Callia Logo

Wedding Planning Template: Checklists, Budgeting, Seating & More

person1person1person1

Join thousands of happy couples using this resource

Your free all-in-one wedding planning template and spreadsheet, essential for wedding planning. Available as a Google Sheet or Excel Spreadsheet.

Background BlobDark Blue EucalyptusWhite EucalyptusFuture bride and groom sitting at their home dining room table with a dream wedding plan vision displayed on the laptop screen.
Graphic showing an open laptop with a preview of Callia’s wedding planning template
Graphic with a preview of the wedding budget section of Callia’s wedding planning template
Graphic with a preview of the wedding checklist section of Callia’s wedding planning template
Graphic showcasing the table of content of the Callia’s wedding planning template including sections like emergency kit, seating plan, guest list and many more.

What’s inside this wedding planning template:

All-in-on wedding planner with 25+ wedding checklists and templates

Complete wedding budget covering every budget category

Wedding checklist and planning timeline

Guest list and wedding seating chart tool

Wedding party list and attire status

Wedding day emergency kit list for bride and groom

Wedding vendor checklist and individual vendor budgets

Wedding gift registry template

Wedding music playlist template

Honeymoon budget template and honeymoon packing list

Your complete wedding plan in one place

Wedding planning has been known to push a couples relationship to it's limits before they're married. "Bridezilla" has become a common term for a bride who's intolerably demanding during wedding planning, even prompting creation of a subreddit on Reddit where stories of bridezillas are shared.

We DO NOT believe any bride should be a bridezilla!

With a proper gameplan for wedding planning, the wedding planning process should be enjoyable and fun. It's about the journey, not the destination, right?!

Okay, maybe the destination does matter for this case. Especially if it's a destination wedding!

Our goal is to help make wedding planning easy. We're completing this by offering our completely free all-in-one wedding planning template available as Google Sheet or Excel Spreadsheet.

Covering everything single category of wedding planning, our template is like having a wedding planner by your side every step of the way throughout your wedding planning journey.

From the moment you start planning to the final touches, the template will help you stay organized and ensure that nothing is forgotten. This ultimate wedding planning checklist will guide you through each step, making the planning process smoother and more enjoyable.

Our checklist is built to be used online in Google Sheets or as an Excel Spreadsheet. However, if you prefer a printable wedding planning checklist, you can print it out via the print feature in either platform and print it out.

How to use a wedding planning template effectively

Screenshot of the wedding planning template featuring the Home tab where a user enters their wedding budget, date, number of guests and names.

Getting your wedding planning template started is easy! Access the template in your preferred format, then add your names, number of guests, wedding date and wedding budget. These fields will automatically populate into other tabs in the template making for a cohesive wedding plan and reducing manual work.

Once you have these start information fields complete, we're ready to jump into our first planning tab!

Wedding Budget

Beginning with arguably the most important part of wedding planning – your budget.
"A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went." - Dave Ramsey
You're already on the right track by utilizing a downloadable Google Sheets or Excel template like ours to streamline your budgeting process, making it easier to track your spending and adjust your budget as needed. Simply download the template to monitor expenses and prioritize spending, helping ensure a beautiful and financially manageable wedding day.
Start by determining the total amount of money you are comfortable spending. Consider your finances, income, and savings, along with any contributions from family or friends.
For instance, the average Canadian wedding costs around $32,000, but this can vary widely based on location, sizes of the wedding, and personal preferences. For example, a small local elopement budget could be under $1,500, while a destination wedding in the south of France could be over $200,000.
You’re going to hear many opinions from lots of people. Focus on what matters most to you and your partner, then build your budget from there. Either way, establishing your total budget upfront is crucial, as it informs how funds will be allocated across various aspects of the wedding.

Wedding Checklist & Wedding Planning Timeline

Screenshot from the wedding planning template showcasing the wedding checklist and planning timeline.
A wedding planning timeline is your roadmap to a well-organized wedding. By organizing tasks month-by-month, this timeline helps you stay on track and ensures that all crucial elements are addressed in a timely manner.
We recommend beginning wedding planning 12 months before your wedding date, giving you the perfect amount of time to gather ideas and plan your vision.
This timeline can vary for reasons like your venue is in high demand and you need to plan earlier or you're having a shotgun wedding and don't have a long to-do list. Either way, our wedding checklist serves as a great guide to a wedding planning timeline and covers all the key (and unexpected!) pieces involved with wedding planning.
We would caution wedding planning 20+ months away as this often leads to second guessing and frequent changes in plans, resulting in a stressful wedding planning process for yourself and your vendors.
This is best showcased when a bride has "dress regret" where a bride selects their wedding dress, then a few months later falls in love with a different dress, regretting their dress selection. There's always new stories daily on Reddit, with brides venting about their dress regret.
Significant milestones in the timeline include the three-month mark, where crucial tasks should be completed, and the six-month mark, where key planning actions are initiated. If your engagement length is shorter than the ideal timeframe, you’ll need to condense your schedule and prioritize tasks accordingly.
From engagement to day-before and day-of, our wedding planning timeline and checklist has you covered. With a well-structured timeline, you can confidently navigate the planning process and ensure that every detail is covered.

Guest List & Wedding Party

Drafting the initial guest list and selecting your wedding party is an important step that influences your overall wedding budget and venue choice. Key factors to consider when creating your guest list include budget, venue capacity, and who is paying for the wedding.
We love good data points and what we typically see is the guest list is divided with 70% for the couple and the remaining 30% split between both sets of parents, or an equal third if all parents contribute. A large wedding guest list is typically considered to be over 150 wedding guests, so keep this in mind when drafting your list.
As for your wedding party, these days we're seeing all kinds of variations. An increasing amount of couples are opting for no wedding party at all. No bridesmaids, no groomsmen which seems to remove a ton of logistical pressure. Close friends can still feel involved by we helping with little things like grabbing coffee that morning and coming early for photos. Others are going with a much larger wedding party consisting of lots of friends and family.
These are general guidelines for wedding planning. Our advice is to do exactly what you want and what feels best since at the end of the day, it's your wedding and your opinion is the most important!
By using our guest list section in the all-in-on wedding planner, your guests will automatically flow into the Seating Plan section making wedding planning easier.
Managing RSVP cards effectively is crucial for a smooth wedding planning process. Our guest list manager streamlines communication and helps you track RSVPs efficiently – you can update each guest’s status in the template to confirm attendance and note any special requests, like dietary restrictions, to ensure everyone is accommodated.

Wedding Day Timeline

A detailed wedding day timeline helps keep everyone organized, ensuring that the couple, vendors, and wedding party are on the same page. Utilizing a wedding day itinerary helps alleviate stress, ensuring all participants are aligned and aware of their roles.
Having a comprehensive schedule aids in managing time effectively and ensures all parties are informed. This will help create a smooth and enjoyable wedding day for everyone involved.
The timeline we've created includes essential moments such as hair and makeup, couples 'first look', the ceremony, and the reception. A well-structured timeline includes specific times for key moments like the ceremony start, cocktail hour, and dinner service.
Following a detailed timeline helps ensure that the wedding day flows smoothly and keeps the event on track. This level of organization will help make your big day a success!

Wedding Seating Chart Tool

A beautifully organized seating chart for a wedding.
A well-organized seating plan ensures a smooth and enjoyable experience for guests. Couples typically start their seating chart about three weeks before the wedding once the full guest list and guest count is finalized.
Your guests will be populated automatically into the seating plan section of our all-in-on wedding planner based on the guests you add in the guest list section of the template. You can always manually override any of the automated features if it's not your style.
Using our seating chart tool manage the seating plan and ensure that everyone has a designated place. These tools provide a clear overview and allow for easy adjustments, ensuring a well-organized event.
The main purpose of using a seating tool is to ensure every guest has a designated place in your seating plan. The seating chart tool assists in creating and modifying seating plans, making the execution of seating arrangements more manageable.
When deciding who sits where, consider grouping guests by their similarities, like age or interests, to facilitate conversation. Other factors to consider when creating a seating chart include the venue floor plan, head table arrangements, and design choice. Using a seating arrangement scheme helps visualize the best type of table arrangement and prevents miscalculating fit.

Wedding Day Emergency Kit

A well-stocked emergency kit can turn potential stress into a smooth, memorable celebration, handling any unexpected store stock issues that may happen.
Essential items include a sewing kit for quick wardrobe fixes, makeup touch-up essentials to maintain your flawless look, and safety pins for securing garments and clothes accessories. These essentials prevent minor hiccups from becoming major setbacks.
While our free template covers all your wedding day essentials, each couple is different and there could be an item or two that they should add. For example, an indoor wedding during winter does not need to pack insect repellent, while an outdoor wedding in the summer time may find insect repellent a key essential.
Organizing your kit in advance while preparing ensures readiness for your wedding day and related events, like the rehearsal dinner.

Wedding Budget

The typical couple hires an average of 14 wedding vendors to help make their wedding dreams come true, so it's important you have a place to keep track of your vendor research and vendors left to secure. You're likely thinking "what vendors do I really need for a wedding?". We've made a wedding vendor checklist, along with individual research tabs for each key vendor, to make vendor research and planning easy for you.
Key wedding vendors we've made special research tabs for include:
  • Wedding venues research & budget
  • Decor checklist
  • Florist research & budget (we're bias since we think you should go with Callia Flowers)
  • Wedding photographer research
  • Wedding videographer research
  • Catering research & budget
  • Drinks budget
  • Cake research & budget
  • Band research & budget
  • Music playlist
In each of these vendor research tabs, we've included key questions you should be asking each wedding vendor to help you understand if they'd be the best fit for your wedding vendor team.

Wedding Gift Registry Template

A gift registry is key to help your family and friends who want to celebrate your love by gifting you something special and that you'd be happy with since no one wants to gift something that'll be collecting dust on a shelf for years to come.
Our wedding gift registry template will help you organize your registry list by store and gift for you to share or upload to another site that allows guest to purchase directly from the retailers and ship to you.

Wedding Gift Thank You List

Often underrated or forgotten, sending 'thank you's' to your guests after your wedding is a personal touch that is very meaningful to those who travelled and/or made time to attend your wedding. Being thanked by a card with a personal note from the couple is the cherry on top and perfect way to wrap up celebrating a wedding. It'll leave guest feeling special and seen by the couple for helping celebrate their love.
In our wedding gift thank you list, you'll be able to select guests that will be auto-populated from the guest list tab via a dropdown. This helps keeps your wedding thank you's organized. Once you send your 'thank you' to the guest, you'll be able to use a checkbox to mark the 'thank you' as sent!

Bride & Groom Wedding Weekend Packing Lists

Wedding day is approaching and you do not want to forget packing an item for to take to your venue or to your destination wedding if you're traveling!
Using a wedding checklist for packing wedding essentials helps minimize last-minute stress. An essential packing wedding checklist should include items like the wedding dress, tuxedo, shoes, and personal items.
An overnight bag should contain essential items such as toiletries, comfortable sleepwear, and a pillow. Having these items packed and ready will ensure that you have everything you need for the wedding day and the night that follows.
While these are general suggestions, we've created a bride's wedding packing list and a groom's wedding packing list to ensure nothing is forgotten and you can enjoy your wedding day to the fullest!
For the bride, here are a few key items:
  • Comfy dancing shoes
  • Shapewear or undergarments
  • Beauty essentials (we have 25+ items listed)
For the groom, here are a few key items:
  • Watch or other jewelry
  • Socks and belt
  • Wedding band

Honeymoon Budget Template

Screenshot from the wedding planning template featuring the honeymoon research and budget tab.
Now, we can't forget about the post-wedding celebrations! We have a full honeymoon budget and research template with a currency converter built in if you're thinking about traveling out of country.
Honeymoon budgeting is a critical aspect of wedding planning, as it helps keep expenses in check and ensures you stay within your financial limits after you have all your funds allocated for your wedding already. A well-structured honeymoon budget is essential for managing your finances effectively and allows you to enjoy your post-wedding celebration to fullest.

Bride & Groom Honeymoon Packing Lists

'Wedding day is in the rear view mirror and it's time to celebrate on your honeymoon! You do not want to forget packing an item, especially if you have something special planned for your partner, on your big honeymoon celebration.
Using a honeymoon checklist for packing your trip essentials helps minimize last-minute worry. An essential packing honeymoon checklist should include items like casual tops and bottoms, along with nice evening wear for a few special dinners if those are in the itinerary.
A handful of items we have included on both bride and groom honeymoon packing lists are the following:
  • Phone charger and portable charger
  • Books or e-reader
  • Sandals for beach and casual wear
  • Dressier shoes or footwear for evenings out
  • Medication essentials like Advil, Tylenol and Tums
  • Travel-sized speaker

Your all-in-one wedding planning template is waiting

Wedding planning best practices

Your wedding planning template will outline every aspect of wedding planning to make it super easy. However, if you're not following best practices for the template and general wedding planning, the process can become overwhelming as you progress through planning and the complexity of all the moving parts increase.

Here are a handful of the best practices we highly recommend following throughout your wedding planning.

Tracking Expenses

Monitoring expenses is crucial for staying within your wedding budget. By consistently updating your wedding budget spreadsheet, it keeps track of costs, so you're not fishing around through a mountain of receipts or figuring out which credit card transactions match up to wedding expenses. By updating as you go, you'll be able to see average costs for each vendor and areas you may to need budget better, ultimately making it easier to manage your finances.
Following a consistent updates to your spreadsheet is highly recommended for tracking wedding expenses because:
  • It allows you to adjust your budget numbers as planning continues.
  • A budget tracker within the spreadsheet helps monitor actual spending.
  • It enables you to make necessary adjustments to stay on track.
If you're running over budget, you can still save money while planning your wedding with a few strategic tips. One way to protect yourself from unexpected costs is by purchasing wedding insurance, which provides peace of mind and protection against damage and liabilities.
Additionally, consider various ways to cut costs, such as opting for a less expensive venue or trimming your guest list. While planning your dream wedding, remain aware of your budget to avoid overspending on unnecessary elements. These saving tips can help you create a beautiful wedding without breaking the bank.

Organizing the Guest List

Organizing your guest list is a critical step in wedding planning, as it influences overall costs and venue choice. Important aspects to include in your guest list are:
  • Addresses
  • RSVPs
  • Dietary restrictions
  • Table numbers
Cutting the guest list can significantly reduce overall wedding costs, making it an essential consideration, though weddings are not always about saving money, so make sure the people that matter most to you are included on your guest list and in your guest count.
Online tools, like our all-in-one wedding planning template, help manage guest lists by enabling easy RSVPs tracking and guest tracking. Finalizing your guest list before creating a seating chart is crucial to ensure that the venue can comfortably accommodate your guests. Our template makes it easier to keep track of your guest list and ensure that everyone is accounted for.

Addressing Invitations

Gorgeous wedding invitation that's addressed to a wedding guest.
Wedding invitations are a guest’s first impression of the event, so it’s important to get them right. Here are some key points to consider:
  • Invitations should typically be sent out six to eight weeks before the wedding day.
  • When ordering wedding invitations, account for mistakes.
  • Ensure timely arrival of the invitations.
  • Confirm addresses and spelling.
Including your wedding website URL on save-the-dates can be helpful for guests. It’s also recommended to start working with a graphic designer to send save the dates for custom invitations as soon as planning begins. These steps will ensure that your invitations are beautiful and informative.

Venue Selection and Booking Updates

Choosing the right venue is one of the most important decisions in wedding planning, as it affects guest count, style, and budget. Creating a guest list is essential for determining the venue size and overall budget for the wedding. When selecting a venue, consider factors such as guest count, style, and budget.
It’s also important to consider guests’ transportation needs, including parking and access to public transport. Double-checking vendor arrangements with the venue ensures alignment with policies and avoids any last-minute surprises.
When preparing going through the decision making process for wedding venues, asking the right questions, and thinking about what matters most to you, before selecting a wedding venue can significantly influence your wedding day experience. Considerations for selecting a venue include:
  • Location
  • Capacity
  • Amenities
  • Dance floor
  • Overall vibe
Specific questions to ask venue managers can include availability on your preferred date, total guest capacity, and what’s included in the rental fee.
If you fall in love with your venue, consider booking your wedding venue as early as possible, especially for popular dates, as capacity can fill quickly. Before the final venue walk-through, make a list of questions and bring a planner or someone close to help ensure all details are covered.
This thorough approach will help you secure the perfect venue and ensure that everything is in place for your big day, as advised by a wedding expert.

Everything About Wedding Vendors

Screenshot from wedding planning template showcasing the vendor budget for the catering section.
Hiring key vendors is a crucial step in wedding planning. Inquire about the availability of different wedding packages, when it's not an à la carte style, and what they include when meeting with venue coordinators. Ask whether the venue has any preferred vendors or other vendors, as they may offer discounts for working with them.
Establishing clear communication with vendors about your expectations is vital for avoiding misunderstandings and ensuring that services are delivered as expected. This will help create a smooth planning process and a successful wedding day.
Many wedding vendors will have contracts or terms of service in their business agreements online when you purchase from them. A wedding contract serves to clearly define the expectations and responsibilities of both the couple and the vendor. It’s crucial to have clear, written agreements that outline services, timelines, and payment schedules with your wedding vendors.
Personalization in contracts ensures that the services meet your specific wedding needs and aesthetic preferences. Contracts help protect against issues like cancellations, refunds or vendor no-shows by specifying terms and potential penalties.
Establishing a clear timeline in the contract allows both parties to understand delivery expectations regarding services. Regular updates and checks with vendors help ensure everyone is on the same page leading up to the wedding.
Maintaining a log of communications helps track agreements and updates, ensuring alignment between you and your vendors. We always like to have all key details outline in email to ensure everything is crystal clear.

Ceremony Details & Officiant

Different wedding ceremonies, such as traditional, Jewish, or Hindu, have unique elements, including specific rituals and order of events. Incorporating personal readings or vows can make your ceremony super special and emotional (in the best way!) during your wedding ceremony.
Factors to consider when choosing an officiant include:
  • Availability
  • Eligibility
  • Fee
  • Fit
It is essential to confirm expectations and the overall tone of the ceremony with your officiant before the event. You'd hate to hire an officiant who's cracking all kinds of jokes when it's not your style.

Maintaining Updated Wedding Day Schedule

A detailed wedding day timeline helps keep everyone organized, ensuring that the couple, vendors, and wedding party are on the same page. Crafting a wedding day itinerary helps alleviate stress, ensuring all participants are aligned and aware of their roles. Our wedding day timeline template is a perfect starting point with key pieces already added.
Having a comprehensive schedule aids in managing time effectively and ensures all parties are informed. This will help create a smooth and enjoyable wedding day for everyone involved.
Sharing the schedule with all relevant parties allows for smoother coordination on the wedding day. We highly recommend sharing copies of the wedding day schedule with key participants to align everyone and help with clarity and coordination. Google Sheets allows you to share with everyone online, so they can see it on their phone, though having a printed wedding day timeline is always helpful to have in areas were the bride and groom are getting ready.

Handling Last-Minute Details

Handling last-minute details is crucial for ensuring a smooth wedding day. Scheduling a final meeting with your planner or day-of coordinator allows you to review the wedding day schedule and make adjustments, including confirming the final headcount. Having a buffer of 5-15% of your budget set aside is advisable for unexpected costs.

The night before the wedding, finalize details and prepare essentials to ensure everything is in place for the big day. These steps will help you handle any last-minute issues with ease.

Confirming with Vendors

Confirming details with vendors is essential to ensure all aspects of the wedding day are correctly aligned. Here are some important steps to follow:
  • Always verify the date, location, and setup details around 2 weeks before wedding date to avoid any last-minute surprises.
  • Prior to the wedding date, connect with your vendors to ensure that everything is on schedule.
  • Use this connection to clarify any potential misunderstandings.
This proactive approach helps ensure that everyone is on the same page, reducing the likelihood of any issues on the wedding day. Confirming these details allows you to relax, knowing that all arrangements are in place with a close friend.

Reception Activities

Personalized games or unique entertainment options can be incorporated to make the wedding reception memorable. Engaging reception activities are essential to create a lively atmosphere and keep guests entertained throughout the event. The experiences created will leave a lasting impression on everyone.
Including various fun activities not only entertains guests but also enhances the overall enjoyment of the wedding festivities celebration.

Integrating your wedding planning template with other wedding planning tools

Your wedding planning template is an all-in-one comprehensive tool to cover every aspect of wedding planning and your honeymoon to follow. However, if you're looking for templates to only help with certain pieces of your wedding planning, tools like our wedding day emergency kit template or wedding budget template could be perfect fits to help you with wedding planning.

See below for our other free wedding planning templates to help make wedding planning easy along with seeing pricing for wedding flowers in Canada.

Stay organized with our wedding planning template

Integrating your budget with other wedding planning tools

Integrating your wedding budget template with other planning tools ensures a comprehensive and cohesive approach. Tools like checklists, vendor managers, and guest list managers work harmoniously with your budget, improving the planning process.

This integration helps manage all aspects of your wedding seamlessly. See below for a few of our other free wedding planning templates to help make wedding planning easy.

A free wedding budget template option displayed on a screen.
Wedding Budget Template

Essential wedding budget template that includes 15+ expense categories covering everything to keep you on budget and sane during planning. Stay on budget and organized with this template.

A bride unpacking her wedding day emergency kit on wedding day.
Wedding Day Emergency Kit

Emergencies happen on wedding day. Big or small, we have you covered! Complete list of items for the bride and groom to pack for those common “just in case” situations.

Free Wedding Floral Quote image
Free Wedding Floral Quote

Wedding florals covered? Get a quick, free online quote that you can use to compare vs. other vendors. No price gatekeeping. No minimums. No funny

Get the best free wedding planning template