Is it too early to start planning? Hmm wedding in 2024

I don't think it's too early at all to start booking vendors! Especially if there are specific vendors that you had in mind - if you wait to book them, there's a chance that someone else will book them for your date before you do. I don't think you need to rush to book anything, but you could start looking around and researching vendors, and book them as you decide. However, I would wait to do things like buy a dress, ask your wedding party, send out Save The Dates, etc. Those can be done as time gets a little closer.

It's not too early to set a budget and find a venue. Everything else can wait a while, but you don't have a date until you have a venue.

It's not too early. Venues are booking up years in advance because of the post-COVID wedding boom. If you wait, the prices will go up also.

I don't think it's too early at all! My fiance and I wanted a longer engagement to have more time so we started with a budget, a potential date in case anything changed, and ideas on a private Pinterest board. We got engaged in 2019 and booked a venue early for 2021 for a bigger wedding, Covid then happened the following year and changes with school occurred too, so we pushed it back another year. Finally, we postponed it to 2024 because I decided I wanted to go ahead and go back to college while I could and so we could have extra time to save more for other things as well because Covid made it extremely hard to save at the time. So from 2019 to 2024, that's a long engagement and so, of course, we've had many people tell us that's crazy and tell us that they could "never" wait that long to marry their partner with very judgemental remarks and told me not to plan for a long time (I was told not until like 10 months out). Firstly, venues book up quicker than most people think, my original date for late 2021 was already taken when I got engaged in 2019 before we postponed, which shocked me due to how many times I was told about how I didn't need to book so soon. Secondly, If you have longer than a year or two to plan, why not use that time to plan a few smaller things first to make it less stressful for you and your future spouse later in the coming year(s)? Wedding planning is super fun and exciting, but there are times when it can get very stress-inducing not only for you but possibly your partner as well. I don't see anything wrong with planning early, however, I will say this: Be mindful of what you're choosing if you have a long engagement such as choosing a dress, wedding party, etc. I told myself in 2019 that my mind would most likely not change by the time it is now, and basically, almost everything has changed regarding those aspects. The dress I wanted in 2019 is nowhere close to what I want now and it may change again within the next couple of years for all I know. I also wanted a big bridal party of like 6 people and my relationships with the people I asked (yes, I asked early out of excitement, don't do what I did) have now all changed except for one person. We're also now wanting a smaller intimate wedding vs a big wedding like we wanted at first. I know I did not need to tell a longer story, but I felt it could maybe be helpful for those having a longer engagement and wanting to plan early. As brides, we are going to be very excited to plan whether you're waiting 1 month or even 10 years to get married, and that is absolutely fine, just be careful of the things you choose to do such as booking a certain vendor or doing something you may not be able to change or take back without consequences or possibly even lose money over. We change our minds way more than we think we do which is not a bad thing at all, I am actually happy I had all this time because I love all the changes I have made in my planning thus far and wouldn't trade it for anything, which goes to show that longer engagements aren't as bad as some make it out to be. Best of luck and happy wedding planning!!

Btw sorry for the long reply, I just had many points I wanted to touch upon lol

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I appreciate your post. I do think your personal story and process will help out other readers. We planned our pandemic wedding in 5 months using existing cash and had a different experience. I applaud your practical restraint on the dress!

I don’t think it’s to early to start planning what you want and especially start budgeting/saving/etc. But, I wouldn’t go out and buy stuff yet. While that is the fun thing to do, you have way of knowing what will change over the next year or if you will find something you like even more. So, wait on that. But, definitely start saving. It will help to have a long engagement in that regard.

I think it's good to at least start getting ideas of what you want to do and like and definitely to start saving up for it

Some vendors won't book this far out, but if you can get things arranged then the earlier the better! I'd also add that you should consider things that you've been dead-set and unwavering about vs things you've changed your preferences on a few times. Personally, I've always had an idea of what I wanted my dress to look like, so that was something I could do super ahead of time and not regret, but my color scheme has gone through a few different phases, so I held off on things like linens or florals where I'd be locked into a certain color scheme.

We are getting married October of 2023 and just picked our venue and put our deposit on 7/3! I'm already planning because before you know it, it'll be a few months til the day and I know I don't want to be scrambling.

I have my venue and DJ and photographer and videoagapher set. At least with there down payments. I have order invitations and thank you cards. And started collecting decorations, cause we are decorating ourself. And pur wedding is the end of September 2024

We’re in the same boat but that’s why I’m planning so early ! I can get my Pinterest boards together, I’m a diy-er so I can get my mind and funds right about anything I’m making. I was told that when looking at venues don’t tell them it’s for a wedding because places charge more, so hopefully I’ve been some help. Good luck and congrats!

I’ve been getting a lot of that to but I’m in the same boat we aren’t trying to spend a lot of money and so a lot of stuff I’m trying to diy as well as some family I want involved in dress shopping that I don’t think will be able to be at my day so I’m just doing me and planning anyways and last weekend we reserved our venue