When to Book Your Vendors
Starting the wedding planning process is overwhelming. With so many vendors to hire and choose from, how do you know where to start?
Here is a chronological guide that explains what order you should book them in!
Photo: Charmi Pena || Hair & Makeup: Makeup By Mansi
12-24 months - First, lock down a planner, date, and location.
i) Planner -
Booking your planner should be at the top of your list. You want to have a professional guide you with their expertise during the process of securing your venue and vendors. They’ll be able to provide references based on your style and budget, help with contract review and negotiations, and help you track your progress along the way.
ii) Venue -
Securing a date and location should be your next goal. This process will take anywhere from 1-3 months to secure, depending on how active you are. You want to begin with creating a list of venues you are interested in touring, then draft a generic email to send to all. Once you begin hearing back from the venues, begin setting up site visits to narrow down ones you like. You want to do this process simultaneously because most venues can only put a soft hold on dates for 1-2 weeks.
Image Source - Unsplash
2. 12-15 months - Next, zone in on those vendors that only have the capacity to take on 1-2 weddings on a single day.
i) Hair & Makeup Artists -
Hair and makeup styles and techniques vary from artist to artist. Be sure to find someone who matches your style and secure them early on. Your artists can also help envision your outfit(s) and jewelry, provide you with a proper skin care regimen, and assist you while picking out any hair accessories/extensions.
Image Source - Pexels
ii) Photographers/Videographers -
You should book a photographer as soon as possible so you can start planning your engagement session as you work on other parts of the wedding. These photos will be very helpful early on for use on your wedding website, save-the-dates, engagement announcements, etc.
iii) DJ -
DJs and MCs also have very unique styles. To ensure a DJ and MC that matches your vibe, start early as each individual can only commit to one event on a given day.
iv) Officiant -
If your family uses a specific officiant, or you have someone particular in mind, be sure to reach out in advance as they are only available to officiate one event per day.
3. 8-10 months - Your next target should be vendors that have the capacity to take on multiple events in one day.
i) Decorator -
Once you have picked out your outfits, you can now work with your decorator on themes that will compliment your looks. This is a multi-step process so you want to provide ample time to perfect your designs and decor.
ii) Caterer -
You will want to finalize your caterer several months in advance, as you’ll need to set up at least 2-3 food tastings prior to your wedding day.
4. 4-6 months
Now that your core vendors are booked, you can focus on X-factor vendors that will make your day even more special, depending on your budget.
These can include luxury car companies, additional hair, and makeup artists for the bridal parties, specialty dessert vendors, photo booths, musicians, etc.
Specialty vendors will be one of the things that set you apart from other weddings, so be sure to hire at least 1-2 for your big day!
