---
title: "Wedding planning timelines, legal steps and the guest list"
description: "How to plan a wedding in the UK from the first conversation to the day itself: the step-by-step method, the month-by-month timeline, giving notice, the guest list and the running order."
canonical: https://getaisley.com/guides/planning
last_updated: 2026-10-12
---

# Wedding planning timelines, legal steps and the guest list

> How to plan a wedding in the UK from the first conversation to the day itself: the step-by-step method, the month-by-month timeline, giving notice, the guest list and the running order.

Canonical: https://getaisley.com/guides/planning. Every guide is also plain markdown at the same URL with a `.md` suffix.

Planning a wedding takes most UK couples 200 to 300 hours, almost all of it in the evenings. These guides put the decisions in order, explain the legal steps in plain words, and hand you the timelines so nothing gets booked too late.

## Guides

- [Wedding planning timeline: what to book and when](https://getaisley.com/guides/wedding-planning-timeline): A month-by-month wedding planning timeline for the UK, from setting the budget 12 months out to giving notice at the register office and final supplier payments.
- [Giving notice of marriage: the UK notice of marriage](https://getaisley.com/guides/giving-notice-wedding-uk): Giving notice of marriage in England and Wales, the 29 day notice of marriage, the fee, the documents, and how Scotland and Northern Ireland differ.
- [How to cut your wedding guest list without falling out](https://getaisley.com/guides/how-to-cut-wedding-guest-list): Every guest costs £180 to £280, so the list is where budgets are won. A tier method that makes cuts consistent, rules for plus-ones and children, and scripts for the awkward conversations.
- [Best wedding planning apps in the UK (2026): Aisley vs Bridebook vs Hitched](https://getaisley.com/guides/best-wedding-planning-apps-uk): A fair look at the wedding planning app options in the UK: Aisley, Bridebook and Hitched. What each is good at, who it suits, and Bridebook vs Hitched.
- [Best AI wedding planners in 2026, for UK couples](https://getaisley.com/guides/ai-wedding-planners-uk): Every AI wedding planner we know of in 2026, plus ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini: what each does and costs, and which lookalike is which. By Aisley, one of them.
- [Aisley and Aisle (aisle.wedding): what is the difference?](https://getaisley.com/guides/aisley-vs-aisle-wedding): One letter apart and unrelated: what each product does, which weddings each is built for, and the honest answer to which one you need. Written by Aisley.
- [How to plan a wedding in the UK: the whole thing, step by step](https://getaisley.com/guides/how-to-plan-a-wedding-uk): Every wedding decision in order, from guest count and budget to the running order on the day, with the month to make each one and a table of the 14 big calls.
- [Wedding day timeline: a running order that actually works](https://getaisley.com/guides/wedding-day-timeline): Sample running orders for a 1pm civil and a 2pm church ceremony, how long each of 19 segments really takes, the buffers to build in, and a template to copy.
- [Wedding checklist: your wedding planning checklist](https://getaisley.com/guides/wedding-checklist-uk): A wedding checklist and wedding planning checklist for the UK: 87 tasks from the budget a year out to giving notice, the day itself and the name change.
- [How to use ChatGPT to plan your wedding, with prompts](https://getaisley.com/guides/how-to-use-chatgpt-to-plan-a-wedding): ChatGPT prompts to copy for a wedding budget split, guest list cuts, venue criteria, a first venue email and a timeline, and where ChatGPT falls short.

## Other topics

- [Wedding costs and budgeting guides](https://getaisley.com/guides/money): What weddings really cost, and how to budget.
- [Wedding venue guides](https://getaisley.com/guides/venues): The questions to ask before you book.
- [Wedding supplier guides: emailing, questioning and booking](https://getaisley.com/guides/suppliers): Finding, emailing and booking your people.
- [Getting married abroad from the UK](https://getaisley.com/guides/destination-weddings): Costs, legal steps and timelines by country.