Wedding Checklist: 21 To-Dos To Plan Your Wedding In 21 Days

Wedding Checklist; Planning for the big day usually takes brides and grooms anywhere from 3 to 12 months before the actual day, sometimes even more. But an increasingly common trend as verified by wedding planners is that of couples wanting to plan their weddings in a shorter span of time, usually 3 months or less.

However, if even 3 months is a time-frame too long for you and you’re eager to tie the knot as soon as possible, we’re here to bring you a wedding checklist of the most important things to take care of to have a beautiful ceremony in just 21 days.

It won’t be easy, but with a little organization and a lot of effort, it’s entirely possible. Here’s what you need to do:

The 21 Day Wedding Checklist

Week 1

1. Set Your Budget

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First things first, on this wedding checklist, you need to figure out how much money you’re willing to (or have) to spend. Setting a budget to work with is the key to getting started with your super-quick wedding planning.

2. Figure Out A Guest List

Given that you’re looking to get married as soon as possible, one of the most important things to do on your wedding checklist is to let your guests know about your plans. But before you can do that, remember that inviting a large number of guests is going to cost you more, and given that you’re looking to get married within the month, some of the guests on your list might already have made other plans.

3. Pick A Date And Book A Venue

This is one of the most important elements to take care of at this stage on your wedding checklist (let’s be honest, everything is important in such a short time-frame) because the venues that you are likely to look at might already be booked. See what you can work with and a Friday evening or Sunday afternoon might be worth a try. Look at cozy restaurants, especially those with sections that can be cordoned off for an intimate reception.

4. Set Up A Registry

Passing on the information to your guests quickly is important so don’t delay in setting up a registry and make sure your guests are all linked to it.

5. Send Out The Invites

Invites are very important for a wedding checklist. Custom-made or fancy invites might not be within your time-frame (or budget), but you can find some really pretty wedding invites online and if your guest list is small enough and your handwriting legible, you can even add a personal touch and send out handwritten notes. Link the guests to your registry on the invites.

6. Find A Dress

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The dress is next on your wedding checklist. Made to order dresses will take up too much time, but don’t fret. There are a number of excellent options online to choose from, and bridal boutiques in your area also might have just the perfect dress for you. With some searching, you can find an excellent dress/lehenga/saree that is ready to wear and just perfect for you.

7. Pick Up The Groom’s Dress As Well

Be it a sherwani or suit, there are a number of options to choose from and there are a myriad online and local stores that will have just the right thing for the groom to look dapper in come wedding day.

Week Two

8. The Bridal Party

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Without the bachelor/bachelorette party, your wedding checklist is incomplete so add that in! Choose a colour and type of dress and have your girlfriends decide on a dress that matches your specifications, whether it’s a pink saree or even their favourite little black dress. For the guys, it can be simple to stick to suits teamed up with matching ties. That brings their look together and adds cohesion to their attire.

9. Make A List Of The Vendors You’ll Need And Start Looking

Tie this task in with the venue that you have booked and see what you will need. A photographer, flower decorator, mehndi artist and cake baker are essentials on the wedding checklist . If the venue has their own catering, then that’s great, else the catering is another big and important aspect to take care of here. This painful task can be made easier by asking the vendor to refer other vendors, a tactic that could save you quite a bit of time.

Make sure to clarify all of your doubts and questions here, as well as get a good look at their portfolios (for the photographer) and call references to get first-hand information. You are working on a tight schedule but that doesn’t mean that you book the very first vendor who seems good enough or that you finalize your vendors on the same day. Check the vendor listings page on on our website for an extensive list of the various vendors providing wedding-related services in your city.

10. Hair And Makeup

You want to be looking your best on your wedding day, that goes without saying. So make sure you book a trial run with the hair and makeup artists who seem best suited to what you are looking for. Your hair and makeup are the crux of your wedding getup, so pencil in enough time on your wedding checklist to perfect things.

11. Arrange For An Officiator

The priest, minister or maulvi that you would require to officiate your ceremony should be fixed at this stage of your wedding planning. Look online, ask for references from those you know and from the vendors you’ve spoken to. At The Bridal Box we have a comprehensive list of pandits if you’re looking to wed in one of the many cities covered.

12. Finalize Your Vendors And Mehndi Ceremony

This is a major section of your wedding checklist. Towards the end of week two, you want to have finalized all of your vendors, as well as the plan of action with each of them. Select your cake flavour, style of decoration, the flower arrangement, stage, menu, baaraat or band, makeup plan, mehndi artist and so on. Be careful to clarify the date at least 7 days before with the mehndi artist.

13. Wedding Rings

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Shop for your wedding rings now if you’re so inclined. If that’s something you think you need more time for, or you don’t find something that you’re thrilled with, make for a temporary (and much cheaper) arrangement for the time-being. A wedding band is good in this regard.

14. Buy All of The Accessories You Will Need

Everything you may need to complete your profile for the wedding day has to be bought soon. Now’s a great time to tick these off on your wedding checklist. Jewellery, shoes, purse, bindi, hair accessories, veil and everything else.

Week 3

15. Have An Intimate Mehndi Ceremony

Relax your senses and take some much needed time out to have yourself pampered in a beautiful mehndi ceremony. The presence of family and close friends is all you need.

16. Confirm With Vendors

Check – Dates, time, venue. Also, the final menu and how’s it to be presented, seating arrangements, stage decoration, other decoration, makeup look should be fixed. Have a clear outline of the kind of photos and/or video you expect from your wedding. Payments and delivery are all to be finalized now on that wedding checklist .

17. Decide On Your Honeymoon

Wedding Checklist - Decide On Your Honeymoon

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Yes, this can happen later as well, but if you’re so keen to get married in a rush, we’re sure you’re not looking to postpone your honeymoon. Consider your budget, weigh your options and finally make reservations and book tickets. Shop and do basic packing.

18. Select Your Wedding Favors

Pick a gift and have it wrapped at the store, thus saving yourself the hassle of finding wrapping paper and doing all the wrapping yourself.

19. Communicate With Vendors and Venue

A final check to ensure everything is running smoothly and there are no snags. This last one may require a friend to go over the whole wedding checklist with you. If something comes up, don’t panic and take the best possible alternative in conjunction with the vendor.

20. Final Arrangements

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Pack a bag for the wedding night with clothes and other basic necessities. Make arrangements for payment of vendors, and where possible, hand the responsibilities and cash over to family to take care of. Leaving you to…