The Ultimate Wedding Checklist – 99 Tasks To The Big Day!

Nothing makes wedding planning easier than a wedding checklist that helps you keep track of the hundreds of tasks that crop up before the big day of a big fat Indian wedding! From the minute he pops the question, to the moment you’re whisked away, there’s always a list of things that need to be done. However, Wedding Wishlist has made it super simple for you. Here’s an Indian wedding checklist of pretty much everything you’ll need to do before the big day, customized and designed especially for the Indian brides. Get busy with this now, you can thank us later!

You can get download our wedding checklist for free and add items, make edits and keep track on the go!

Wedding Checklist
Wedding Checklist

Wedding Checklist 1: Just after getting engaged!

#1. Celebrate! Enjoy the moment before the madness begins.

#2. You’ve got the ring. Now get it resized if needed, and get it insured. It may sound unromantic but trust us, it’s important

#3. Get a manicure. You’ll be flashing your ring around, and nothing ruins it like stubby nails

#4. Think about what kind of wedding you would like to have—big or small, traditional or whimsical

#5. Get the families to agree on a wedding date. It’s the starting point of everything!!

#6. Start preparing your guest list.

#7. Get a list of upcoming bridal shows and exhibitions so you don’t miss out on any good ones.

#8. Take out some quality time for your “to-be” family. If you have them in your corner, the wedding & the marriage will be a smooth ride…

Wedding Checklist 2: The building blocks

#9. Pick a date!

#10. Agree on a broad budget, so you can plan expenses accordingly

#11. Finalize your functions. Doing a youngsters night? Mehendi? Bachelorette? Add them to your wedding checklist. This will help manage your budgets!

#12. Start organizing your guest list by functions, plan to stay for out-station guests, and think about logistics

#13. Pick your core team. Parents, BFF, siblings—narrow down the people who’ll be central to the wedding planning

#14. Block the venues. It’s hard to find a good venue so get this finalized ASAP

#15. Start meeting and interviewing your key vendors and put them down on your wedding checklist.

#16. Start thinking outfits. Finding the perfect one is (almost) as hard as finding the perfect man!  

#17. Shortlist your honeymoon destination and finalize the date.

#18. Give some thought to your wedding invite—digital or print? Colour scheme? Monogram?

Wedding Checklist 3: The Vendors

#19. Caterer: Everyone remembers the food at a wedding! Take your time to choose a good caterer

#20. Decorator: Are they associated with the venue? Get someone who can recreate your dream

#21. Photographer: Going for candid? Need Videos? Pre-wedding shoot? Get someone who fits all your requirements

#22. Makeup Artist: Going wrong here will NOT help. Find someone who matches your aesthetic and book a trial

#23. Pre-Bridal: It may seem early, but it’s best to book your salon in advance so you can use it a few times before D-day

#24. Designers: Are you a Sabyasachi bride or DIY fashionista? Find your style match and finalize your wedding outfit

#25. Choreographer: Doing a sangeet? Choose a choreographer who will inject fun into the celebration with some groovy moves.

#26. DJ: If a function so requires, book your favourite DJ before his/her calendar gets blocked.  

#27. Mehendi Artists: You’ll need them for your guests as well as for yourself. Get a headcount and get a booking.

#28. Favours: Giving a gift with your invite? Decide on what you want and shortlist vendors

Wedding Checklist 4: Getting Fit & Fab

#29. Gym, yoga class or fitness trainer—get a professional to help you. It’ll keep you honest and injury free!

#30. Don’t overeat and definitely DON’T starve. A balanced diet is the starting point of any fitness regime

#31. Drink up, baby! Water (lots of it) will keep you fit and glowing. Make your sipper a travel companion

#32. Create a calendar and mark your fitness goals—what you hope to achieve and in how much time. It becomes easy to track progress

#33. Try a challenge—planks, abs, squats or one of the many others

#34. Fiancé, BFF or sibling, find a fitness partner who can keep you motivated.  

#35. Walk, walk, walk! Do your shopping and other chores on foot as much as possible. It’s called killing two birds with one stone

#36. Cheat a little. It’s your wedding and wine with friends or a dessert date with your fiancé is well worth the calories!

Wedding Checklist 5: Time to shop

#37. Outfits for the wedding: Everything you need for every function, this should be the first thing to be ticked off your wedding checklist.

#38. Jewellery: Whether it’s family heirlooms or new pieces you want to buy, get this organized.

#39. Indianwear Trousseau: You’ll need your usual suspects of saris, salwar kameez and fusion outfits.

#40. The extras: Don’t forget the blouses, petticoats, shawls and other items you’ll be needing with your Indians.

#41. Westernwear Trousseau: Think dresses, daily wear, gym essentials, winter wear and more… anything you’d use on a daily basis

#42. Nightwear & lingerie: From snuggly PJs to something fancier, get it all!

#43. Swimwear: Might seem a bit extreme but you want to look your best on that beachy honeymoon!  

#44. Shoes: You can never have enough, from stilettos and wedges to sneakers and slingbacks.

#45. Bags & Clutches: Invest in some good evening bags and clutches. It always comes in handy.

#46. Luggage: You’re moving homes. Good luggage is non-negotiable.

#47. Accessories: This is a never-ending list, from belts and sunglasses to scarves and bangles.

#48. Home accessories: Whether you’re moving into a new home or shifting with your inlaws, you want to bring your own touch to your space.

#49. Dinner set & accessories: Everyone needs a good dinner set, and it most likely won’t be one of the many you’re gifted on your wedding. So invest in a good one.  

#50. Bed linen, towels, and soft furnishings: Your trousseau shopping is incomplete without some nice bedsheets, quilts, towels and more.

#51. Bar & entertaining essentials: You’ll be hosting a lot of parties, so if you find any interesting glasses, platters or serveware, be sure to add them to your trousseau.

Wedding Checklist 6: Following up on the prep

#52. Confirm photographer and plan your pre-bridal shoot. This will help you get comfortable with the team before D-day

#53. Close in on the makeup artist and book a trial. No surprises later!

#54. Ask your caterer for a food trial before finalising your menu

#55. Book your choreographer and compile a list of songs you love

#56. Go for your outfit trials to see if it’s coming along just as you like

#57. Finalise your invites, monogram and any other design element you want in your wedding

#58. Create a gift registry and wedding website, so you can share your story, function details and gift preferences with guests so you get the wedding gifts you want

#59. Plan for logistics — track arrival and departure dates, assign stay options, and manage meal preference for guests.

#60. Do a venue recce with the decorator to get a sense of what they have planned.

#61. Plan for extra help. You’ll be having a stream of guests coming over during those days. Book extra cooks/waiters if needed.

Wedding Checklist 7: The Fun things

#62. Plan a bachelorette or girls night out with your friends

#63. Take a spa weekend with your BFF, sister or by yourself and use that time to relax and unwind!

#64. Plan a mini family getaway so you can spend quality time with your parents and siblings.

#65. Think of one exhilarating thing on your bucket list, and just do it! 

#66. Pull out your scrapbooks, old photos and trinkets you’ve collected over time and just have a good laugh.

#67. Lost touch with an old friend? Haven’t spent time with a close cousin? There’s no better time for a fresh start than now… so give them a call and reconnect.

#68. Meditate. Even if it isn’t your thing, give it a shot. Learning to calm down is a skill that’s bound to come handy in the hectic times ahead

Wedding Checklist 8: 30 Days to the Wedding

#69. Be done with your guest list and start making personal calls

#70. Print address labels and send out invitations

#71. Schedule your pre-wedding shoot so it isn’t too close to the big day and you can take out time

#72. Finalise your honeymoon bookings, get your visa sorted and start shopping/packing for it

#73. You’ll be moving out soon! Start packing and sorting all the things you want to take with you

#74. Confirm your pre-bridal to ensure you get dates that work with your schedule

#75. Want a wedding cake for the reception? Finalise your baker

#76. Start sangeet practices! It will be tough for all your friends/cousins to be free on the same date, so allow them some flexibility

#77. Order in-room hampers for outstation guests

#78. Want to personalise the experience for your guests? Get notes printed for the hampers and other gifts.

#79. Do a final round of confirmations with all your vendors to ensure everything is on track

Wedding Checklist 9: 1 Week to the Wedding

#80. Start your pre-bridal! From mani-pedis to massages, put all the TLC on your list

#81. Get 8 hours of sleep. Everyday. It may sound impossible, but trust us, you need this.

#82. Do a wardrobe check. Get your outfits fitted, collected, steam pressed and hang them in your closet

#83. Designate and allot work to your core group, so everyone knows what they’re managing during the week

#84. Pack an emergency bridal kit. You never know when you need it.

#85. Whether you’re heading over to your new home after the wedding or staying at a hotel, pack an overnight bag so you have your essentials handy

#86. Planning to wear new shoes? Break into them so you don’t end up with blisters.

#87. Confirm your honeymoon logistics so everything is on track.

#88. Relax. Take a long soothing bath or just sleep in!

#89. Enjoy. This is your moment so just be happy.

Wedding Checklist 10: Post-wedding Madness!

#90. RELAX. The wedding is over, it all went well and you deserve a breather. So just take one

#91. Send out thank you notes to guests who came to your wedding and bought you gifts

#92. Get your marriage certificate—book a date to register for the wedding if you haven’t already done so.

#93. Unpack. It’s time to set up your new home and get comfortable

#94. Dry clean your wedding outfit properly and keep it away.

#95. Ask for your gifts to be delivered (If you were smart enough to do a gift registry ☺)

#96. Didn’t create a registry? Unpack all your gifts and find innovative ways of recycling the ones you won’t use.

#97. Run any last-minute errands before you’re whisked away for your honeymoon.

#98. You’ll be entertaining a lot in the coming days. Sort out your wardrobe for the inevitable dinners and lunches.

#99. Last but not least…always have fun!

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Tanvi Saraf

Tanvi Saraf is a writer, editor and traveller who's recently moved to the south. Having worked with the country's leading publications, including Marie Claire, India Today, Harper's Bazaar Bride and L'officiel, she now heads marketing for WeddingWishlist.com & CherryTin.com. Her life's philosophy and choices are guided by her motto, "Enjoy it. Because it's happening", and with both our websites, she's all set to bring the joy back to gifting.

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