Planning your wedding: what to book and when

So you've popped the question (or said yes to it) and you're officially the happiest you've ever been. Congratulations! Now comes the fun bit — planning your big day.

It can feel like a lot all at once, so here's how I'd suggest tackling it, step by step.

Start with your budget

Boring, I know, but it really is the first thing to nail down. How much are you happy to spend on your wedding day? Are you going all in, or do you have other priorities — saving for a home, planning a big honeymoon, that sort of thing?

Have a proper think about what you're comfortable spending. Your budget is going to shape pretty much everything else — where you get married, when you get married, and how many guests you can invite. Just please don't land yourself in a load of debt over one day, however special it is.

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Sort your guest list

Next up, think about your ideal guest list. How many people do you want there for the ceremony, and how many for the evening? Are you dreaming of a big wedding with everyone you love in one room, or something smaller and more intimate, followed by a bigger party later on?

I've written a whole post on how to think this through, so have a read of Your Guest List: Who To Invite (And Why It's Completely Up To You) if you're stuck on where to start.

Then start looking at venues

Lots of venues have capacity limits — sometimes it's what they're legally allowed to hold, sometimes it's just what physically fits in the room. So if your guest list is bigger than the venue you love, one of the two needs to change.

Priority order: budget, then guest list, then venue.

These days most people start their venue search on social media or Google — there are loads of tools out there to help you shortlist. Or maybe you've been to a wedding somewhere gorgeous yourself and already have somewhere in mind. Wherever you look, you'll want a list of questions ready for viewings — capacity, licence, whether they've got bedrooms, and plenty more. I've covered all of that in Questions to Ask Your Wedding Venue, so pop over there for the full list.

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Booking your venue means securing your date

Once you've got your venue, you've got your date — and that's when it really starts to feel real. This is the exciting bit, because now you can actually start booking everything else.

Lock in your must-haves first

Some couples go straight in and book a couple of big priority items as soon as the date is set. This bit really comes down to the two of you — what matters most for your day? A particular photographer you've had your eye on? A band you love? A florist you can't imagine your day without?

If there's someone you know you absolutely want, this is the moment to get in touch. Send your enquiries and get them locked in as soon as your date is confirmed. Other suppliers you're more relaxed about can wait — you've got more time, more choice, and no rush.

But if there's a photographer whose work you love and no one else will do, don't sit on it. Enquire as soon as you have a date, because they can only be in one place at a time — and you want your date in their diary before someone else does.

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Then the rest can trickle in

Once your venue, photographer and videographer (if you're having one) are booked, you can start working through the rest — florist, suit hire if you're hiring rather than buying, a stylist if you'd like help dressing your venue, outside caterers if your venue needs them (this one's often worth booking early too).

To make it easier, here's a simple supplier checklist to work through — think of it as your booking shopping list, separate from choosing your dress:

• Photographer

• Videographer

• Band or DJ for the evening

• Registrar (if you're not marrying in a church)

• Florist

• Stylist (if you're not dressing your venue yourself)

• Make-up artist

• Hairdresser

• Musicians (for during or after the ceremony)

• Accommodation

• Transport

  
  

Take it one step at a time, and it'll all come together. Budget, guest list, venue, date — then the rest falls into place around you.