Tipz......

Okay girlz (and boyz). I had a number of meeting on Saturday and two out of three of the meetings we discussed the importance of starting your vendor hiring as soon as possible.
My first meeting was with a couple who had booked me two years prior to the wedding. YAY!! for pre-planning! Let me tell you it has been a cake walk so far with these two. Not only are they hilarious but they are under no pressure! We have booked all of their major vendors (minus the church.. HINT HINT!! Since i know you are a reader) and now we are just sort of hanging out to pull the whole event together. I am really excited about this couples wedding too. I think it will be super swanky and cool. Either way.. next I had a bride come in who had booked NO vendors to date except her ceremony/reception location. The wedding is in 6 months! OK.. I sort of panic with this. Mostly because of photography! I want all of my couples to have a great selection with photographers and when i see that they are booking for a really popular month and 6 months away I think OH CRAP! I immediately want to get on the tellie and start praying for my favorite photo people to be available. After talking to these couples and a photographer that my first couple was booking with we all agreed that brides just do not know what is appropriate for timing when it comes to booking vendors. Some think "oh we have time." meaning we are 6 months away. While others are on the ball and booking a year or years out. I say as soon as you get engaged start booking. I am hoping that gives everyone at least a year or more to plan but I know realistically it could be a few months as well.
My point is, that when booking, it is never too early. Especially with photography, video, venues, cakes. Flowers can be tricky because it is hard to get an accurate quote for two years in advance due to the changes in prices but if you know that you love the florist then go ahead and make your deposit to hold the date. I wish I could get this to brides right as they got that ring so they would know it is ok to start booking. I think things get done in the wrong order. The girls get the ring, then immediately go out and buy the dress. In my opinion I think the dress should wait till 6 months prior to the wedding. Trends change with the seasons! You may find a dress that you love and then a year passes and by then the new lines come out and you are in love with another dress. So you have two dresses. Which is fine if you have the money for two dresses I have had a few brides change into dress #2 during the reception. My guess is though that many people will just stick with the one dress so why not be totally sure that it will be THE ONE?
So the moral of the story is.. it is never too early to start booking. If you want the best vendors then start making those appointments. Do not feel stupid or think oh we have tons of time because the truth is you will feel stupid if you wait and are stuck with vendors that you are forced to settle for.
K.. now i am moving on the blog post #2 which will be a new topic.. :)