Once you have set your Wedding Date & Venue, booking your Wedding Vendors 9-18 Months in advance is a good idea if you want to book the Best & Most Popular Wedding Professionals.
But, many couples wait until it’s too late to start booking their Wedding Vendors. If you are having a Saturday wedding (like 3/4 of all couples), then most Top-Rated DJ’s, Bands, Photographers,Videographers, Caterers, and Wedding Sites book-up about 12 Months in advance (sometimes 18 Months in Advance!)
While general availability is subject to the time of the year and the popularity of certain wedding vendors in your area, this “One-Year In Advance” fact is true most of the time for Saturday Weddings.
We recommend booking the major parts of your wedding at least 1 year in advance. That would include the Wedding Site, the Caterer (if necessary), the DJ, and the Photographer. Florists can often accommodate several weddings per day but the Best ones will book-up early. Videographers are in somewhat less demand, but the Best ones will also book-up early.
Finally, if you’re planning your wedding on shorter notice, think about having a Thursday, Friday, or Sunday wedding instead of a Saturday Wedding. The Wedding Site of your choice is more likely to be available for a Non-Saturday wedding. Also, the more Popular Wedding Pro’s are likely to have more availability for many Non-Saturday Wedding Dates!
INSIDER TIP #1: Wedding vendors may even offer you a discount because these Thursdays, Fridays, & Sundays are in less-demand than Saturdays!
INSIDER TIP #2: You Should Always Ask for a Non-Saturday Discount! Our Insider Advice to Save You Money is to ask for a 5-10% Non-Saturday Discount. You would be surprised how many vendors will Agree!
SOLUTION: If you are planning a Saturday wedding during the Wedding Season (typically May - October), then booking vendors at least 1 year in advance is a good idea. Otherwise, choosing a Non-Saturday wedding date is worth considering since many Top-Rated Wedding Sites & Vendors are more likely to be available for Non-Saturday dates (and may give you Discounts).