The role of your wedding vendors is to bring each of your wedding ideas and pieces to life. While you are vendor shopping, it’s important to look for trustworthy and reputable vendors that you’re confident in executing your need. So the question is, when should you book your vendors? During your wedding planning process, you’ll need to consider your timeline of when to book your vendors. As a Washington D.C. wedding planner, here is my recommended timeline of when to book your wedding vendors.
12+ Months Out From Your Wedding Day
- Wedding Planner – You’ll want your wedding planner to be part of your entire process so they know all the details. As soon as you get engaged or are ready to start planning your wedding, book your wedding planner.
- Venue – After hiring a wedding planner, you’ll want to start searching for your venue. This will determine the date, time, and location of your wedding day
9 – 12 Months Out From Your Wedding Day
- Caterer – If your venue doesn’t have an in house caterer, you’ll need to book one on your own.
- Florist/Floral Designer – Choose a florist whose creations you adore and who seems to comprehend your wedding’s style and vision.
- Officiant – Your wedding vendor timeline should also include a licensed, professional officiant. Whether you choose a religious or civil ceremony, it pays to use a qualified officiant who can assist you in carrying out a special and intimate ceremony.
- Photographer – You’ll want to pick the best photographer to capture your wedding moments.
- Videographer – Your wedding videographer will produce a cinematic film of your wedding day that includes sound and motion as a priceless keepsake.
6 – 8 Months Out From Your Wedding Day
- DJ/Entertainment/Musicians – To set the mood of your wedding reception, pick a good DJ that will help you create a great ambiance on your wedding day. Be sure to allow ample time to find the music that you love.
- Makeup Artist – On the wedding day, the main character of the event is the bride, that’s why your make up artist should make you feel and look gorgeous. A few months before to your wedding, make sure to book a makeup trial as well.
- Hair Stylist – A wedding hair stylist can create a gorgeous look that will last the whole day. You can also schedule a hair trial before the wedding too to test out different styles.
- Hotel Room Block – We suggest reserving a block of rooms at a couple hotels close to your wedding site if you’re having a large number of out-of-town guests.
4 – 5 Months Out From Your Wedding Day
- Bakery – Your cake is one of the most awaited food in your reception! That’s why you’ll need a wedding cake that’s delicious and gorgeous. Once you pick the bakery, you can schedule a tasting to choose the flavor of your cake.
- Equipment Rentals – As part of your wedding vendor timeline, you will need to hire a rentals service if your venue does not offer rentals like tables, chairs, linens, china, flatware, etc. or if you’d like more options.
- Stationery – While you have until six to eight weeks before your wedding to send your wedding invitations, ordering the invites from a wedding stationer can take some time.
- Transportation – Your plan for hiring wedding vendors should include finding a reliable transportation provider to assist with all the logistics.
Planning your wedding is a big undertaking, but with the help of your wedding planner and vendors, you totally got this! Be sure to read online reviews and schedule interviews to feel confident you’re hiring the absolute best. If you need help finding vendors within the Washington D.C. area, you can download my free guide here!
