Wedding Vendor Briefing Checklist
Who needs what and when, an email that gets read, and the five questions worth asking every supplier.
Who needs what, and when
| Supplier | Send by | What they need |
|---|---|---|
| Photographer | One week before | Shot list, timeline, family combinations, contact names, wet-weather plan. |
| Florist | Two weeks before | Final counts, delivery time and place, who receives the flowers, colour palette with HEX codes. |
| Caterer | Ten days before | Final guest numbers, dietary list, service times, cake cutting, bar arrangements. |
| Band / DJ | Two weeks before | Timeline, ten must-plays, three do-not-plays, first dance edit point, venue sound limits. |
| Officiant | One month before | Readings, vows, names and pronunciations, licence paperwork, procession order. |
| Venue / coordinator | One month before | Layout, timings, supplier access times, insurance certificates, the person who makes the weather call. |
One email per supplier is enough. Keep it short, use bullet points, and put the times in the first line.
The email that works
Five questions to ask every supplier
- Who exactly is coming, and who do we contact on the day?
- What time do you need access, and who lets you in?
- What is included in the price, and what triggers an extra charge?
- What happens if we are running late — is there a cut-off?
- What do you need from us, and by when?
Documenting it so nobody has to remember
- One master timeline in a single shared document, with supplier names and phone numbers.
- Print two copies for the day: one for the coordinator, one for the venue.
- Put every confirmation email in one folder — contracts, receipts, insurance certificates.
What this tool does
- Free, no signup, one-click copy — everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
- 40+ ideas in one run — from two first names, a shared surname and the wedding year.
- Grouped into four sets — name mashups, puns & wordplay, classics, and date-based options.
- Copy all / Download — grab one tag, or export the whole list as a text file for your planner or printer.
- “IG” / “FB” / “X” / “PIN” / “TT” check links — every tag links straight to the Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Pinterest and TikTok tag pages so you can see with one click where it is already in use.
- 500 surname pages — ready-made ideas for the most common surnames.
Related
Frequently asked questions
When should we brief our suppliers?
One month out for the venue and officiant, two weeks for florist, band and photographer, ten days for final numbers to the caterer.
Should the couple send the briefing or the coordinator?
Send a short joint email signed by both, then hand the day-of contact over to the coordinator so suppliers have exactly one number to call.
What if a supplier does not reply?
Follow up by phone and note it on your timeline. Any supplier who is hard to reach before the wedding will be harder to reach on the day.
Do we need a printed timeline?
Yes — two copies. Phones die, and a printed sheet lets the coordinator answer questions without interrupting the couple.
Updated 2026-10-07