Congratulations on your engagement! Now it’s time to plan. It can be confusing knowing how far in advance you need to buy your dress, book flowers, or reserve a venue. In this blog post we will explain the time needed for each of your vendors to assure that you are able to reserve what you want to achieve the wedding of your dreams.
12 months before your wedding you should decide whether or not to hire a wedding planner. A full service wedding planner will help keep you on track and assist with the entire process. Moving into 2021 venues, caterers, and rental services in particular are likely to be very busy and a wedding planner can help you keep on top of booking early. Around the same time you should also be looking at venues and locking in your date. Many book up fast so you should book early to make sure you can get your chosen date. Some venues also have in house services like caterers so that can make the process easier.
10 months before your wedding you should be looking at photographers, videographers, florists, and caterers. Make sure they can work with your venue and are available on your date.
9 months before you should be looking at wedding bands or DJs. A good band or DJ can set the whole tone at your reception.
When it is 8 months out from your date it is time to consider ceremony music, guest accommodations if you are having many guests from out of town, your wedding dress (yay!), and a stationer for your save the dates and, later, invitations. You should also reserve a licensed professional officiant to ensure you are actually married at your wedding.
Now your wedding is 7 months away and you should start looking for bridesmaid dresses to leave enough time for fittings, a baker, and planning your honeymoon. If you would like you can hire a honeymoon travel consultant to take some of the planning stress off your shoulders.
Your wedding is only 6 months away and now is the time to lock in your makeup artist and hair stylist (leave plenty of time for a few trials), send your invitations, and find a top rated rental company to provide rentals your venue does not provide. If you are doing a backyard wedding this is also the time to consider a tent if the weather is uncertain. Your caterer, venue, florist, and rental service can all work together to make sure all your colors match and you get all the items you need.
5 months before the wedding make sure you have the suit or tux locked in, any transportation that will be needed on the big day if you are having your ceremony and reception at different locations, and any accessories that may be needed, like veils, undergarments, shoes, etc.
Finally, 3 months before the wedding take your time choosing your wedding ring.
A wedding can be a big production with many moving parts and different vendors involved. However, by following the above planning schedule it can help spread responsibility out and stop you getting overwhelmed. Once again, congratulations and don’t forget to have fun and enjoy your big day!
