Need a tad bit of advice on wedding planning timelines

Re: Need a tad bit of advice on wedding planning timelines

• HisGirlFriday13 member

  

  June 2014

  I think there's no harm in locking down the big stuff -- venue, photographer, caterer, DJ, florist -- early, given your time-table with school and whatnot.
  
  Also, if things book up so early where you live, it makes sense to do it sooner rather than later.
  
  Just be sure that your contracts lock in a price, so if anything changes and is more expensive, you get the cheaper price.

  

  
  

  
  

  I'm gonna go with 'not my circus, not my monkeys.'

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• JaxInBlue member

  

  June 2014

  Agree with PP.  I think if booking early makes sense for you and for your location, there's no harm in doing that.  In addition to locking in your contract prices, make sure any contracts you sign early spell out what will happen should the business change (owner, operations, no longer operate, etc.).  You want to make sure you're protected and have a back-up plan.
  
  And while I think it's okay to get a jump on any DIY you want to do, I would try to stick to the regular/recommended timeline for clothing stuff, asking your wedding party, that kind of stuff.  It just seems kinder to others you might involve.
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• theartistformerlyknownas member

  

  June 2014

  I'd definitely book the venue now if you want it in the D since the nice choices are so limited, plus the prices are sure to go up as things improve (which I'm confident they will!). The good photographers book early too...we were surprised at how many were already booked when we started planning 9 mos out (and said they'd been booked for months).

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• JCbride2015 member

  

  June 2014

  Yep, you can definitely start planning now.  We booked our venue (and locked in the price) 18 months out.  We are now a year out and just recently booked some other vendors: photographer, music, and bought my dress.  Things book up quickly here too and we are both really busy, so it made sense to get locked down soon.  I will probably start working on invitations and flowers during the break between the bar exam and when I start work.  That means I'll have flowers decided and invitations ordered about 8 months beforehand; yes, earlier than we need, but there's no harm as long as you don't send the invitations out too early.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  "I'm not a rude bitch.  I'm ten rude bitches in a large coat."

  
  

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• mysticl member

  

  June 2014

  A friend of mine had basically her entire wedding planned a year before it happened.  No particular reason, that's just how she is. 

  

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• blabla89 member

  

  June 2014

  I'd say first of all, find out how much your FI wants to be involved with planning. Mine has been pretty hands off, but yours may want to be equally involved in the decisions. If you're prepared to start booking things and putting down deposits, I don't think there's any harm in planning early. Figuring out your budget and researching vendors and options is a good place to start, since that can take a lot of time and effort.
  
  We're about a year out and I'm booking most of the big stuff on my own while FI is crazy busy with work (of course he's on board with all of it) - venue, caterer, photographer, dress, and hopefully meeting with the DJ next week. Since we're getting married in peak season we wanted to lock down those things before our favorite vendors got booked by someone else. If you're getting married in the winter, you probably won't have that problem. I'm looking forward to having all of that done so that I can relax and not have to worry about it later. I think planning early is just fine if it will allow you to be more focused on school, but there will inevitably be last minute things to be done in the months before the wedding.
  

  

  
  
  

  
  

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