before
  2. 6 to 8 weeks before
  3. 3 weeks before
  4. 1 week before
  5. A few days before
  6. On the day
  7. After the wedding
  8. Common questions
  9. Related articles

A wedding has more moving parts than most celebrations, and a longer runway to match. Here's a timeline from a couple of months out to after the last dance, with the InviteBird tools that carry the invitation, RSVP, seating, and day-of details. Treat the dates as general guidance and shift them to fit your plans.

2 to 3 months before

Lock in the essentials: the date, the venue, and a working guest list. This is the moment to design your invitation, so it's ready to send on time.

  • In InviteBird, design your invitation for free and send when it's ready — you're charged only at send, sized to the number of guests you expect. See Plans and pricing.
  • Decide your plus-one rule — whether guests may bring a partner, and how many. See Allowing plus-ones and additional guests.
  • If much of the family lives abroad, send your invitations now, at least 12 weeks ahead. A destination wedding needs them out even earlier, about four months ahead.

6 to 8 weeks before

Send your invitations, then fill in the details guests always ask about, and open the door for gifts.

  • Send at the early end, eight weeks out, when many guests travel or the wedding falls on a holiday weekend. When to send wedding invitations has the full timeline, from save-the-dates to the reply-by date.
  • Set an RSVP-by date about three weeks before the wedding, or four when many guests travel, so you have time to finalize numbers. The date alone is a request shown on the invitation. If you tick Automatically stop taking RSVPs after this date, new replies stop after it. See Set an RSVP deadline.
  • Schedule an RSVP reminder to land about a week before your reply-by date: with a reply-by date three weeks out, set it for 28 days before the wedding. See Sending a reminder.
  • Add a dress code and any parking or venue notes to your event details so guests aren't guessing.
  • Turn on the FAQ so questions about timing, kids, and travel are answered before they reach your inbox.
  • If you'd welcome contributions toward your next chapter, set up Gifts & Funds — guests can send a gift through your own Venmo, PayPal, Cash App or Zelle, or your registries — and you choose the wording.

3 weeks before

As replies come in, shape the reception around them.

  • Collect meal picks and note allergies with Menus — each dish can carry dietary tags, and your counts tally automatically. See Meals and dietary choices.
  • Start building your Seating plan and assigning guests to tables.
  • Invite guests to request songs for the reception through the Playlist step in their RSVP.
  • When your reply-by date arrives, message anyone who still hasn't answered — host-to-guest messaging is included.
  • Share the final headcount and meal breakdown with your caterer by the date in their contract — you can export your guest list, meals, and dietary notes to a spreadsheet.

1 week before

Finish the plan.

  • Finalize your seating chart, now that the parties and their plus-one names are in.

A few days before

  • Turn on find-your-seat so guests can look up their table from the invitation on the day.
  • Confirm vendors, and plan how you'll greet arrivals.

On the day

  • Use the check-in kiosk to welcome guests as they arrive.
  • Gather everyone's photos in one place with the photo wall — guests upload for free, no account needed.
  • Then be present, and enjoy it.

After the wedding

  • Send your matching thank-you card to everyone who came.
  • Share the event photo album — it holds up to 100 photos and stays hosted for a full year, so you and your guests can revisit the day long after.

Common questions

When should we send wedding invitations? Six to eight weeks before the wedding is the usual window. Send at the early end, eight weeks out, when many guests travel or it's a holiday weekend; at least 12 weeks ahead when much of the family lives abroad; and about four months ahead for a destination wedding. See When to send wedding invitations for the full timeline.

Does the RSVP-by date cut off replies automatically? Only if you choose. The date alone is a request shown on the invitation. If you tick Automatically stop taking RSVPs after this date, new replies stop at the start of the next day (InviteBird's server time zone), and guests who already replied can still edit their answer. See Set an RSVP deadline. To stop replies once you're full instead, use Maximum capacity.

Can guests request songs for the reception? Yes. Turn on the Playlist step and guests can suggest songs while they RSVP, so you head into the reception with a crowd-sourced set list.

How do guests find their table on the day? Turn on find-your-seat and guests can look up their assigned table straight from the invitation — no printed chart required (though you can still export one).

How do we handle plus-ones for a wedding? Set your plus-one rule in the event details, then collect each companion's name at RSVP so your seating and place cards are ready. See Allowing plus-ones and additional guests.

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