Next steps after booking venue?

JCbride2015 · January 2014

Well, now that I'm finally done with the paper from hell, of course I'm thinking about wedding planning again. I have a break from school now until Jan 21, and then the only other break (between the bar exam and work) I will get before the wedding is at the end of the summer, and will be hectic as I'll be prepping for a new job. So I'm trying to figure out if there's anything I can do now to make my life easier during my bar summer.

We are a little under 1.5 years away. We've set a guest list and budget, and booked the venue. The venue is a pretty all-inclusive package including the ceremony, cocktail hour, plated dinner, dessert hour, open bar, and wedding cake. We definitely still need flowers, music, attire, and photog. I'm only thinking "big rocks" right now, not sure about what "small rock" items I might be missing (I know hair/makeup, hotel block, and transportation are in there).

Is it even worth starting anything this early? What did all of you tackle next after booking the venue? Were there any vendors you found tended to get booked up and you wished you had booked them early? Did florists/photogs/DJs require large deposits? Nobody in either of our families has gotten married since we were little kids, so we don't have anybody who's "been there, done that" recently in our lives to ask about this stuff.

melbelleup · January 2014

I would start looking into photography and music. My photography/dj/photobooth are all lumped together. It was a 15% deposit, then 9 months out til the wedding, 6, 3 and 1. So for you, that would only mean the 15% right now. My florist required a 50$ deposit to hold the date. My baker required 100$ to hold the date. The rest isn't due until the month of.

I recommend scouting out photographers and music. Figure out what you like, price ranges etc. Florists can also be lumped in there. I did my photographer/dj/photobooth at about our yr and half mark to go. Florist I did at a year, same with cake. People might work with you though. I didn't put down our deposits right away for florists or cake, but knew I wanted to go with them.

ETA: You can also go dress shopping too. I did my dress and BM dresses all at 1 yr mark.

Just to give you an idea.. my 15% was a total of $768.06 of 4,168.06 (includes photobooth, dj, photographer)

pinkcow13 · January 2014

I am in the same boat as you are. We are currently in the process of signing our paperwork for the venue. I think it is worth it to start this early. After the venue I think we will work on the DJ and photographer, I want to get engagement pictures done in May. Also you can start looking into STD's and invitations. Since you said you have the guest list you can leave that portion alone for now. Also, the dress, shoes, wedding accessories you would want that day. Maybe start thinking of gifts for your bridal party. I think that is where I would take it after the venue is confirmed. I personally cannot wait to start looking for dresses

dramamonkey · January 2014

I was engaged of February, and married in November. My job gets really busy for me from mid-March through the end of July, so I tried to knock out my big stuff before March. For me that included venue (all inclusive), photographer, dress, DJ and started on invitation concepts. We didn't have a florist (I DIY'ed my own brooch bouquet as well as fabric/ribbon bouquets for my BMs)

I would ESPECIALLY knock out photographer asap - the good ones book up early and often require a significant deposit to hold a date.

DJs too, but for me, that was something I (mostly) did online and via emails/phone calls. Didn't require an in-person meeting the way photographers/florists often do.

Dresses typically need a 6-9 month lead time. I ordered mine at 6-7 mo. out, but started shopping within a month of getting engaged.

Edited for detail

JCbride2015 · January 2014

Thanks everybody! Wow, it sounds like I'm actually not crazy to start this early. Hopefully this is an opportunity to get ahead of the curve and take advantage of the extra time we have. I'll start looking into photographers, DJs, and florists, I guess!

@pinkcow13 You are a May 2015 bride too, right? I really want the 2015 month boards to go up so I can start asking these types of questions with other brides getting married around the same time.

pinkcow13 · January 2014

JCBride2014, May 2015 also

I know I have been stalking the boards to see if May 2015 was up yet! And yea you are definitely not crazy. Better to start early!

AprilH81 · January 2014

@JCBride2014 I would start with whatever vendors are most important to you. The earlier you start looking (within reason of course) the more selection you will have that will be within budget. So just make a priority list and try to get as many of those contracted as you can as long as you don't feel rushed.

The biggest deposit I had to put down was $300 for my photographer ($2,000 total package), the rest were in the $50-100 range.

HobokensFury · January 2014

@JCBride2014 In our area all of the popular vendors book up over a year in advance. Start looking for a dj/photographer/videographer now. We booked our venue 20 months out and those things 16 months out and some were booked. One benefit to booking now is you can lock in this year's pricing. If I can be of any help to you just let me know.

Ven&Radio · January 2014

I would look for a photographer and DJ next, as those are the vendors that will book the furthest in advance. I would personally wait on attire until you get a bit closer (around the 1 year mark for you, 6 months for him). I don't think you need to get on flowers right away either, but you could if you wanted to.

Unlike @AprilH81 most of my deposits were $500 or more. The only ones I can remember being lower were my get away car and DOC.

pumpkinsandturkeys · January 2014

I second photographer and DJ. I would also note that depending on where you live, florists can book up quickly! We booked ours 9 months out, and she was already almost full for our date and said that one of the biggest misconceptions couples make is thinking that they can wait until a few months out to book. They need time to meet with you, build a quote with different options, make any requested changes to the quote... It can take weeks, if not longer. She recommended booking a year or more out, if possible.

silver0319 · January 2014

HobokenBride2012 said:

@JCBride2014 In our area all of the popular vendors book up over a year in advance. Start looking for a dj/photographer/videographer now. We booked our venue 20 months out and those things 16 months out and some were booked. One benefit to booking now is you can lock in this year's pricing. If I can be of any help to you just let me know.

I agree. I tried to book a MUA in our area about 10 months out, and she was already booked for my date.
I would do photographer next, then videographer if you plan on using one, and your music. We booked our venue, DJ, and photographer all within the same month. I met with florists about 9 months out, and booked mine shortly after meeting with all of them.

JCbride2015 · January 2014

@silver0319 I'm pretty good with acronyms usually, but what's a MUA?

HobokensFury · January 2014

JCBride2014 said:

@silver0319 I'm pretty good with acronyms usually, but what's a MUA?

make up artist. I highly recommend Ricky's Revolver Salon in Hoboken if you don't mind going to the salon. I paid only $120 for hair/make up/ false lashes. Everyone else wanted over $300,

csuave · January 2014

I agree with what everyone else has said; DJ, photographer, florist are the next big things. If you want to tackle getting started on some smaller details you can:

Start confirming you have the correct names and addresses with your guest list. I did a Google doc with my OOT mom for this.
Start a wedding website (if you want one).
Start a working list of things you might want to register for.

PS Dessert hour sounds awesome!

JCbride2015 · January 2014

csuave said:

I agree with what everyone else has said; DJ, photographer, florist are the next big things. If you want to tackle getting started on some smaller details you can:
Start confirming you have the correct names and addresses with your guest list. I did a Google doc with my OOT mom for this.
Start a wedding website (if you want one).
Start a working list of things you might want to register for.
PS Dessert hour sounds awesome!

Thanks! And the dessert/Viennese hour was an upgrade they threw into our contract... I'm pretty psyched about this too! It seems like a great way to wind down the party and get everybody up and walking around, like a second cocktail hour toward the end.

HobokensFury · January 2014

JCBride2014 said:

csuave said:

I agree with what everyone else has said; DJ, photographer, florist are the next big things. If you want to tackle getting started on some smaller details you can:
Start confirming you have the correct names and addresses with your guest list. I did a Google doc with my OOT mom for this.
Start a wedding website (if you want one).
Start a working list of things you might want to register for.
PS Dessert hour sounds awesome!

Thanks! And the dessert/Viennese hour was an upgrade they threw into our contract... I'm pretty psyched about this too! It seems like a great way to wind down the party and get everybody up and walking around, like a second cocktail hour toward the end.

@JCBride2014 Here's a tip about Viennese hour- see if your venue will allow you to bring in dessert boxes so your guests can take some sweets home. We did this and people loved it. Otherwise the venue will just throw the food away because shelters and food banks will not accept sweets. We donated all of our leftover cocktail hour food but they wouldn't take the desserts.

JCbride2015 · January 2014

HobokenBride2012 said:

JCBride2014 said:

csuave said:

I agree with what everyone else has said; DJ, photographer, florist are the next big things. If you want to tackle getting started on some smaller details you can:
Start confirming you have the correct names and addresses with your guest list. I did a Google doc with my OOT mom for this.
Start a wedding website (if you want one).
Start a working list of things you might want to register for.
PS Dessert hour sounds awesome!

Thanks! And the dessert/Viennese hour was an upgrade they threw into our contract... I'm pretty psyched about this too! It seems like a great way to wind down the party and get everybody up and walking around, like a second cocktail hour toward the end.

@JCBride2014 Here's a tip about Viennese hour- see if your venue will allow you to bring in dessert boxes so your guests can take some sweets home. We did this and people loved it. Otherwise the venue will just throw the food away because shelters and food banks will not accept sweets. We donated all of our leftover cocktail hour food but they wouldn't take the desserts.

@HobokenBride2012 Thanks for the tip-- never would have thought of that! And PS only when I just quoted you with our nicknames side by side did I realize we have the same name format, haha. Except now I'm really a 2015 bride, so I'm just a 2014 impostor.

HobokensFury · January 2014

JCBride2014 said:

HobokenBride2012 said:

JCBride2014 said:

csuave said:

I agree with what everyone else has said; DJ, photographer, florist are the next big things. If you want to tackle getting started on some smaller details you can:
Start confirming you have the correct names and addresses with your guest list. I did a Google doc with my OOT mom for this.
Start a wedding website (if you want one).
Start a working list of things you might want to register for.
PS Dessert hour sounds awesome!

Thanks! And the dessert/Viennese hour was an upgrade they threw into our contract... I'm pretty psyched about this too! It seems like a great way to wind down the party and get everybody up and walking around, like a second cocktail hour toward the end.

@JCBride2014 Here's a tip about Viennese hour- see if your venue will allow you to bring in dessert boxes so your guests can take some sweets home. We did this and people loved it. Otherwise the venue will just throw the food away because shelters and food banks will not accept sweets. We donated all of our leftover cocktail hour food but they wouldn't take the desserts.

@HobokenBride2012 Thanks for the tip-- never would have thought of that! And PS only when I just quoted you with our nicknames side by side did I realize we have the same name format, haha. Except now I'm really a 2015 bride, so I'm just a 2014 impostor.

@JCBride2014 It's cool- I'm an imposter too. I moved to Bayonne lol

Next steps after booking venue?

Re: Next steps after booking venue?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards