Hiring Vendors

Typically you’ll want to have all of your major vendors booked at least a year in advance. Once you book your venue make sure to book your caterer, DJ, and photographer next. They tend to book up quickly! Sooner the better!

I also agree with the sooner the better mentality

Whenever you have the money to pay the deposits. You definitely want to start booking ASAP if you're getting married in a year. Fall is a popular time to get married and you want to make sure you snag up the vendors you want before they book that date with someone else.

If you can afford to book them now, I'd do it.

I booked my caterer at 9 months and my dj at 4 months (I waited so late bc my fiancé was supposed to do it and didn’t). It just depends on how busy they are in your area or if you have a popular date.

Our venue catered our wedding and we booked our venue within a month of being engaged so 10 months prior to the wedding as we were engaged for 11 months. I also booked our DJ right away. I wanted book everything major in the beginning so I wouldn't have to worry about it later. Since our engagement was less than a year, I figured the sooner the better.

We started planning 6 months in advance...not smart, I know. Most caterers were booked solid by then for our date. I recommend a year or more!

I had all of my major vendors (venue, photographer, caterer, florist, videographer, DJ) booked 10 months out. Past that, you will start running into vendors telling you they are unavailable.

I started planning 9 months out and will have everything set by 7 months out (two weeks from now). I have had a few vendors tell me they were booked for certain days, but I based our wedding date off of when our preferred venue was available.

I got engaged in June and started planning August, we have out venue, church, Photographer/Videographer, a Barista and Donut wall and DJ booked! I started so soon because I want to be able to give payments as the year rolls out.

As early as possible! Especially for any vendors who can only do one wedding per day/weekend.

Venue, caterer, DJ, photographer, and officiant would be my priorities.

(I have the venue, DJ, photographer, officiant, florist, makeup artist, and hotel block done. Bought my dress last month. Working on a hair stylist now, and planning on booking my cake in January.)

Honestly, I’ve been booking vendors since about August (my wedding isn’t until October 2020). However, it’s just my personal preference. Most places recommend after you secure the venue and are about a year out, start booking your other vendors. The only one that’s tricky is the baker, who we can’t book until March because we have to do a tasting before we can enter any kind of contract.

As soon as possible the good ones will book fast

My DJ is a friend who has been dj’ing for years, so i already knew who my dj would be. A lot of venues have the catering booked in with the price, if not i would find a caterer at least 4 months before the wedding, it’s also a good way to start making payments if needed

FH and I started the whole wedding planning in May. Last week of May we booked our venue. Last week of June we booked our DJ. So far that’s all we booked for because decorations come with venue. And so does food! (We got lucky)

i agree with the sooner the better. We’re getting married December 2020. Little over a year from now.

Once you have a date figured out, I would probably try and book them then.

I am wondering the same thing for a caterer. I am not getting married until 2021 so I feel like most things when it comes to planning is so far away. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I am pretty type A though, so I have already been doing lots of research and plan on going to the restaurants soon (within the next couple of months) to taste. Caterers in my mind book up much sooner than DJ's.

Utilize the tools on here and contact a few DJ's to ask about how far in advance people typically book with them. ☺️

Honestly, as soon as you have a date and the money for the deposits. We booked our venue (all-inclusive so includes caterer, planner, ceremony and reception venues, bar staff, rentals, etc.), photographer, and DJ at about 2.5 years in advance to ensure we got exactly who we wanted for vendors.

My wedding is May 2021 and I have my DJ and cater booked.