Planning too soon?

I try not to plan too early bc I'll end up changing my mind about stuff.

I am an early planner. My wedding is in September 2022 and I already secured my venue and major vendors. Given all of the pandemic wedding delays 2022 dates are filling up quickly and some vendors that I contacted were already unavailable on my date. After I secure all of my major vendors, I plan to very casually plan until the September 2021.

View Quoted Comment We just secured our venue today and photographer. Hopefully I can casually plan now lol. We did a cake tasting today too but that was just to get a cake price so we know what we need to expect lol.

You arr way too early to ask bridesmaids ( 7-8 months better). They plan partis, not you, for showers and bachelorettes, so don't do them. And do not plan anything about the day itself, hair, makeup, bridesmaid clothes, Schedules. You will do and redo so many times, everyone would be crazy. Any agreements you make this far out, don't hold water. Your dress , you can pick, but unless there is a dramatic sale, don't order it before 9 months to a year.
Look at venues, check out catering, decorations. Get yourselves a throwaway email that you can give out for links and contests and wedding shows. Flowers, decoration ideas, have fun. Don't get so immersed in planning that you do it constantly. Take a couple of weeks off out of every 2 months, and enjoy being engaged. You have way more time than you need.
Learn early, that the wedding industry pushes you to do everything before needed, because you spend way more overall doing things early. We had a lower end budget of $15,000 for 170 guests, very formal, and did not start any planning before our 5 month engagement. Everything got done. Bridesmaid things don't get ordered til 4-5 months, or less, because the dresses arrive in 2-8 weeks. And sales staff will try to convince you early. They don't care if $200 dresses bought at 9 months need $250 alterations at 2 months, because people change sizes. You and your WP do care. All in good time.🙂 Enjoy it.

We planned our whole wedding in less than 8 months, so you're fine.

There are several checklists that I found helpful - here and on The Knot, and they are very good about timelines and keeping you from worrying too much.

Hello from another July 2022 bride! It's definitely not too early to start planning, especially with all the people postponing from 2020 and 2021, it would be a good idea to at least secure your venue and vendors. Though, I would hold off on choosing wedding party until it's around a year or less ahead of time. Otherwise, now is a great time to plan! The checklist on The Knot or on Wedding Wire is a useful tool to help keep you organized and on track. Happy wedding planning!

Hello,

Never too early to start planning, I'm getting married October 30th, 2022. The only things
I have locked in are my venue and maid of honor. Otherwise just throwing around ideas. I won't be going dress shopping until November 2021 and then doing everything else early/mid 2022. I'm not super stressed about anything... yet. Maybe just some family drama.

Congrats and happy planning!

I planned/contracted everything a year out so I didn’t have to stress. I’m getting married in 18 days and I’m not stressed!

I got engaged in September and my entire wedding is planned for this coming September LOL. To me, the planning is such a fun part of being engaged! I will say though, when you plan quick you inevitably kind of lose the spark and excitement because it's all done so early - but I just plan more parties or 'girl nights' with my bridesmaids to keep up the excitement and something to look forward to!

If you're a planner, I would definitely just spread activities out throughout your engagement! Showers, bachelorette trip etc.!

NOTE: When I started planning, a lot of vendors and venues were taken due to everyone having to postpone their wedding! So to an extent, early planning is actually really smart. I'm in South Carolina and I couldn't find anyone local to photograph our wedding because they were all booked with postponed weddings having to rebook things for this year. We had to go with someone out of state and that was tough to find too!

My entire wedding was planned in 11 months, so you definitely have time. No need to feel rushed. There are some things you can plan now, like looking at venue’s, photographers, and caterers. I would wait to go dress shopping and decide on your bridal party until closer to the 1 year mark.

View Quoted Comment I already bought my dress lol and have my bridal party.

It's never too early to start planning, because that gives you time to budget and get everything on a timeline.

I wouldn't recommend buying things for centerpieces/favors/invites and things like that until you're a year out, just because your ideas can change. I had a friend that planned on doing a rustic wedding when she started and bout tons of décor for it. 6 months out she changed her plan to a Great Gatsby wedding and had to start over on all of the centerpieces.

Unless you're positive on what you want and are going to be DIYing things, wait to buy things. But don't wait to put contracts down with vendors. If you fall in love with someone and you can, put the money down on your contract because the likelihood of that idea/feeling changing is slim.

Personally I would have waited on a dress and bridesmaids because a lot can happen in a year and a half, but those are also some of the most exciting parts of wedding planning, so I understand why a lot of people don't wait for those.

Don't totally put off the small details, but don't go buying crazy. You've got plenty of time.

Just sent my contract to my Venue to secure my date of 9/2/2022, considering I wanted Labor Day weekend, and with all the 2020/2021 wedding postponing's I was worried about losing the venue. Luckily our Venue is pretty all inclusive, with ceremony space, reception space, food, cake and open bar I really only need to book a DJ and Photographer which I plan on doing soon just cause I worry things will book up.

I have an idea of my colors and where my girls will get their dresses/men will get their tux's. I already asked my bridesmaids (all family so they can't up and leave me lol) mainly because my MOH was worried I was going to ask one of my best friends and not her and I didn't want her to worry much longer.

If you're a planner (like I am) do what feels right for you, having everything planned early will keep me from overstressing close to the wedding, so I choose to plan early.

View Quoted Comment Omg exactly the same with me! Had so many issues when I was looking for vendors due to others rescheduling the their weddings. We are getting married in October. Now I’m in too deep though and love wedding planning so I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to hold off!