As a wedding planner, my clients often ask me which vendors to book first. And with engagement season right around the corner, this question is more relevant than ever! To help clear things up, I’m sharing my tried-and-true guide to the top vendors to book once you’re engaged. With a clear-cut order, you can avoid becoming overwhelmed and take your time to discover your favorite vendors—instead of rushing to book everyone at once!
Wedding Vendors to Book First
Wedding Planner
The very first vendor you need to book is your wedding planner. That is especially true if you’re unsure of your venue or planning a tented wedding. Hiring a planner before you begin finalizing the big-picture details, like a location and date, will ensure that you don’t overlook any factors. As a planner, I know all the questions to ask a venue that most couples won’t even consider! And after a decade in the industry, I also understand the logistics of planning a wedding in every season.
Venue
Your venue should be the second item you book since it will dictate your location and date. In turn, it will also determine the availability of all other vendors you contact. Venues typically book up 12-16 months in advance—so the sooner you have yours squared away, the better!
When a couple reaches out to me for the first time, I always ask if they have a venue. If they do, then we begin prioritizing their greatest needs first. For example, if a couple wants a tented wedding, we’re essentially building a venue from scratch. So, we need to get the tent rental company to the site ASAP to assess the available space, landscape, and optimal tent size. If there is no indoor space for the caterer, we’ll need to rent additional tents and scout locations for those as well.
Your venue will also determine whether or not you need to hire a caterer. While many venues partner with an in-house catering company, others do not. Start reaching out early to get pricing and find out what items a rental includes. Depending on your caterer, you may need to rent silverware, plates, tablecloths, and linens.
Photographer
Your wedding photos will be how you remember your special day for the rest of your life. So naturally, hiring an excellent photographer is super important! You want to find someone whose style you enjoy but who you also connect with on a personal level. Besides your planner, your photographer will be the vendor you spend the most time with on your wedding day!
Videographer
If you want a videographer (which I always recommend!), you also need to book them as soon as possible. Much like photographers, these vendors can book up to 10-14 months in advance. So start your research as soon as you know your date!
Rental Company
If you’re planning a tented wedding, you’ll want to find this vendor early (your planner can help with that!). Because decorating a tent is essentially like building a venue from scratch, you’ll need comprehensive decor, linens, dishes, and cutlery for all your tabletops. Whereas, if you’re getting married at a traditional venue, in most cases you’ll only need to rent linens. If so, finding a rental company can wait until a bit further along in the planning process.
Florist
Florists are another vendor that can book up over one year in advance. Note that booking a florist these days can be tricky since many venues have a list of preferred vendors for their couples to use. This means that many of them book up even faster! Once you’ve booked your venue, ask them for their list of preferred florists. That way, you can start browsing their work as soon as possible.
Stationer
If you’d like to hire a professional stationer/calligrapher (as opposed to ordering from a website like Minted), you’ll have to get on it surprisingly fast! The good ones book up over a year in advance. Remember that most stationers design day-of stationery like signage and place cards in addition to invitations. So, they can’t take on too many clients at once!
I recommend hiring your stationery artist 12 months before your wedding. That way, you can get a head start on save the dates.
If you’d prefer to design your invitations with a platform like Minted, I suggest getting a jump on your browsing. Since your invitations will start going out four months in advance, it’s good to have a game plan. However, it’s not as crucial if you don’t plan on hiring someone.
Hotel Room Block
If your wedding date is 12 months away (or less), now’s the time to set aside rooms for your guests! Hotels have the potential to book up early but won’t usually send a link for your guests until the one-year mark. Transportation is something I group with this category—as soon as possible, find out if your hotel can provide a shuttle to the wedding location (and how many of your guests need to use one).
Music
If you want a live band at your reception (or multiple musical options), you need to contact agencies ASAP. For example, you could hire a string quartet for your ceremony, a live guitarist for cocktail hour, and a DJ for the after-party. Entertainment is a BIG ticket item, and you'll save lots of money by booking early!
The best DJs also book up fast, so I recommend hiring yours early. These vendors are booking 8-12 months in advance in NYC.
Hair and Makeup Artist
The best hair and makeup artists book up quickly just like florists. So, be sure to start researching yours early on. Most likely, you’ll also want to book a trial with them before the wedding day. This can take place several months before the wedding, or several weeks before. You’ll have the chance to preview your hair and makeup and make any necessary tweaks! Booking your artist early will ensure you have enough time left before the wedding to book this service.
Officiant
First, consider where your ceremony will take place. If you’re getting married in a church, you won’t have to worry about hiring an officiant. But, if you’re getting married at a venue or an outdoor tent, this is a service you’ll need to book in advance. However, finding an officiant isn’t as urgent as the vendors listed above.
Other vendors, such as a cigar roller and photo booth, can wait. While these are important, they aren’t among the vendors to book first. Working with a wedding planner ensures that all your basic, need-to-have items get booked on time! What’s more, we’ll help you find the perfect vendors to suit your unique vision.
Interested in learning more about the benefits of hiring a planner? Get in touch with us today!
Vendors:
Design and Coordination: Danielle Caldwell Events
Venue: Light Room Portland
Photography: Spotted Stills
Floral Design: Blum
Rentals: The Party Place + Bridgewood, Great Jones
Stationery: Crave Design
Wine: Cerulean Winery
Cake: Dream Cakes
Pastries: Farina Bakery
HAMU: Olivia Hawthorne Beauty, Kyla Whiting Hair Design
Gown: Ania Bridal
Formal Wear: Bonobos
