How early is too early to book vendors

I booked my venue 14 months in advance, and half the ones I reached out to were already booked on my day. One of my top 2 photographers was already booked 13 months out. I also booked my DJ at 13 months out and he actually already had a few Saturdays after mine booked, he just happened to still have my day open. You can never book a vendor too early, plus you're now only 14 months out as well, so if you book now, that's about how my timing was.

Basically... book your vendors asap!

My wedding is next May and we have everything booked. I'm spending the year paying everything off and working on diy projects at my leisure.

I got engaged in December 2017 and we immediately started our venue search. I originally wanted a September 2019 wedding but found that a lot of venues we loved had limited availability left... I was shocked and began to panic. We booked our venue for July 2019 in February so we booked about 17 months out. I already had a DJ in mind and had contacted him prior to booking our venue to make sure that he was available. A week after we booked our venue, I had his contract signed and payment sent. Last month, we took care of the photographer. I've been using the checklist as a rough guideline. I don't think that it is the most accurate and functional for all categories. When I had originally had our date in September, the checklist said I needed to book a venue by September 2018. If I waited until September 2018 to book a September 2019 venue, I would have had limit choices for venue and other vendors.

It's never too early to begin booking! The best of the best tend to book quickly and I've heard they can book as far out as two years in advance. I'd rather be told I'm booking a vendor I love "too early" than go to book the vendor only for them to tell me they are no longer available.

I honestly don’t think it makes a difference if it’s early. If you know what you want, then I say go ahead and book it! That’ll give you plenty of time to save and pay.

I’m getting married in April of next year and I have all of my vendors booked. Every single one. Definitely not too early!

Thank you so much everyone for the advice

I am with you book sooner rather than later. Get on top of it. Less to worry about.

We got engaged last September, and started planning in January. We were told it was early when we booked the venue and photographer in February, the DOC said it was a little early in March when we booked her but it was for the best and really pushed us to start working on the caterer and the cake. Now that we're in April we've booked the caterer and have a deposit for our date with the cake, and it's no longer early according to those vendors. I've been communicating via text with the baker because she's booked up for in person meetings through mid July already.

From what I can gather it's completely dependent on your area. Where I live June isn't really a popular month because it can be very hot, but not always.

The great thing about it is we've had the ability to book who we want and haven't been told sorry, your date is taken already.

We're meeting with four florists over this weekend and I hope to have that decided on by the beginning of May.

I got engaged in August of 2017 ( wedding in October 2018) and I had all of my venues booked by October 2017 to have the time to pay everyone off and take care of the smaller things so I didn't feel rushed

I booked my venue 19 months in advance. My photographer was booked even earlier ( but that is because she is Fbil's SIL)

Book your venue now especially if it’s somewhere that weddings are typically done. I would wait a few months on the photographer and only book after researching them all. I lost deposits on photographers and cake because I was so caught up in the bliss that I didn’t shop around. I found a delicious bakery and just knew they had to do my cake. Dj’s get booked up early as well. I recommend booking one about 7-9 months out. Hope this helps

It’s good to book early! That way you have your first pick!
mine isn’t until September 2019 and I have my venue, caterer, dj, photographer and hair/make up booked. The only thing that I would wait on is floral and cake (I tried doing it but they told me not to do it until 6-8 months out)

Definitely not too early. I'm also June 2019 and my venue had several other 2019 dates already booked. We also have our DJ and florist booked and looking into photographers next

It's never too early to start booking!!

Nope!! Never too early. My wedding is in May of 2019 and all my big stuff is pretty much booked!

Definitely not too early. We have our venue and caterer booked for Sept 2019 and next up is dj and photographer. You get the best picks the earlier you do it 😊

We are May 2019 and we have our venue/caterer, florist, and wedding planner booked. We meet with our wedding planner for our first big meeting next week and I anticipate we will have our other vendors set by the end of May. I also ordered my dress (totally on whim, stumbled across it in Beverly Hills) but that’s somewhat custom.

Better earlier, than later!

I'm getting married in January of 2020 and I just booked my venue 22 months before. Now I am pricing around and comparing prices and such! It's definitely never too early to book if you know what you want!

I began booking my vendors ASAP. We got engaged October 2017, I waited for the holidays to be over, then started booking things like venue, photographer, DJ, and ceremony site all at the end of January (our wedding isn't until August 2019). I'd honestly rather be prepared early then wait too long.

You absolutely NEED to be booking vendors now! When daughter #3 got married she was moving to Utah a year+ prior to her wedding, wedding was back here where they were both from. We had to have everyone booked 15 months out and it is a good thing we did.

We booked her photographer in Feb 2008 for a May 2009 wedding. In Feb 2008 the photographer only had 4 more weekends available for 2009! Four!!! Go get those vendors booked!