How early is too early?

Our venue said it's okay to book now (our date is July 2023) but we haven't yet (FH is nervous about everything "so far ahead") but officiant / DJ / catering said max 2 years. It never hurts to ask IMHO! We are still collaborating on various aspects like centrepieces, a plan for cake, and the decision to use books instead of flowers for the girls. Definitely get your budget and venue locked in!

Girl, I wrote out our guest list the day after we got engaged. It's never too early! Enjoy it - especially right now when there isn't a lot of bright spots in the world.

Congrats on getting engaged!! It's never too early to start planning! It also gives to time to plan exactly what you want and don't want! I got engaged Christmas morning 2017 and started planning January 2 for our 2020 wedding. Vendors and venues start filling up fast. My fiance and I's venue is at a winery and they have bookings up to 3 years in advance!

Congrats! The time is always there to start your planning once businesses open up again. Lots of research helps to determine the way you want to view purchases from rentals given the cost and space saving at home. Asking friends and family to borrow things is also helpful to use for the day.

Yayyyy congrats!! i mean you can still start planning and researching. just when you email vendors give them extra time to respond in case they are dealing with sick family members or kids etc.

Congrats! Your profile shows your wedding as June 2021. It's time to start planning now! We planned 18 months in advance and still ran into vendors already being booked. There are also TONS of 2020 brides postponing to 2021 so it's better to get going on things ASAP.

Congratulations! 🥂


I don’t you can ever be “too early” with planning! I think the more time to plan, organize, research and see venues (when it’s possible again!), choosing/designing invites the better!
Also don’t forget to go wedding shows! They’re not only fun but give you the opportunity to find local vendors, get ideas and help you envision your special day and what you want and don’t want!

Nvm too early, i have almost finished planning my oct 2021 day wedding, we have a small budget so the extra time has given me the ability to really price hunt and not feel pressure to book book book. It takes a lot of work to do a small budget but so far keeping to under 5K! You either give time or money!


So definitely depends on were you are, and what you want, I would say spend a monthly figuring out what you envision before you have anyone else's opinions come in (vendors or family)

Congratulations! 🥳🍾🥂


I don't think you can start too early, *but* if you're planning an engagement of more than 2 years I would be cautious about the things that you might change your mind about. Like a dress, I wouldn't buy it more than a year before in case trends change and you realize that you don't want a boho mermaid (etc) anymore.
The earlier you shop for venues and photographers the better. With all the 2020 brides moving dates to 2021 a lot of vendors will be booked quickly. This could impact the wedding season of 2022 as people who get engaged later this year might not have 2021 dates to choose from. Plus booking early often locks in a better price! You can and should take some time to shop around and remind yourself you don't need to pick the first place you like.
Planning ahead can give you a chance to better plan your budget too. If you start looking around and realize you want a $30k wedding but have a $20k budget you can push the date a little to give you more time to save, or even shop around more to find ways to save a little here and there.

Also - I inadvertently deleted a key part of my first post due to clumsy fingers! One of the very first things you should be doing is figuring out a budget you’re both comfortable with and who is paying for what (I.e. will you bankroll everything yourself? Is your family contributing? Does your fiancés family wish to do so? How much?) It may seem obvious but it’s so important that everyone is on the same page in this regard before you start making concrete plans. Good luck!!

.. reaching out to possible vendors, that really depends on your desired timeline. Do you have a month or year in mind? If you’re looking to get married in 2020 (which isn’t necessarily advisable given the current public health climate - I say take your time if you’re able to do so!) you may have to hustle. If you’re looking at next year you have a little more breathing room, but you may still want to start making inquiries sooner rather than later (once you’ve answered the key questions outlined in my first post). Things can book up pretty quickly. If, on the other hand, you’re content to wait until 2022 or beyond, you can certainly afford to take your time.

Hey Raelyn! Congratulations on your engagement!! And welcome to WeddingWire.


You’re correct that the wedding industry has taken a bit of a hit lately, but it’s only temporary! So try not to let Covid detract from your excitement/bliss. Turning to your question, it’s never too early to start certain aspects of the planning process. Start researching venues and vendors in your area. Sit down with your fiancé and figure out what size/style of wedding will best suit you (e.g. 300 guests? 50 guests? Somewhere in between? Glamorous black tie affair? Casual backyard bbq? Destination wedding?). Browse Pintrest to see what kind of aesthetic appeals to you. family wish to do so?)
I guess my point is that, from a planning perspective, there is a lot of ground to cover before you get to the stage where you’re booking vendors, paying deposits, etc. And it’s never too early to start making those initial decisions. In terms of when you should start reaching out to poss

First off, congratulations!!!! 🎉


We got engaged and I think only a week after we started planning. If you are looking at 2021 I would suggest starting sooner rather than later, especially with all the so many brides having to rebook
Happy planning! It’s stressful but also soooo much fun! 😊