Why it's different
Most checklists tell you what. This one tells you when.
A free checklist doesn’t know your wedding date, assumes you have a full year and can’t track a single deposit. The Planning Ledger starts from your date and works backward.
-
“What should we be doing right now?”
Your Dashboard shows where you are in the plan and your next 10 tasks, each with a real due date.
Dashboard -
“When is the next deposit due?”
Log each deposit and balance once. You’ll see what’s paid, what’s left and what’s due in the next two weeks.
Payments -
“Our engagement is only 7 months.”
The plan fits itself to the time you have. Earlier tasks move closer; the final 60 days keep their usual timing.
Checklist
Try it with your date
Your wedding date, turned into a plan.
This is how The Planning Ledger works. Add your date and see where you are, what to focus on and your next tasks, dated for you.
No date yet? We show an example for a wedding 9 months from today.
✦ You are here
–
Your next tasks
A preview only. The workbook adds owners, statuses, your own dates, payments and budget.
Inside the workbook
See the real thing. Before you buy.
The Dashboard
Days to go, progress, what needs attention, your next 10 tasks and upcoming payments, all on one page.
View full size ↗Screenshots show a sample copy with example names and numbers.
The Checklist
69 tasks with due dates from your wedding day. Change the status, owner or date as you go.
View full size ↗Screenshots show a sample copy with example names and numbers.
The Budget
Planned, committed and paid for every category, filled in from your payments.
View full size ↗Screenshots show a sample copy with example names and numbers.
The Phone View
Your countdown, next tasks and upcoming payments, ready for the Google Sheets app.
View full size ↗Screenshots show a sample copy with example names and numbers.
Inside your download
Seven tabs. One calm plan.
A spreadsheet for Google Sheets and Excel. Fill in Setup once and the other tabs update on their own.
- 69dated tasks
- 81empty rows for your own tasks
- 80rows for payments
- 5currencies
Start Here. A short guide in the file, plus what each color means.
Setup. Type in the gold-framed cells once. The rest is calculated for you.
Dashboard. Where you are, your next 10 tasks and your upcoming payments.
Checklist. 69 tasks, each dated from your wedding day. You change the Status as you go.
Budget. 13 categories with a suggested split. Paid fills in from your Payments tab.
Payments. Add each deposit and balance. The Status updates on its own.
Phone View. A short summary tab to open in the Google Sheets app.
A spreadsheet file, not an app. Example data shown. The Dashboard and Phone View are locked so the formulas keep working.
Short engagement? It fits.
Less than a year to plan? The Ledger adjusts.
Most checklists assume you have 12 months. When you have less, earlier tasks move closer together, in order, and the last 60 days stay exactly as they are. Here is the same plan for 12 months and for 7.
| Task | 12+ months | 7 months |
|---|---|---|
| Book your venue | 348 days | 204 days |
| Book your photographer | 322 days | 191 days |
| Send save-the-dates | 260 days | 160 days |
| Order your dress | 200 days | 130 days |
| Order invitations | 140 days | 100 days |
| Mail invitations | 56 days | 56 days |
| Final headcount | 18 days | 18 days |
- Days before the wedding
- Type your own date on any task
- Mark tasks you don’t need as “Not needed”
- One-time purchase
- Instant download
- Google Sheets & Excel
How it works
Set up in one evening. Plan all year.
-
Add your date.
Fill in Setup once. All 69 tasks get a due date from your wedding day.
-
See what’s next.
Your Dashboard shows where you are in the plan and your next 10 tasks.
-
Log your first deposit.
Add it to Payments with its due date. Your Budget and Dashboard update on their own.
Setup takes about 5 minutes.
Made for you if
You’re planning it yourselves.
- You’re engaged and want one clear plan instead of ten saved lists.
- You’re planning without a full-time planner, or with a day-of coordinator.
- Your engagement is shorter than 12 months and you need to know what comes first.
- Family is helping pay, and you want to see who’s contributing and what’s left.
- You’re comfortable in Google Sheets or Excel. No formulas to write.
Good to know
What it doesn’t do.
- It’s a spreadsheet template, not an app. It doesn’t send reminders or emails.
- Built for Google Sheets and Excel. Apple Numbers isn’t supported.
- Vendor deadlines come from your contracts. The Ledger never guesses them.
- Budget averages are from US couples (The Knot 2026). Outside the US, the percentages still work.
- Marriage license rules vary by state and province. Always check yours.
The little details
Good questions. Calm answers.
Everything you need to know before you bring The Planning Ledger home.
Is this a physical planner?
No. The Planning Ledger is a digital download. Nothing is shipped, so you can start as soon as your order is complete.
What exactly will I receive?
The Planning Ledger workbook for Google Sheets and Excel, with seven tabs: Start Here, Setup, Dashboard, Checklist, Budget, Payments and Phone View.
How do I open it in Google Sheets?
Open the file or link from your download, choose File › Make a copy, and it’s yours in your own Google Drive. The Start Here tab walks you through it.
Our engagement is shorter than 12 months. Will it work?
Yes. Earlier tasks move closer together in the right order, and the final 60 days keep their usual timing. You can also type your own date on any task.
Can I change the tasks?
Yes. Change a task’s date, owner, status or notes, mark tasks you don’t need as “Not needed”, and add your own in the 81 empty rows. The Dashboard and summary tabs are protected so the formulas keep working.
Can I use it on my phone?
Yes. Set it up on a laptop, then open the Phone View tab in the Google Sheets app for your countdown, next tasks and upcoming payments.
Can my partner use it too?
Yes. In Google Sheets, click Share and invite your partner (or a parent helping out) as an editor. You’ll both work from the same plan.
Does it work outside the US?
Yes. Choose USD, CAD, EUR, GBP or AUD in Setup. Budget averages are from US couples, but the percentages work with any total.
Does it send reminders?
No. It’s a spreadsheet, not an app. Open your Dashboard once a week to see what’s overdue and what’s due soon.
Does it work with Apple Numbers?
It’s built for Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Apple Numbers isn’t supported. On a Mac, the free Google Sheets works great.
What if something doesn’t work?
Write to us with your order number. We reply within two business days, and if the file doesn’t work as described, we’ll fix it or make it right.
A calmer way to plan
From “where do we even start?” to “we know what’s next.”
Enter your wedding date once. Your checklist, budget and payments follow from it, in one file you own.
- One-time purchase
- Instant download
- Help within 2 business days
