Planning a Wedding in Six Months: A Practical List to Stay Organized
- evermoreridgewv
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
If you’re planning a wedding in six months or less (check out this blog for a simple 6 step checklist!), or maybe you have been engaged for a while and have just decided to start planning a wedding for this year, take a deep breath — it is possible to plan a beautiful, meaningful day without taking years to plan it.
Many couples come to tour Evermore Ridge, an outdoor wedding venue in West Virginia, and mention feeling behind, unsure where to start, or worried they’ve missed something important. The truth is that wedding planning doesn’t have to be chaotic when you have the right tools in place. We've written many blogs to aid you in your wedding planning and even specific blogs on wedding planning timelines and how to stay organized with a six month timeframe (more helpful links to come throughout this blog!).
So, whether you’re newly engaged or finalizing details for your upcoming wedding, this guide walks through practical wedding planning lists to help you stay organized, especially when hosting an outdoor wedding at one of the many scenic outdoor wedding locations in WV.
1. Your Wedding Stationery & Details Checklist
When planning a wedding, having a stationery and details checklist keeps them from slipping through the cracks. It also helps the day of your wedding to be less stressful. You want all of these items to be together, ready to go, for your photographer to take gorgeous flat lay photos of. Don't wait until the day of your wedding while you are trying to enjoy getting ready to attempt to find all these items for your photographer!
Wedding Flat Lay Items to Plan For:
Wedding invitation suite - Link to Common Mistakes and Etiquette Tips for Wedding Invites
Invite
RSVP
Details card
Save the Date
Envelopes (especially with calligraphy)
Vow books or handwritten vows
Rings (engagement ring & wedding bands)
Ring box
Jewelry (earrings, necklace, bracelet)
Wedding dress
Dress hanger (wooden or personalized)
Veil
Shoes
Bouquet
Boutonniere
Perfume and/or cologne
Something borrowed
Something blue
Heirloom items (family jewelry, handkerchief, Bible)
Groom’s tie or bowtie
Groom’s cufflinks
Groom’s watch
Groom’s shoes
Invitation wax seal or ribbon (if used)
Personal notes or letters exchanged
Ceremony programs
Styling items (ribbon, loose florals, greenery)
Having these items prepared early allows your wedding day to organized and enjoyable. It is highly recommended to check with your photographer to see if there is anything specific, they would like included in the flat lay items.
2. Ceremony Site Inspiration (Backdrop & Aisle)
Your ceremony is the heart of your wedding day, especially when hosting an outdoor celebration.
We encourage couples to gather photos or inspiration images that show:
Ceremony backdrop (arch, cross, florals, greenery, draping)
Aisle setup (chairs, benches, florals, lanterns, pampas grass, greenery)
Placement of meaningful or faith-based elements like your unity item and memorial items
As an outdoor wedding venue near Charleston, WV, we strive to keep our couples informed and aid in ideas by regularly posting previous Evermore Ridge couple's ideas on our social media accounts and creating blogs like this one. When you arrive on the weekend of your wedding, we want nothing to feel uncertain and for it to feel authentically you.
3. Reception Table Design
Reception tables set the tone for the celebration that follows your ceremony. It is recommended that you have inspiration photos for how you would like these to look for everyone and anyone that is going to be aiding in setting up your tables.
Helpful inspiration photos should include:
Table linens or exposed wood tables
Centerpieces
Table runners or cheesecloth
Candles
Table numbers
Place settings
Sweetheart table or head table designs
Clear inspiration allows everyone to work together seamlessly, which is especially important when planning efficiently.
4. Vendor Contact Sheet (One of the Most Important Tools)
Every couple, including those planning a wedding in six months, should have a vendor contact sheet. This will help everyone be in touch, informed and able to assist without reaching out to the bride or groom, so they can continue to enjoy their wedding day, if a problem arises.
Your contact sheet should include:
Vendor name & company
Phone number
Email
Arrival time (This might sound silly, but the number of times I've had to ask the bride, groom, or their parents about the scheduled arrival time of a specific vendor is unbelievable.)
Role on wedding day
This list should be attached with your day of timeline and shared with all your vendors, especially your day of coordinator or planner, a trusted family member and have a copy in both the bridal suite and groom's lounge. It brings peace knowing everyone knows who to contact if questions arise. Speaking of day of coordinators, is a day of coordinator something you need? Find out in this blog!
5. Photographer Shot List
Your wedding photos tell your story long after the day has passed. Creating a shot list ensures nothing meaningful is missed.
Include the following:
Getting ready photos (bride & groom)
Details (rings, invitations, dress)
First look or first touch
Ceremony highlights
Family groupings (be specific about who is in each shot!)
Bridal party (be specific if you want certain shots with certain people)
Reception details
Sunset portraits
Send off photos
Faith-based moments (prayer, vows, communion)
Anything that is special or meaningful to you that the photographer may not know about
Example: we've had several brides/grooms who had family members make items for their weddings that ended up not getting photographed because the photographer did not know the meaning of the item.
This list helps your photographer focus on what matters most to you. In addition, here is a blog we previously wrote about why hiring a professional photographer is important (also discusses if a second photographer is necessary) for preserving lasting memories of your wedding day.
6. Venue Layout Drawing or Screenshot
This planning tool brings clarity and confidence and it’s something we actively help our couples with at Evermore Ridge.
A simple drawing, sketch, or screenshot should show your reception layout to include:
Guest table layout/placement
Include which tables are reserved for close family and friends if not doing assigned seating for all guests
Sweetheart table placement
Dance floor
Bar
Gift table
Dessert/Cake table
Cocktail hour high top tables
Cocktail hour appetizer table
Food tables
Memorial table
Here at Evermore Ridge venue, we have a private Facebook group where we provide real-life examples of layouts from past weddings so couples can see exactly how different layouts work within our space. This is a huge help when planning efficiently.
Here is a link to request access to that group! Keep in mind, we only approve requests from the bride and/or groom, and you must be officially booked with Evermore Ridge venue!
7. Bridal Suite & Groom’s Room Emergency Kits
An emergency kit may seem small, but it can make a big difference for potentially stressful situations on your wedding day. Click the link below for a complete checklist, including assistance with your emergency kit, detailing what needs to be done in the final 30 days before your wedding.
Bridal Suite Emergency Kit should include:
Bobby pins & Hair ties
Band-aids
Pads & Tampons
Tums & Pain Relievers (Advil, Tylenol)
Safety pins
Sewing kit
Fashion tape
Stain remover & White chalk
Deodorant
Tissues
Blotting papers
Makeup for touch-ups
Comfortable shoes
Phone charger
Speaker
Scissors
Tweezers
Groom’s Room Emergency Kit:
Lint roller
Tums & Pain Relievers (Advil, Tylenol)
Breath mints or gum
Deodorant
Hair product
Band-aids (someone always gets stuck by one of the boutonniere pins)
Extra socks
Phone charger
Speaker
These kits help everyone stay relaxed and focused on celebrating leading up to your outdoor West Virginia wedding ceremony.
Planning Your Outdoor Wedding in Six Months at Evermore Ridge
If you’re searching for outdoor wedding locations in WV and want a venue that offers guidance, preparation, and peace, we would love to welcome you as part of the Evermore Ridge family.
Located near Charleston, WV, Evermore Ridge is an outdoor wedding venue in West Virginia designed for couples who value meaningful celebrations. We walk alongside our couples, and encourage open communication from the very start, ensuring your wedding day feels calm, beautiful, and truly yours.
We encourage you to schedule a tour and see if Evermore Ridge is the right fit for your dream wedding day.
Weekly Shoutout
Each week, we use our blogs to not only assist couples in wedding planning, but to also support other locally owned wedding venues from around the country. In every blog we write, we include about ten locally owned wedding venues who also use their articles to support us. If you are searching for a wedding venue, please consider a locally owned venue like ours and those listed below. You can find even more locally owned wedding venues featured on this wedding venue map.