When planning your wedding, one question you might ask is, “How far in advance should I book my vendors?” Many wedding vendors, including myself, book pretty early on. For example, it’s only March and I already have weddings booked for August of 2020. If you have certain vendors in mind, book them before they become unavailable! Early is always better. Hopefully this post will help guide you on when to book your favorite vendors.
Most photographers and videographers recommend booking 18 months in advance, especially if you have a popular wedding date. For me, May and October are my busiest wedding months. If you can’t do 18 months, try to book 12 months in advance.
Venues are typically the first vendor you should book! This is because they may not have your first date of choice available and that way you don’t have to change the wedding date with the rest of your vendors- that could lead to the possibility of other vendors not having a new date available. Venues should be booked 12 months in advance or at the very early stages of wedding planning.
Hair and Makeup Artists are usually booked 9-12 months in advance. Use this time to book a hair and makeup trial to see what you like for your wedding day. Officiants should also be booked 9-12 months in advance. Try to meet in person to go over your vows and what type of ceremony you’d like to have. Take your time booking your officiant because they play a vital role in your ceremony!
I recommend hiring your florist 8-9 months in advance and to make sure your venue is nailed down beforehand. Your venue will determine the type of flowers and decorations you can have. If you want a band or musician, I would book them a year in advance. If you’re okay with a DJ company, usually 6-8 months is plenty of time.
You should hire your baker 6-8 months before the wedding. Just like with hair and makeup, I would use that time to do some taste testing and go over the details of the cake and/or cupcakes. For wedding invitations, depending on what company you use, they typically are booked 6 months out.
For couples who have shorter engagements, I recommend booking your vendors as soon as possible. That way you still have time to actually celebrate and enjoy being engaged. Hopefully by following this guide, you will book all your favorite vendors!
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