An Indian wedding is rarely one event. It is a run of functions, each with its own guest list, vendors, outfits and rituals, spread over days and often across two families. A checklist that only says "book venue, book caterer" will not carry you through it.

This one is built month by month, from twelve months out to the day itself, and it breaks the work down by ceremony. Timings are typical, not rules. If your date is closer than a year away, compress the early months and start with the most date-sensitive items: venue, photographer and decorator.

12 months to go: set the foundations

This is the quiet stretch where decisions are cheapest to change.

Agree a rough total budget with both families, and who is contributing what. Settle this before you fall in love with a venue. Our Indian wedding budget breakdown gives indicative ranges by category.
Talk to your priests or family elders about muhurat options. See choosing a wedding date around muhurat and season.
Draft a first-pass guest count for each side. A rough number is enough for now; it decides venue size.
Decide which functions you actually want: haldi, mehendi, sangeet, wedding, reception, and any regional ones such as a cocktail evening or a ring ceremony.
Choose your city and venue type. Peak-season dates between October and February go first.

10-11 months: lock the big bookings

Shortlist and book the main venue or venues. Check whether the venue allows outside caterers and decorators, and what the exclusivity terms are.
Book the photographer and videographer. Good ones are usually booked well ahead for peak dates.
Book the decorator or wedding planner if you are using one.
Send an informal save-the-date to relatives who must travel, especially anyone abroad.
Open a single shared document or app for all quotes and payments so both families see the same figures.

8-9 months: build the team

Book the caterer, and arrange a tasting for later.
Book makeup and hair artists for the bride, and for family members if wanted.
Book the mehendi artist. Lead times matter here, since a good artist can only do so many hands in a day.
Book entertainment: DJ, live band, choreographer for the sangeet, dhol players for the baraat.
Start browsing outfits. Bridal lehengas and sherwanis often need months for custom work and fittings.
Set up your wedding website so guests have one place for details. Create a free wedding website and add the basics as you confirm them.

6-7 months: guests, stays and travel

Finalise the guest list by side (bride, groom, both) and by ceremony. Not everyone is invited to every function. Our guide to wedding guest list management covers how to build and trim it.
Block hotel rooms for out-of-town guests. Ask hotels about release dates, so you are not paying for unused rooms.
Arrange transport: airport pickups, shuttles between venue and hotel, baraat vehicles.
Book honeymoon flights and check passport and visa validity.
Order invitations or finalise the digital invite design. For WhatsApp-first families, see sending wedding invitations on WhatsApp.

4-5 months: ceremony-level planning

Now each function gets its own plan.

Haldi

Confirm the venue (often a home or lawn) and the time of day. Haldi is usually a morning or early afternoon event.
Plan yellow or pastel outfits for the family, and old clothes or a change for people who will get messy.
Arrange flower petals, haldi paste, and a clear cleanup plan.

Mehendi

Confirm the number of hands to be done and the artist team size.
Plan a seating setup that works for hours of sitting, plus light food that can be eaten one-handed.

Sangeet

Fix the performance list, rehearsal schedule, and sound check time.
Confirm stage, lighting and AV requirements with the venue.

Wedding

Confirm the pandit, ritual samagri list, mandap design and baraat route.
Check what the venue allows for fire, music cut-off times and vehicles.

Reception

Confirm the stage, receiving line plan and menu.
Plan the guest entry sequence and photography schedule.

For more detail on the pre-wedding functions, read planning sangeet, mehendi and haldi.

3 months: send invitations and finalise outfits

Send formal invitations. Out-of-town guests should have had their save-the-date months earlier; now they need the full schedule.
Share your wedding website link so guests can see per-function details, dress codes and travel information. Our guide to what to write on a wedding website has sample wording.
Collect RSVPs per function, not just one yes or no for the whole wedding.
Do the first fittings for bridal and groom outfits.
Book pre-wedding photoshoot dates if you want one.
Confirm tasting dates with the caterer.

2 months: tighten the details

Chase pending RSVPs politely. Our RSVP etiquette guide has wording for this.
Finalise the menu for each function, including dietary needs such as Jain, vegetarian and allergies.
Share a detailed run of show with all vendors.
Order return gifts and welcome hampers for out-of-town guests.
Review your budget. Compare what you have committed against what you planned, and adjust before the last-minute spending begins.
Confirm legal paperwork: marriage registration requirements, ID documents, and any name changes.

1 month: confirm everything in writing

Send final headcounts to the caterer and venue.
Reconfirm every vendor: date, time, address, contact person on the day, balance payment amount and due date.
Do final outfit fittings and pick up accessories, jewellery and footwear.
Assign a trusted family member or friend as the day-of contact for each vendor, so you are not fielding calls yourself.
Prepare an emergency kit: safety pins, painkillers, sewing kit, spare dupatta, phone chargers.
Send a final reminder with schedule, directions and dress codes.

1 week: the final stretch

Pay remaining balances according to contracts, and keep every receipt.
Pack for each function in separate bags, labelled by event.
Confirm all transport timings.
Rehearse the sangeet one last time and brief anyone with a speech.
Get rest, drink water, and keep the schedule light. Mehendi usually happens a day or two before the wedding so it has time to darken.

The day itself

Hand the schedule to your day-of contacts, eat something, and let the plan run. Appoint someone to look after elders, someone to deal with vendors, and someone to handle gifts and envelopes so they do not go missing.

After the wedding

Settle any final vendor balances and collect outstanding items such as albums, videos and deposits.
Send thank-you messages. A short personal note beats a generic broadcast.
Return rented outfits and décor items.
Archive your documents, contracts and guest list.

Keep it all in one place

A checklist only works if both families can see it. Mangalyam is a free planner built for this: a wedding website with RSVP, a guest list by side and by ceremony, a budget in rupees with categories, and a vendor directory. Read how it works on the wedding planner app page.

Ready to start? Create your free wedding website and begin ticking things off.

Indian Wedding Checklist: 12 Months to the Wedding Day