One of the things that has become very clear to me during my time as a wedding coordinator is that wedding planning checklists for budget-friendly weddings are very different than wedding planning checklists for more formal weddings. As it turns out, wedding planning timelines and checklists are awesomely unique and creative, just like couples.

For instance, if you're not having a florist because your super talented aunt with a green thumb is creating your wedding centerpieces in order to save you money on your wedding flowers, then you do not need to book your florist six months in advance. So how do you know when should be doing certain wedding planning tasks?

In all honesty, there is no straight answer, because every budget-friendly wedding is different. One wedding may have branches and leaves in a large mason jar for centerpieces (which can be made a few weeks before the wedding), while another may have fresh flowers picked from a flower farm (which must often be done the day before or on the day of the wedding).

However, with that said, there are some standard wedding planning tasks that can be done at certain times if you're planning your own wedding. I've been keeping track of all the tasks as I've coordinated dozens of non-traditional weddings, and documenting all of them as I go. Below you'll find a comprehensive list, so dive in, plan away, and make sure to have fun doing it!

Note: This list is the pared down version of the The Insanely Detailed Wedding Day Checklist. If you find this list helpful, sign up to receive the full-length version for free here. 

When you first get engaged:
____ Determine goals for your wedding.
____ Decide on the style, theme, or overall vibe for your wedding.
____ Determine how much time you can devote to wedding planning.
____ Create a budget if necessary.
____ Figure out how many family and friends you expect to help you put your wedding together.
____ Decide on a wedding party, if you are having one.

Shortly after you're engaged:
____ Find and book your wedding venue.
____ Choose a ceremony and reception start time.
____ Create the guest list.
____ Start booking your key wedding vendors (for example, the caterer, officiant, photographer, etc.).
____ Get event insurance.

Six to eight months out:
____ Start looking into reservations for any group wedding weekend activities if applicable.
____ Set up your wedding website.
____ Send out your save the dates.
____ Begin to book other vendors applicable to your wedding that you haven't already booked (for example, transportation, a photobooth, etc.).
____ Book your rehearsal dinner location.
____ Decide on wedding attire for you, your partner, and the wedding party.

Five months out:
____ Start thinking about and choosing your wedding decor, as well as other wedding items such as the guest book, seating chart, and favors.
____ Decide what DIY projects you want to do, and plan when you will do them (the earlier, the better!).

Four months out:
____ Visit the venue again, and make your event layout.
____ Start looking for your wedding rings.
____ Set up a wedding registry (if you're having one).

Three months out:
____ Discuss and choose with your partner what things you would and wouldn't like to include in your day-of timeline (for example, a cake cutting, bouquet toss, etc.).
____ Start creating your job list for family and friends who will be helping on your wedding day.
____ Start creating your wedding playlists if applicable.

Two months out:
____ Get your wedding attire altered if necessary.
____ Start writing or brainstorming your vows.
____ Finish up any DIY projects that you can.

Six weeks out:
____ Mail your wedding invites, including rehearsal dinner invites, and track RSVPs.
____ Loop in your wedding coordinator (or the person who will be the point person on your big day), if you decide to have one.
____ Finalize the items in your day-of timeline, and assign exact times to the different parts of the day.

One month out:
____ Finalize your wedding ceremony with your officiant.
____ Go over your wedding timeline with your coordinator or point person, photographer, caterer, and DJ to get their feedback, and then update accordingly.
____ Get your marriage license.
____ Finish up your wedding purchases and projects for things like menus and programs.

Two to three weeks out:
____ Track down any missing RSVPs.
____ Finalize your seating chart.
____ Finalize outstanding details with vendors.
____ Update your day-of timeline with information from vendors.
____ Make your shot list for your wedding photographer.
____ Make your song list for your DJ, and specify the order of your wedding party for introductions.
____ Have a meeting with your coordinator (or point person) to go over all the final wedding details.
____ Start packing for your honeymoon if applicable.

One week out:
____ Send out a final timeline to all wedding vendors, and make sure they have directions to the venue, unloading info, and parking info.
____ Make a packing list of things you want to bring to the venue, including a DIY wedding emergency kit.
____ Write out final checks for payments and gratuities for your wedding vendors.

A couple days before the wedding:
____ Begin set-up at the venue as early as the venue will let you in.
____ Drop off welcome goodies for guests at hotels if applicable.
____ Buy any perishable food items that you are responsible for serving during the wedding weekend.

The day before the wedding:
____ Finish (or start) setting up the wedding ceremony and reception spaces.
____ Have a wedding rehearsal.
____ Hand over the planning reins and your planning materials to your wedding coordinator or point person.

The day of the wedding (yay!):
____ Get married, and soak in all the love you feel from your partner as well as your nearest and dearest family and friends, because DIY weddings are super amazing

The day after the wedding:
____ Clean up, pack up, and go on your way as a newly married couple.

The week or few days after the wedding:
____ Take a breather from wedding-related tasks and go on a honeymoon, mini-moon, or even a stay-at-home honeymoon.

One to three months after the wedding:
____ Send thank you cards.

Forever after!
____ Relish in the memories of your amazing wedding day. Congrats!

Did you think this list was helpful? Then you'll love the full-length, 10-page PDF version below!

There are a whole lot of hot wedding trends that cropped up in 2015, and one that continues to be on the rise is weekend destination weddings. I'm not talking flying to Cabo San Lucas like when Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo tied the knot in Mexico among their nearest and dearest A-list friends last summer — I'm talking about folks like you and me who are choosing to have weddings in cool, more local destinations that most guests can drive to for the weekend.

Whether couples are renting out an entire wedding venue for the weekend (like the weekend wedding venue Sky Acres, a former Girl Scout Camp in Washington, Vermont), or having guests rendezvous in a more popular tourist spot like Newport, Rhode Island, they are often opting for weekend-long wedding celebrations, and for good reasons, too.

Longer celebrations mean more quality time with guests — particularly those who are traveling from afar to visit for the weekend — and of course, more awesomely unique wedding activities. At DIY Wedding Mentor, we're seeing clients come up with fun activities for their wedding guests starting as early as Wednesday or Thursday before the wedding, and heading right through Sunday.

Wedding groups are doing everything from going apple picking to soaking up the sun on the beach to canoeing down rivers to having clam bakes to enjoying a simple pot luck picnic in the park. Each idea seems to be better than the next, and I'm sharing my personal favorites from this year.

1. Go river tubing with your wedding guests
Yes, this is as awesome as it sounds. For the more adventurous groups, river tubing is a great all-day activity that many people enjoy, and it can be an exciting way to kick off your weekend wedding festivities. Encourage guests to pack their bathing suits and spend the afternoon letting their cares drift away as they float on down a lazy river. You can top the excursion off with a casual picnic afterward where everyone can spend some great quality time together catching up before the big day.

To get some more ideas for a group tubing trip for your wedding, take a look at Madison River Tubing, which does tubing for wedding parties in Bozeman, Montana.

2. Welcome wedding guests with a beer, wine, or food tasting
Organizing a beer, wine, or food tasting can be a great way to connect guests to the local foodie culture while providing you with a casual and relaxed environment to meet and greet everyone. Since people often enjoy seeing what food and drinks originate from the area when traveling, this is an easy way to help them maximize their trip while sharing the local gastronomic culture with them.

To get some more ideas about sharing the local brews with your wedding guests, take a look at the Bolt Party Bus for brewery tours in San Diego, California.

3. Play team games with your wedding guests
There’s something about a good old-fashion game of wiffle ball or tag football that brings strangers together immediately. Instantaneously, people who have never met are giving one another high fives and cheering each other on — talk about some wedding team spirit! Organizing a game at a local park or at your wedding venue can be a great way to set the tone for a fun weekend ahead.

To get some more ideas for team games to play at your wedding, take a look at wedding games on Pinterest, and check out Rock One Prints to customize t-shirts for the games that can also double as wedding favors.

4. Have a group yoga session for your wedding guests
If your group leans more toward zen activities, yoga can be an amazing way to start your wedding day. Before diving into getting ready, hair, makeup, and all that good stuff, take a few minutes to relax in the morning, get your meditation on, and set the stage for you to soak in all the goodness that’s ahead. And a group yoga session can help make sure your guests are relaxed, too, ensuring your day stays drama free.

To get some more ideas for group yoga classes before your wedding, take a look at Unique Yoga Events in New Jersey.

5. Organize a group boat ride
If your wedding is near a lake or ocean, a group boat ride is a fun way to get everyone mixing and mingling — confined spaces with beautiful scenery do that well. You may consider renting a large party boat or organizing a ride on a boat that does one or two hour cruises in the area. This can be a fun way to kick off the party when guests arrive early in the weekend, or a festive way to end the party on Sunday. Just make sure to bring some Dramamine for any guests who don’t quite have their sea legs.

To get some more ideas for organizing a boat ride for your wedding weekend, take a look at Lake Tahoe Cruises in Nevada.

This post originally appeared on Bustle.com.