We’ve outlined the best order to book your wedding vendors from start to finish.
When you first get engaged, knowing the best order to book wedding vendors is hard. Should you book your wedding venue first? Should you hire your caterer before or after your makeup artist? The big decisions will affect the small ones, so following the schedule will ease your stress. To help you with the process, we’ve outlined the best order to book your wedding vendors from start to finish. Keep reading to learn more!
1. Wedding Planner
One of the biggest mistakes couples make when booking wedding vendors is not hiring their wedding planner first. Couples usually book their venue first, thinking they must have that booked before meeting with a wedding planner. If you plan on hiring a wedding planner in any capacity beyond wedding management, this is a mistake.
A full-service wedding planner helps you evaluate your priorities and create your wedding budget. If you book your venue before knowing how much to allocate towards it, you unknowingly use a huge chunk of your budget.
2. Wedding Venue
The most important reason to book your wedding venue next is to reserve your date. If you live in a popular area, event venues will likely be booked for weddings up to one, maybe two years, in advance. Getting your wedding on the calendar sooner rather than later will take a lot of stress off your shoulders. Secondly, your wedding venue will take up most of your wedding budget. Knowing how much money you will spend on the venue will give you a remaining amount to work with. Lastly, your wedding venue’s style will affect the overall theme of your wedding. Whether you choose a glamorous ballroom or countryside barn, everything from your wedding dress and flowers to music selection will be affected.
3. Photographers and Videographers
Photographers and videographers should be next on your list because they can only take one wedding per day. They are in super high demand, even more so if you are getting married on a popular date or season, like fall.
4. Entertainment
While you might not think about entertainment for your wedding reception at this stage, you should! Your band or DJ is a perfect example of a wedding vendor who can only handle one wedding per day. If you have your heart set on a specific band or love the energy of the DJ you saw at a friend’s wedding – book them now. This goes for ceremony musicians, too.
5. Hair and Makeup
Hair and makeup are next on the list because they are two of the most important bookings. While hair and makeup can take multiple weddings, but usually at most 2 or 3, you definitely want to ensure you book someone who can easily emulate your requested style.
HISTORIC OAKLAND MANOR: THE PERFECT WEDDING VENUE
Nestled in a peaceful wooded area in the heart of downtown Columbia, Historic Oakland Manor stands proudly in natural splendor. Elegant Oakland is the perfect setting for ceremonies, wedding receptions, bridal showers, holiday parties, family celebrations, business meetings, or retreats. Schedule a tour today with our expert venue coordinators! Please call (410-730-4801), email ([email protected]), or visit our chat on our homepage to book a tour appointment.
