Planning a wedding is a lengthy process but is fun and magical all at the same time! It can seem daunting at first, thinking about when you have to start sending out invitations or book a DJ, but the moment you see it all come together on your wedding day makes you want to do it all over again! With that said, there are a lot of things to figure out that a wedding planner can help you with. I’ll walk you through the first things you should look into booking for your wedding, when to book a wedding planner and common mistakes couples make when planning their wedding. So, if you don’t even know where to begin with planning a wedding, keep reading!

When should I book a wedding planner?

A wedding planner should be among the first things you book when planning your wedding. If you are interested in hiring a full-service planner, it would be a good idea to book them first and before anything else. This is so the wedding planner can help you right from the get-go, including finding the perfect venue. Some couples prefer to book the venue first, especially if there is a particular venue they have their heart set on. A wedding planner is there to help with whatever you need whether you book the venue before or after hiring your planner.

Typically, I like to book early. When you want to book a wedding planner it is always better to do so earlier rather than later. I prefer to book up to 2 years in advance, especially if you are planning a tented wedding or in a non-traditional venue location, as these weddings usually take a bit more planning. Booking 12 to 18 months in advance is where things may get a little risky but is possible to do. As a rule of thumb, earlier is always better when it comes to wedding planning!

First things to book for your wedding!

The average couple is engaged for 15 months before getting married, providing a lot of time to get everything planned and paid for before the wedding. Engagement timelines can vary from couple to couple; however, you want to make sure you are leaving yourself enough time to have everything in place and not be rushing the month before your wedding. Starting at about 18 months out from your wedding, you should have these main components booked!

1. Wedding Planner

As previously mentioned, this is usually step number 1. When you book a wedding planner early you will save so much time and stress in the long run when it comes to wedding planning. If you think it might be too early to hire one, trust me, it’s not.

2. Venue

The venue for the ceremony and reception is one of the, if not THE, most important part of your wedding (other than the couple, of course). If you don’t have a venue booked, it makes booking anything else a little difficult, therefore this should be one of the first things on your to do list. Booking a venue can be difficult if you are getting married in prime wedding season or having a destination wedding. You may decide to have the ceremony and reception at the same venue or separate ones, either way, a wedding planner can help to sort everything else out with you.

3. Photographer and Videographer

Photographers play a vital role in a wedding and because of this, they get booked up very quickly! It is always recommended to book your wedding photographer and videographer 12 months in advance. Hiring a good photographer is important to ensure you are capturing the special moments taking place throughout your wedding day. A wedding planner can help you find the right photographer that fits perfectly with the style and vision for your wedding.

Common timing mistakes to avoid!

Because planning a wedding can be difficult at times, it is easy to make a few mistakes along the way. To help avoid making these common mistakes, you can hire a wedding planner to make the process as seamless as possible.

Booking too many vendors before hiring your wedding planner can make things a bit difficult once the wedding planner steps in. This is especially true when putting down deposits for certain vendors. Wedding planners can help with choosing vendors that suit your style and can help you save money in the long run. If you pay deposits or hire certain vendors prior to booking your wedding planner, you may not be able to get out of those contracts or get your money back if you change your mind.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when planning a wedding is to procrastinate booking important vendors! This is another great reason to book a wedding planner because they can help to ensure you are on track with planning and that everything will be as smooth and stress free as possible.

I hope these tips can help you make your dream wedding come to life and with a strategic game plan behind it! I would love to be there with you planning it every step of the way with enough time to check off the pre-wedding to do list. Whether you know exactly what you want for your wedding or you have no idea where to start, I can definitely help you make your perfect wedding a reality. Just remember, earlier is always better!