Is It Bad To Start Planning 2 Years Out?

For major things like venue, photographer, and catering, I don't think it is too soon. With many Covid brides having to reschedule, a lot of vendors will be booked up all of 2021 causing people to plan for 2022. I think once you have the major vendors booked, you can wait a little longer on hiring a baker, florist, DJ, and purchasing your dress.

Don't let that vendor get you down. I would either move on from them or just let them know why you are planning so soon.

I don't think it's too early! Some vendors won't book unless it's a year out or less, but others will. I actually think it's smart to start looking now, given the COVID scenario. So many 2020 brides postponed to 2021, and even now, some 2021 brides are looking to postpone to 2022. I think it's smart to try to get some vendors locked in a little earlier than normal. You can at least start looking around and figuring out who you want to book, and if they aren't willing to book more than a year out, you can always reach back out to them when they are ready to book.

We booked our venue, photographer, and DJ about 2 years in advance. About 18 months out, we started to look into other vendors. Especially if you want a specific date, I would book a venue soon. I don’t think it’s too early at all.

I’m always surprised when a vendor makes that kind of comment lol, like do you want our business or not, especially in these crazy times. The smart ones are ready and excited to book anytime! Plan girl, plan.

Definitely not too early! We started planning 2 years out and that was pre-Covid. With Covid I would assume things will book up even earlier. I wouldn't go with that vendor!

It's encouraged to get big vendors secured early. Many venues require booking up to 2 years out. Once you have the venue in place, you can take your time researching the rest.

Im getting married in 2023. and already planning. hoping to book my venue

so no its not to early

A great number of vendors will not book any venue or catering , DJ, bartending, or church, for more than 15 months out. More cut off at 18 months. TV and wedding industry, having figured that when people start planning big ticket items early, they spend much more money overall, have people routinely starting at 2 years what they always did at a year. and dress makers act as though you must order 8-15 months out, even though they are still selling those same dresses and delivering on time, at 4-5 months. And even where they do control for inflation, spending on weddings averages 1/4 to 1/3 more according to the industry, and to banking and loans, and businesses. And that is over hefty increases ****. So on the one hand, many want to encourage doing everything early, and the decider of style is the venue. The problem, already true when we booked, and worse now, os that a huge number of people who book extra early, change their minds.
So places that are booked 80%, or every weekend, at 12-20 months, are often half booked, and with 1 day out of every weekend open, at 4-8 months. We booked at 4 months, a few of my sisters and brothers at 4-7, and whether in Boston, NYC, or rural NH the same story. We were totally booked, turning people away for months. Now a third broke engagements, or spent too much and must cut back, and open dates, everywhere. A lot more places are deciding for themselves to start later (before Covid) for the same reason salons won't allow large groups, and more and more HMU wont book before 4-5 months out. They are tired of the hours amd money they spend discussing people's visions, when they know so many will not be there, 18-24 months later. 🙂 And as you will see here, too many brides have started asking BM way too early, and huge numbers of BP do not last til the wedding.

We're planning a year and a half out, so you're not alone! As for the vendor, I've had a few tell us that as well and IMO it's a little rude haha. Some couples plan far in advance because they have to save up money for everything (which is our situation).

We have our venue, photographer, and florist already booked and they have all been really nice about it and super helpful!

Nope it’s not wrong to reach out early for the big things, but the points above about spending a lot more money when planning for longer are very true!
As to the vendor, keep in mind that October is SUPER busy wedding season, and brides for this and next year are contacting vendors a LOT more than normal (questions/reschedules/Covid precautions) Additionally, many venues and vendors have let supporting staff go for financial reasons, so they are managing a lot more correspondence with fewer people! Responding quickly to someone quoting a wedding 2 yrs out is probably a low priority right now...

Definitely book earlier rather than later. Wedding vendors generally increase their fees on an annual basis but are otherwise bound to charge you the rate/fee that you contractually agreed to. Therefore if you book let’s say a photographer now who charges $2,000 for the day, but in 2022 their fees were $2,750/day, you’d be paying the lower rate that was agreed to at the time of contract.

That, and if you have your heart set on specific vendors, the earlier you plan the more likely they are to be available.

I am getting married 2022 I have talked to multiple vendors and venues. I am going to look at some this weekend. No one said anything about booking that early.

No I think it's great to start planning, I wouldn't book any vendors or venues just yet. But it's not bad to check them out and figure out what and who you want that way when it gets closer you can book them right away. I planned my wedding 2 years out and I'm so glad I did because I was able to be the first 2021 bride to book stuff and I was able to save the money I would need for deposit and decor. I booked my vendors a year and a half before the wedding. The venue on the other hand wouldn't let us book until the wedding was a year away. I think planning this early will definitely help you out and you will be so happy you got ahead of planning. I have 300 days till my wedding and I really don't have much to do. And it ended up being a huge relief that there's not much to do because now we are looking to buy a house before the wedding so we are able to put more attention to the house then the wedding.

I would go ahead and book vendors. Maybe that specific vendor isn't used to being booked soo early but alot others are. Especially with brides having to postpone due to COVID

Im getting married 2023 and starting to plan. going to see a venue next month. i figured get all this stress and major things out of the way now, plus a lot of weddings have to get postponed due to Covid so places are going to get booked fast specially popular ones