You're Engaged!! Now What??

Congratulations! You're engaged! Get out the notebooks, get out the planning guides, and start scouring the internet. Your wedding can be as elaborate or as simple as you'd like. But where should you start? There's so much to plan and organize, no matter how simple you may want your wedding to be, that it can be confusing trying to figure out which vendors to book immediately, and which you can take your time finding.

It may have been almost 6 years since I was wedding planning for myself, but as a photographer, I interact with tons of different wedding vendors over the course of the year. We have the opportunity to have many conversations, and I'd love to share some insight as to the order of planning that I've found to be helpful to most brides.

What to book first:

THE VENUE!!! This is a MUST! You may have decided that your wedding date will be May 6, 2017, but have you secured that date with a venue yet? If the venue that you've claimed is "the one" doesn't have it available, then you might need to reconsider your date. Most other vendors will need to know that this date is locked in and secured before they can guarantee availability for your wedding.

Bryn Athyn Cathedral. Photo by Blueprint Photography

After you've booked with your venue and your date is secured, the next suggestions I have is to book your photographer, DJ, and caterer (if needed). These wedding vendors often book a year or more in advance. This is something that surprises many brides and grooms that I meet. But yes--it's true. I'm booking into summer of 2017 already. That's almost a year and a half away!

Do you want a DJ that will interact with the crowd? Or one that let's things roll as they are?
Photo by Blueprint Photography

What to book 6-12 months in advance:

Once you've settled on the venue, photographer, DJ and caterer, you can relax a little bit (but not too much just yet). If you want a videographer, this is probably the next vendor to book. Video is no longer a luxury as it once was. It's becoming very in-demand, and videographers are booking almost as quickly as still photographers. If you're set on having video, don't wait more than 6-12 months from your wedding date!

You'll also want to choose your wedding dress. Most bridal boutiques recommend 9-12 months to order the dress, have it shipped in, and make the necessary alterations. Some boutique owners I've spoken with say it can be done in 6 months, but that's still risky, in my opinion. Once your dress is taken care of, it's time to pick out your bridesmaids dresses and groom's tuxes. They can take just as long at some boutiques as a wedding dress to come in, and your girls will also need time to get their alterations completed, as well.

Photo by Blueprint Photography

4-6 months in advance:

While it's always recommended to book your vendors ASAP, there are a few that will most likely be able to accommodate your wedding date in a shorter amount of time. Booking with a florist, the salon, and the bakery for your cake can happen around this time (and sometimes even later in the planning process). These vendors are often able to take on several weddings and clients for the same weekend, so you don't need to worry about your date being "available." But as mentioned, the sooner the better, as I'm sure they'd like to plan ahead, as well!

Photo by Blueprint Photography

And finally, picking out your shoes and your nail salon can come closer to the end, as well. Unless your shoes need to be dyed, you most likely will not need to wait for them. And for nails--just be sure to schedule an appointment a week or two in advance at your nail salon so you're not having to wait hours for your turn.

Don't forget about these other important details! (but they aren't necessarily vendors):

Photo by Blueprint Photography

Purchase your rings well in advance incase they need to be ordered or resized.
Save the Dates should be sent 9-12 months in advance, and invitations should be sent 8-12 weeks in advance. Each card will require ordering time, so keep this in mind when planning!
Check with your state on marriage license laws. Some states have a certain time frame that you must apply for your marriage license.
If you're traveling after your wedding for your honeymoon, check your passports!! (Trust me on this one. I speak from experience!!)

Please note...
While I am not a wedding planner, my brides and grooms often look to me for advice, since I am constantly enveloped in the wedding world. These are estimated time frames, and you should speak specifically with each vendor to determine their exact recommended time frames. Each vendor is different with different requirements for time needed. This is just a guide from my experiences in working with these vendors. I haven't had the opportunity to meet ALL vendors available, so each business may have a different response!