Free planning tool

Wedding planning checklist and timeline

Set your wedding date and every task gets a real deadline. Built for weddings abroad, with Cyprus legal, travel, and guest tasks included. No signup: your progress saves in your browser.

Free, no sign-upSaves in your browserPrint or share your list

How it works

How the checklist works

Set your wedding date and every task turns into a concrete deadline, counted back from the day. It still works without a date: the tasks stay grouped in time buckets so you always know what comes next.

Keep the wedding-abroad toggle on to see Cyprus legal steps, guest travel lead times, and document deadlines. Turn it off for a straightforward home wedding. Add your own tasks to any stage, and edit or delete anything, including the defaults.

Your list saves privately in your browser, so it is there when you come back. Print a clean checklist or save it as a PDF, and copy a share link to send the whole plan to your partner. No account, no email gate, no reminders in your inbox.

The full list

Month-by-month wedding planning timeline

Every default task in the tool, in order. Tasks marked for a wedding abroad are the ones the checklist adds when the destination toggle is on.

12+ months before

Set your total budget and who is contributing
Agree an approximate guest count
Decide: legal ceremony in Cyprus, or legal at home plus a symbolic ceremony abroadWedding abroad
Choose your Cyprus regionWedding abroad
Shortlist and enquire with Cyprus reception venuesWedding abroad
Consider a Cyprus-based wedding plannerWedding abroad
Draft your priorities: what matters most versus where to save
Check both passports are valid for 6+ months beyond the wedding dateWedding abroad

10 to 12 months before

Book your Cyprus venue and pay the depositWedding abroad
Book your photographer
Book your videographer
Send save-the-dates early so guests can book travelWedding abroad
Research guest flights and typical fares to CyprusWedding abroad
Reserve a group hotel block for guestsWedding abroad
Start looking for your wedding outfit
Choose your wedding party and ask them

8 to 10 months before

Contact your municipality about booking the marriage noticeWedding abroad
Confirm the exact legal document list for your nationalityWedding abroad
Book your florist
Book music, a DJ or a band
Book your celebrant or officiant
Decide your wedding style and colour palette
Set up a wedding info hub for guests: travel, hotels, transfersWedding abroad

6 to 8 months before

Order your Certificate of No Impediment or single-status affirmationWedding abroad
Order official birth certificates issued within the last 6 monthsWedding abroad
Gather your decree absolute or a former spouse death certificate if applicableWedding abroad
Book your caterer and schedule a tasting
Book your cake designer
Book hair and makeup and schedule a trial
Arrange guest airport transfers or a ceremony coachWedding abroad
Plan and book your honeymoon
Choose and order wedding party outfits

4 to 6 months before

Order and send formal invitationsWedding abroad
Set an RSVP deadline about 8 weeks before
Get wedding insurance and travel insurance covering the tripWedding abroad
Book your own flights and pre- and post-wedding accommodationWedding abroad
Order menus, place cards and the order of service
Buy wedding rings
Plan the ceremony order, readings and vows
Book wedding transport for the couple

2 to 4 months before

Send documents for apostille legalisationWedding abroad
Check single-status documents are dated close enough to the wedding to stay validWedding abroad
Arrange certified English translations of any non-English documentsWedding abroad
First dress or outfit fitting
Finalise the menu and catering numbers
Confirm timings with every vendor
Buy gifts for the wedding party and parents
Build the reception playlist and do-not-play list
Pre-submit legal documents online if your municipality allows itWedding abroad

1 to 2 months before

Chase outstanding RSVPs and finalise the guest count
Create the seating plan
Final fitting
Build the wedding-day timeline and running order
Confirm final numbers with the caterer and venue
Pack passports and originals of all legal documents togetherWedding abroad
Confirm the hair and makeup schedule
Write or rehearse your vows

Final 2 weeks

Travel to Cyprus and arrive 3 to 5 days earlyWedding abroad
Submit documents at the municipality in person and pay the licence feeWedding abroad
Allow for the notice periodWedding abroad
Confirm the final headcount and setup with the venue
Hand the timeline and vendor contact list to your coordinator
Break in your wedding shoes
Confirm transport pickup times

Day before

Rehearse the ceremony with your wedding party
Hand rings, vows and stationery to the coordinator
Lay out outfits and pack an emergency kit
Confirm your two witnesses are readyWedding abroad
Early night, hydrate and relax

Wedding day

Eat a proper breakfast
Follow the timeline loosely and stay present
Nominate someone to collect gifts and cards
Hand the rings to your best person or witness

After the wedding

Collect your marriage certificate from the municipalityWedding abroad
Get the certificate apostilled for recognition at home if requiredWedding abroad
Return hired items and outfits
Write thank-you cards
Leave reviews for your Cyprus vendorsWedding abroad
Preserve your outfit and order a photo album

Planning abroad

Planning a wedding abroad: what changes

A wedding abroad moves several deadlines earlier. Save-the-dates and invitations go out sooner so guests can book flights and time off. You also add tasks a home wedding never needs: a group hotel block, airport transfers, travel insurance, and the legal paperwork for marrying overseas.

The biggest difference is documents. For Cyprus you gather birth certificates and proof you are free to marry, get UK documents apostilled, and allow for the municipality notice period once you arrive. Price the whole plan with the Cyprus wedding budget calculator, and read the cost guide before you book.

Cyprus legal steps

Cyprus legal steps in brief

Decide civil or symbolic. A Cyprus civil marriage is recognised at home once the paperwork is complete. Symbolic means you marry legally at home first, then hold the ceremony in Cyprus.
Gather documents. A valid passport, a full birth certificate, and proof you are free to marry, plus a decree absolute or death certificate if either of you was married before.
Apostille UK documents. The UK FCDO charges GBP 45 per document; allow 15 to 20 working days, longer in peak season.
Allow for the notice period. The normal procedure holds the ceremony from 15 clear days after notice; a special licence allows about 2 to 3 working days.
Bring two witnesses. Every Cyprus ceremony needs two witnesses with photo ID who sign the register.

The full process, fees, and Town Hall details live in the Cyprus legal requirements guide. Confirm the exact document list with your municipality.

Next steps

Keep planning

Wedding seating plan maker

Paste your guest list and seat every table, then print the plan free.

Cyprus wedding budget calculator

Price your plan before you book, with real 2026 Cyprus costs.

Read the full cost guide

Guest-count bands, hidden costs, and sample budgets.

Cyprus legal requirements

Apostille, Notice of Marriage, civil versus symbolic, step by step.

Browse reception venues

Shortlist hotels, villas, restaurants, and coastal spaces by region.

Find wedding planners

A local planner handles paperwork, suppliers, transfers, and timings.

One useful email a month

Short Cyprus planning notes on paperwork, timings, and supplier questions. No filler, unsubscribe in one click.

Frequently asked questions

When should we start planning our wedding?

Most couples start 12 to 18 months out. For a wedding abroad, aim for the earlier end so you can book a venue, send save-the-dates, and give guests time to plan flights and leave.

When do we send save-the-dates for a wedding abroad?

Send them around 10 to 12 months before, earlier than a home wedding. Guests booking flights and accommodation need the runway, and early notice lifts your attendance rate.

What documents do we need to marry in Cyprus?

Typically a valid passport, a full birth certificate, and proof you are free to marry (a Certificate of No Impediment or a single-status declaration for UK couples, a Ledigkeitsbescheinigung for German couples), plus a decree absolute or death certificate if either of you was married before. UK-issued documents usually need an Apostille first. Confirm the exact list with your municipality.

How long does it take to get married in Cyprus?

Under the normal procedure the ceremony is held from 15 clear days after you submit the Notice of Marriage. A special-licence procedure can bring that down to about 2 to 3 working days. Ask your municipality for its appointment lead time before booking flights.

Do we need an account to use the checklist?

No. There is no signup and no email gate. Your progress saves in your own browser, and you can copy a share link to send the checklist to your partner.

Can we add our own tasks?

Yes. You can add custom tasks to any stage, and edit or delete any task, including the defaults. Set your wedding date and every task gets a real deadline you can print.