Complimentary Wedding Planning Guide
Free Bride Starter Kit
A practical wedding planning guide with timelines, budget guidance, vendor organization, décor planning, and thoughtful questions to help you feel more confident from the beginning.
Use it as a simple place to start, then customize each section to fit your wedding date, venue, guest count, priorities, and planning style.
What’s Inside Your Starter Kit
This guide walks you through the early planning decisions that tend to create the most stress. Each section gives you a starting point, prompts to think through, and space to organize your own wedding details.
Inside this free guide:
- A wedding planning timeline from engagement through the final month
- A simple budget planning worksheet
- A vendor contact and booking tracker
- Ceremony and reception décor planning prompts
- Questions to ask venues, photographers, caterers, DJs, and other vendors
- Wedding-day organization and emergency-prep ideas
Wedding Planning Timeline
One of the hardest parts of wedding planning is knowing what should happen first. This timeline gives you a broad order of events so you can focus on the right decisions at the right time instead of trying to do everything at once.
Your exact timeline may shift depending on your engagement length, venue availability, season, and whether you are planning locally or from a distance.
| Planning Stage | Focus Areas |
|---|---|
| 12+ Months Before | Set your overall budget, choose a date range, begin the guest list, tour venues, and book the venue once you find the right fit. |
| 9–12 Months Before | Book your photographer, planner or coordinator, DJ or band, and begin shopping for attire. |
| 6–9 Months Before | Finalize florist, rentals, ceremony plans, transportation, hotel blocks, and guest logistics. |
| 3–6 Months Before | Send invitations, confirm décor, finalize the menu, schedule fittings, and begin building the wedding-day timeline. |
| 1–3 Months Before | Confirm vendor details, create seating arrangements, gather décor items, and organize final payments. |
| Final Month | Finalize guest count, confirm the complete timeline, prepare tip envelopes, pack personal items, and review every vendor arrival time. |
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Budget Planner
A wedding budget is more than a final number. It helps you decide where to spend, where to simplify, and which details matter most to you as a couple.
Start with estimates, then replace them with actual costs as you receive proposals and sign contracts. Include taxes, service charges, gratuities, delivery fees, rentals, alterations, and travel so your total stays realistic.
| Category | Estimated | Actual | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | |||
| Catering | |||
| Photography | |||
| Florals | |||
| Entertainment | |||
| Attire & Alterations | |||
| Décor & Rentals | |||
| Transportation | |||
| Tips & Miscellaneous |
Vendor Contact Tracker
Keeping every vendor’s contact information, contract status, payment schedule, and arrival time together makes communication much easier as the wedding gets closer.
This tracker can also be shared with your planner or coordinator so everyone knows exactly who is responsible for each part of the day.
| Vendor | Company / Contact | Phone / Email | Deposit Paid | Final Due |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | ||||
| Photographer | ||||
| DJ / Band | ||||
| Florist | ||||
| Caterer | ||||
| Planner / Coordinator | ||||
| Officiant | ||||
| Transportation |
Décor Planning Notes
Décor becomes much easier to manage when every item has a purpose, location, setup plan, and person responsible for it. Think through each space separately so nothing gets overlooked.
Ceremony
- Arch, arbor, or backdrop
- Aisle runner or aisle décor
- Reserved seating signs
- Programs or welcome signage
- Unity ceremony table and supplies
- Memorial table, chair, or candle
- Weather backup décor plan
Cocktail Hour
- Welcome sign
- Seating chart or escort cards
- Guest book and pens
- Card box and gift table
- Signature drink sign
- Appetizer or display tables
Reception
- Centerpieces and candles
- Table numbers and place settings
- Sweetheart or head table décor
- Cake and dessert display
- Bar décor and menu signs
- Favors
- Memory table
- Send-off supplies
Questions to Ask Wedding Vendors
The right questions help you compare vendors fairly and understand exactly what is included before signing a contract.
Venue
- What is included in the rental fee?
- How many hours are included?
- How much setup and cleanup time is available?
- Are tables, chairs, linens, or décor included?
- Are any vendors required or restricted?
- What is the rain plan?
- Who is responsible for trash and final cleanup?
Photographer
- How many hours of coverage are included?
- Is a second photographer included or available?
- How many edited images are typically delivered?
- What is the expected turnaround time?
- Have you worked at our venue before?
- How do you handle timeline delays?
Caterer
- What is included in the per-person price?
- Are staffing, rentals, service charges, and gratuity included?
- Can you accommodate dietary restrictions?
- How is the final guest count handled?
- Who clears tables and handles trash?
- Are leftovers packaged?
DJ or Band
- How many hours are included?
- Do you provide ceremony audio?
- Do you act as the reception emcee?
- How do we submit song requests?
- Do you provide backup equipment?
- Are setup and travel included?
Planner or Coordinator
- When does coordination begin?
- How many hours are included on the wedding day?
- Is rehearsal coordination included?
- What décor setup and cleanup are included?
- When is an additional coordinator recommended?
- How are vendor communication and timeline creation handled?
Wedding-Day Organization
The final week feels much calmer when important items are grouped, labeled, and assigned before the wedding morning begins.
Prepare in Advance
- Marriage license and identification
- Wedding rings
- Vows and ceremony readings
- Final vendor payments and tip envelopes
- Décor bins labeled by location
- Emergency kit
- Getting-ready food and drinks
- Change of shoes or reception outfit
- Overnight bag and transportation plan
Assign These Jobs
- Who holds the rings?
- Who brings the marriage license?
- Who gathers personal belongings?
- Who takes leftover food and cake?
- Who transports gifts and cards?
- Who loads décor after the reception?
- Who handles gifts or emergencies if the couple is unavailable?
Helpful Wedding Planning Resources
Planning your ceremony is just one piece of your wedding day. Browse these free guides to help you create a well-organized celebration from your venue tour through the final dance.
Want Support Beyond the Starter Kit?
Petals Planners helps couples create organized, beautiful, and less stressful wedding days throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
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