Wedding planning checklist built around your date
Answer five questions, all optional, and get your plan with dates. Check things off, edit and print. It's saved on this device, and you don't need an account.
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One step at a time: a wedding comes together piece by piece.
How your plan is built
Every task comes from a written rule, not a black box. We start from your date, your location, your guest count, whether the wedding is local or a destination wedding and, if you choose to tell us, the type of ceremony:
- Dates: each task has an ideal deadline in days before the wedding. If you have less than 12 months, we compress the long stages into the time you have. If you have less than 30 days, we put the urgent items first.
- Marriage license: with your state, we work out the dates between which it makes sense to apply, based on the waiting period and validity published by the official office, plus a 7-day buffer. If we don't have a numeric figure, we tell you and ask you to confirm it with your county.
- Ceremony (optional): if you pick one, we add tasks such as booking the church or parish, or a premarital course. That choice stays in your browser only. It isn't sent to AltarPlan or anyone else.
- Every task explains why it's there and where the timing comes from: AltarPlan data, an outside source or a planning rule of thumb.
The list is a guide, so adjust it to your wedding. Your information is saved on this device and you can delete it whenever you want.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need to start planning a wedding?
First, a date or a range of dates, a budget and a rough guest list; with that you choose a venue and handle the paperwork. The checklist organizes the rest by stage and shows what to do now. If you marry in the United States, add your state license.
How do I plan a wedding step by step?
Answer five questions, all optional, and the tool builds your stages, from 12 months before to "After" the wedding. Each task shows why it is on your list. You can also print it or save it as a PDF.
How do I plan a wedding in 3 months?
With little time, the plan is compressed: if there are fewer than 12 months left, we keep the order and bring the dates closer; if there are fewer than 30 days left, we put the urgent items first. The license is not compressed: its deadlines depend on your state.
Can you plan a wedding in 6 months?
Yes. Enter your date and the plan compresses the long stages into the time you have. Decide first on the venue, officiant and license, which constrain everything else the most.
What goes on a courthouse wedding checklist?
The base tasks, your state license (with the window of dates when it makes sense to apply) and, if you choose it, tasks specific to a civil ceremony, such as booking the courthouse appointment. Choosing the ceremony is optional.
How do I plan a church wedding?
In addition to the base tasks, you usually add booking the church and talking with the officiant, a premarital course or counseling, and the order of the ceremony. Exact deadlines are set by each parish or church, so confirm them with yours. The ceremony type you choose is saved only in your browser.
Can I print the checklist or export it to Excel?
Yes. "Print" generates a sheet with empty checkboxes and dates; "Export" downloads a CSV for Excel or Google Sheets and a backup copy you can restore.
When should I get my marriage license?
It depends on your state's waiting period and validity. If you choose where you are marrying, the checklist calculates between which dates it makes sense to apply, with a 7-day buffer, and shows you the official source. If your state's data is incomplete, we tell you and ask you to confirm with your county. See also marriage licenses by county.