Are You Making These 7 Timing Mistakes During Wedding Planning?
You know the age-old saying, “timing is everything,” right? While it applies to many factors of life, it 100% applies to wedding planning. Between sending out invitations, booking venues, and finding your perfect wedding vendors, it can be a lot to manage. So, here are seven timing mistakes you’ll want to avoid when planning your wedding.
Mistake One: Reaching Out to Vendors TOO Early
While you may think the earlier the better when it comes to vendors, there is such a thing as too early (i.e. reaching out before you’re even engaged…)! Or, reaching out with a wedding date that’s three years away. Try to avoid reaching out to vendors if your wedding date is more than a year away.
Mistake Two: Paying Deposits Before Hiring a Wedding Planner
If you’re planning on hiring a wedding planner, consult with them prior to making major wedding decisions such as booking a venue, rentals, or hiring a caterer. Wedding planners typically come with recommendations for these aspects and you don’t want to duplicate your efforts.
Mistake Three: Procrastinating Booking Key Vendors
On the flip side of reaching out to vendors too soon, waiting too late to book your vendors can cause you to lose out on your preferred vendors! This is particularly true for peak season weddings (in Florida, this is spring and fall), where waiting even six months prior can mean those vendors are already booked. Book DJs, photographers, florists, and coordinators closer to a year before your wedding date to ensure they’re available.
Mistake Four: Waiting Last Minute to Book a Videographer
While a videographer is sometimes on the backburner for some brides, in the event that you do want a videographer, waiting until the last minute to find someone is a big no-no. Most brides actually regret not having a videographer for their wedding - so make sure to book your videographer early on!
Mistake Five: Sending Destination Wedding Invitations Late
Destination weddings have a very different timeline for invitations and RSVPs since everyone is traveling to the destination! Because of this, send out save-the-dates and travel info close to 18 months before the wedding. Formal invitations can be sent about one year prior to the wedding and RSVPs should be in eight weeks after the date you mail them.
Mistake Six: Waiting to Secure Hotel Blocks
While it doesn’t seem like the most important thing on your wedding planning to-do list, waiting too long to book hotel blocks can cause major issues. For example, if the city is hosting a conference or sporting event that weekend, it could mean those hotels are already booked out! Shortly after you secure your wedding date, research if there is anything going on around the same time to avoid a hotel block shortage!
Mistake Seven: Focusing on the Small Details First
It’s fun to start thinking about what wedding colors you want or the type of food you’ll serve at your wedding, but that should only come after you booked the venue and the caterer. If you focus too much on the small details, you’ll lose sight of the bigger planning elements until it’s too late.