Don't worry—this timeline is not meant to stress you out! It's possible to plan an amazing wedding in just a few months. We're here to make sure you know about the little details and to help you make your wedding dreams come true.

Forgive us for not surprising you at your engagement. We hope this wedding checklist makes up for it.

While tradition says to get married in your hometown, you may have different hometowns or prefer to get married close to where you currently live. If you're willing to travel, picking a place in the middle of you and your guests may be a good option for a destination wedding.

At this point in the wedding planning timeline, jot down every name that comes to mind even if you may have to pare down your list later on. Our guest list tool allows you to import an existing list, add names directly, or send your guests a link so they can add themselves. Once you have your guest list, you'll be able to use free addressing on Save the Dates and Invitations, and our online RSVP tool. You can even message your guests with any important updates.

Keep all of your correspondence with vendors and guests in one convenient place with an email address that both you and your spouse-to-be have access to.

We recommend using Google Sheets: It's easy to share and edit on the go. Make a column for your goal figures and a column for actuals. Know that your goals may shift based on what you value (flowers and decor, for instance, or food and wine, or all of the above).

Totally optional, but this is an ideal time to plan a joyful celebration with friends and family. Guests like to give gifts, so we recommend starting your registry and adding a few things before the party invites go out.

Want some candid advice that's not from your family? Join an online forum full of couples going through the same planning process. Get inspiration, share your photos, ask for feedback, and more.

Many vendors will ask to see either digital references or a binder of images to understand the vision you have for your wedding. Pinterest and Instagram are great (and convenient!) places to find imagery and ideas.

We recommend seeing at least three wedding venues. The more you visit, the more confident you'll feel in knowing what's out there when you make your final choice.

Double check that both wedding venue locations can hold the number of guests you'd like to invite. Before booking, find out if the venue requires you use only their approved vendors. If not, find out if there are any requirements for outside vendors.

Will you have a maid of honor and best man? What about bridesmaids and groomsmen? Flower girl? Ushers? Discuss what you want with your partner, then invite your nearest and dearest to join you and yours.

We're talking entertainment, caterers, florists, photographers, everything. It's time to get an idea of who will help create your wedding day vision. Browse pre-screened vendors on Zola for every wedding budget and style. Start compiling lists for outreach.

Trust: you'll want to go to these on an empty stomach.

For any wedding, it's crucial to have the budget talk as early as possible. It's an old tradition for the groom's family to host the wedding. In fact, 89% of modern couples are contributing to their wedding budget, making it work in a way that's more equally-distributed.

Whether you're looking for your dream wedding dress, gown, or suit, pull several inspiration photos and bring them with you to your appointments. It'll help to focus your session.

Engagement shoot? Bridal shower? Wedding day? Enjoy one less thing to worry about and pamper yourself if you'd like!

Your officiant can be a mutual friend of you and your spouse-to-be, a family member, or a religious figure. Whoever feels right to you and your fiance. Just make sure they're certified in the state you're getting married in.

If you end up doing a shoot, try a few locations and outfits for some variation. We know you'll both look great.

A website is the easiest way to communicate all your wedding details to guests, from your schedule to travel, accommodations, dress code, and more. You can customize Zola's free, beautiful website templates with all this info in minutes, plus add fun photos, share your registry, and let guests RSVP online.

Couples often reserve rooms with different bed sizes, so guests have options. Once you secure your hotel blocks, you can easily share where-to-stay details on your wedding website or message all your guests with our free guest list manager.

Ask the photographer if you can provide a shot list so you capture every moment.

Set the tone for your big day with a beautiful design that shows off your style. At Zola, we have tons of options for every couple, plus digital and magnet save the dates, too. You can easily customize any of our designs with your photo, wedding details, and more. Plus, get a free sample pack anytime to touch and feel our paper in person.

Discuss the structure of your wedding ceremony and any readings you'd like to include.

This may seem ahead of schedule, but the good ones always go early, so we recommend finalizing your entertainment now. Once you choose your music, you'll likely be tasked with coming up with a list of must-hear songs, another list of absolutely-do-not-play songs, and a list of nice-to-hear-but-not-necessary songs.

Couples typically start their registry and add gifts to it 8-10 months before their wedding. This time frame makes it easy for guests to get engagement party and bridal shower gifts, too. At Zola, we have classic and unique wedding gifts, gift cards, and honeymoon funds (all in one place!). We recommend adding a mix of everything to give guests more options.

It's helpful to have multiple undergarments and shoes options so you're ready to try on any option. Voguing is encouraged.

Send printed invites or digital ones—the choice is yours! If you go printed, now's a good time to think about enclosure cards, RSVP cards, and any other wedding paper you might need. Want to save time? You can complete your entire wedding invitation suite at Zola, plus get matching programs, menus, even thank you cards for guests.

Make this as direct or as creative as you'd like—just try to make it easy to memorize so that your guests use it correctly throughout the weekend. While not necessary, a wedding hashtag is a great way to quickly find all of the photos your family and friends take.

You can go with different hair stylists and makeup artists or find someone who can do both. Ask about their availability to help with your bridal party, too.

Consider all the things your guests may text you to ask about: directions, accommodations, dress code, and more. Then add that info to your site. We also recommend suggesting a few activities for your guests to do while in town and integrating your Zola registry so guests have everything they need in one convenient place.

Don't forget to bring your inspiration boards to your appointments.

You can go with different hair stylists and makeup artists or find someone who can do both. Ask about their availability to help with your bridal party, too. You should have a trial to help save time on the big day and settle on your hair and makeup look beforehand. It's a great way to figure out exactly what you want.

Try it on one last time to make sure you've found the one. Then before you leave, inquire about the fitting schedule and pricing for alteration (unless it's a perfect fit!).

Just like for caterers, you'll want to go to these appointments on an empty stomach, too. Don't forget to bring your inspiration board.

More and more couples are saving time (and $$!) by sending their save their dates online. Whether you go printed or digital, don't forget to clearly write your wedding website's address, so guests can keep track of your wedding details.

Remind the wedding party to schedule their fittings, too (they sneak up on you). Want to save time? Our Wedding Boutique has all you need for every moment of your big day, all in one place. Browse bridesmaids dresses, groomsmen's accessories, party favors, and more from today's best wedding brands.

It's better to over-prepare for this sort of scenario. You and your fiance will have enough to worry about the day-of!

Look at each videographer's reel to see if their aesthetic appeals to you. Capturing footage at your wedding can be quite intimate, so meet with your favorites to find out if it's a good personality match, too.

Bouquets, boutonnieres and arrangements, oh my!

If you're having a shower, you can always direct guests to your wedding registry. Don't forget to add a few unexpected gifts, like a wine subscription, fitness classes, or movie tickets.

Remember: Your honeymoon is about what you will enjoy doing together most. It isn't about what pictures you'll be able to post on Instagram.

It's always a good idea to test the paper, printing, and colors before sending your invitations. Looking for a beautiful design? We have hundreds of options for every wedding theme and style, from classic to bohemian and everything in between. You can also get a free sample pack anytime to touch and feel our paper and see a collection of our favorite designs in person.

Make sure there's a wedding cake delivery plan in place. Find out if your baker expects a tip upon delivery, too. We bet it'll be delicious.

Ask your stylist for any tips to prepare. Most recommend washing your hair the day before the wedding and avoiding any big hair decisions in the months leading up to it.

When you're booking, make sure they'll be available at your wedding location and find someone who makes you feel good. Look for a makeup artist who will start you off in a great mood.

Live music always adds a personal touch.

If you plan on going away right after the wedding, it's ideal to have all honeymoon flights and hotels booked by now. Be sure to ask the hotel if they offer any complimentary honeymoon package—you never know!

You can order paper invitations for this event or send an evite by messaging all of the guests from your Zola guest list. Your guests can even RSVP to your rehearsal dinner on your wedding website.

Just like the save the dates the general rule of thumb is one invitation per household. But order 10-15% more envelopes in case of addressing mistakes. You can export a file with all of your guests' addresses to hand off to your calligrapher or paper service.

A wedding weekend can include a welcome gathering of some kind, a rehearsal dinner, the ceremony and reception, and a farewell breakfast. It can be a lot to manage so you can use Zola's events, guest messaging, and online RSVP to manage it all. Don't forget you'll also need to organize any menus or decor for these events, too.

Shuttles, buses, limos... make sure they're all ready for the big day.

We recommend mailing your invites no later than six weeks before your wedding date. Need addressing help? Add your guests to our guest list manager, and we'll format all your addresses for you (and help collect missing info, too). Then, you can easily export your list for your stationer. Want to save even more time? Create invitations at Zola, and we'll address all your envelopes for free.

It's a piece you'll both wear every day, so take your time selecting the best wedding rings that you’ll both enjoy.

While this isn't a requirement, guests love to be surprised with snacks, activity recommendations, and a note from the couple when they check in to their hotel.

Shoes, jewelry, undergarments... now's the time to complete the look.

Don't forget: You have multiple fittings. So if it's not perfect today, it WILL be!

If you're collecting physical cards, we recommend tracking RSVPs in a spreadsheet. Simply make a column with all of your guests' names and then note their response. Want to save time? Let guests RSVP online via your wedding website at Zola, and our free guest list manager will automatically record their responses (plus meal choices, plus ones, and more).

Make sure they know where to show up and when.

Couples frequently gift these at the rehearsal dinner. Sometimes the gift is something the wedding party can wear or use the day of the wedding.

Discuss how you'd like the ceremony to go and any passages, readings, or performances you'd like to be said. This is also good time to begin thinking about whether or not you and your partner would like to write your own vows.

If you need to remind guests to respond, we recommend waiting one to two weeks after your RSVP deadline to do so. Then you can reach out to guests with a polite phone call, email, or text. Our guest list manager makes it easy to check on your RSVPs anytime and message guests who haven't informed you of their plans yet.

While you're at it, consider showing guests your meal options on gorgeous menu cards that match your invitation suite.

While you can't really assign seats until you have most of your RSVPs, you can at least start thinking about the layout of the reception venue and generally where you'd like certain friends and family to be.

Think ceremony programs, menu cards, table numbers, escort cards, and place cards.

We know you'll look great.

Nothing beats a handwritten thank you. Make sure to complete them within 3 months of the big day.

Research the laws of the specific state where you're having your wedding before applying. Then go get it!

When it comes to this list, there's no such thing as too much information. In your wedding day timeline, include each vendor's ETA along with their contact information and assign family or wedding party members to help with certain tasks. Then print it out when finished and send it to all of your vendors.

Try to think of every variation you want, so that you reserve enough time on the big day.

Pro Tip: Leave some cash aside for vendors' tips and mark each bundle with who it's going to. A family member or someone in your wedding party can help take care of this for you.

Touch base with your wedding officiant and any other people involved in the service. You'll be able to make some changes during your rehearsal, too.

Our biggest and most heartfelt congratulations to you and yours! Cut up a rug for us.

It's all happening.

Ahhh... now you can breathe. You did it!

Thank you for letting us be part of your wedding. Keep in touch!