Your wedding planning timeline, month by month

A wedding is hundreds of small decisions, and most of the stress comes from making too many of them at once. Spread them out and the whole thing becomes far more enjoyable. This is the order we suggest to couples. Treat it as a guide, not a rulebook: if your date is closer, everything still fits, it just moves faster.

Six months or more before

A few decisions shape everything else, so settle them first.

• Your budget. Agree a total and who is contributing before you fall in love with anything. It’s far easier to design around a number than to cut back later.
• A rough guest count. Even a range, say 300 to 400, tells you which venues are realistic and shapes every quote you’ll receive.
• The date and the venue. These usually move together, because the most popular venues and dates go first.
• Your planner, décor and photography. The earlier they’re involved, the more they can help with everything that follows. See how we approach weddings, and VibranceX Studio for photos and film.
• Your ceremonies. If you’re having more than one, such as a nikah, a church service or a traditional ceremony as well as the reception, put them on one calendar so families and suppliers can plan around them.

Planning a garden wedding? In Kenya the long rains usually fall between March and May and the short rains between October and December. A marquee keeps the day safe whatever the weather, and dressed well it’s every bit as beautiful as the garden around it.

Three to six months before

Now for the look of the day.

• Find your style. Collect photos you love, screenshots included, and notice what they share: colours, flowers, lighting. Our portfolio is a good place to start.
• Decide on the big pieces: the stage, the aisle, the centrepieces and any ceiling installation. They set the tone for the whole room.
• Book equipment: marquees, tables, chairs, lighting and sound. Décor and equipment can also be booked on their own.
• Order your outfits, leaving time for fittings, and choose your rings.
• Taste the menu and settle the cake.

One to two months before

• Send your invitations about a month before, by card or on WhatsApp, with a clear date to reply by. Give guests travelling from upcountry or abroad a heads-up earlier.
• Confirm your numbers. Every quote depends on the guest count, so give suppliers your final figure as soon as you have it.
• Draft the order of the day: arrivals, entrances, speeches, the meal, the first dance.
• Walk through the décor with your team, item by item, and ask the venue when setup can start and about backup power.

The final fortnight

• Confirm timings with every supplier, and give them one contact for the day who isn’t either of you.
• Settle outstanding balances as agreed, so nothing is left to sort out on the day.
• List the family photos you want, and ask a relative who knows everyone to gather people.
• Rest. The last week goes quickly.

On the day

Hand it over. Let your planner and coordinator answer the questions, and spend the day with the people who came for you.

Short on time? Plenty of beautiful weddings come together in a few months: the order stays the same, it just moves faster. Send us a message with your date, venue and rough guest count, and we’ll take it from there.