12 months to 8 months from your wedding date
We can imagine that when you begin the initial stages of wedding planning, that two of those gazillion thoughts that came rushing to your mind may have to do with who to hire and when. While we will forever believe the first vendor every couple should hire is their wedding planner, we are open to sharing with you a timeline as a suggestion as to when you should be retaining all of your vendors.
If you are one of those couples who plan to book all of the vendors you want and need for your wedding within the first couple of months of being engaged, we applaud you. However, we understand that every couple won’t be in a position to do that. So, we want to share with you what we have found to be the best times to retain your wedding vendors within a 12 month window before your wedding date.
12 months from your wedding date
Venue
Venues go pretty fast. If you have your eye on a specific venue, or if you have a rather large guest count, you want to be sure to secure a venue pretty early in your planning process.
Planner
Planning a wedding without a planner is like trying to purchase a house without a realtor. Can it be done? Yes. Can you guarantee you are getting the best out of your experience? No. Retaining the services of a planner early in your planning process is what we recommend. You get the guidance you need from someone who has the experience and knowledge in every aspect of the industry.
Photographer
You will need someone to capture the essence of your wedding day, and not just take pictures. Finding the right photographer for your wedding will need to be top of mind. The best photographers are usually in high demand and won’t be available for long. This is a service you for sure want to secure early on as well.
8 months from your wedding date
Florist
This is a vendor who will stretch your imagination. Everything you want your guests to see, feel, touch, and even smell falls under the area of expertise for your florist/designer. There may possibly be a bit of back and forth while narrowing in on what this vendor will actually provide to you, so the earlier you can retain their services the better off your planning process may be.
Caterer
This is another vendor your will want to book early on due to the fact that the cost may be a rather large part of your overall wedding finances. You will also have a bit of work to do with this vendor, as they are going to want to be sure your menu options are just right for the occasion.
DJ
DJs are most times the unsung hero of the wedding day. Who has to get your wedding guests up on their feet and keep them on the dance floor all night long? You don’t think that happens just because they play the exact songs the couple chose for the entire day. DJs have to be able to read people, and any DJ that is great at what they do are going to be snatched up rather quickly.
Dress
Your wedding gown will need to be something that is on your radar in the beginning of your planning process. You want to give this masterpiece of a bridal gown time to get to you, and you also want to be sure your give yourself enough time for alterations. Once you pick your dress, you can move forward with attire for the rest of the bridal party. So getting this done early in the planning process will help you move further along with checking things off of your wedding planning list.
Next week we will share more with you the remaining vendors we suggest you retain in the remaining months within this 12 month timeframe for your wedding day.
Until next time…
be sweet & happy planning!
~Tish
(photo credit: Simone Elise Events and Elizabeth Hoard Photography)
Premier Wedding Planning and Event Studio Owned by Husband and Wife Planner and Event Designer Team Darius and Tish Clay. Simone Elise Events offers Wedding Day Event Management Services, Full Service Wedding Planning Services, and Wedding and Event Design Services for all your Wedding, Social, and Corporate Events. Simone Elise Events caters to Weddings and Events in Memphis Tennessee and surrounding Tennessee areas.
For more about us, visit: simoneeliseevents.com/about-us
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