When to book your wedding vendors
Wondering when to book your wedding vendors?
Planning your dream wedding? Excited and not really sure where to start? Firstly, let me tell you that this is absolutely normal, and secondly, here’s my guide to booking your vendors, including the ones you need to lock in ASAP.
Once you have followed this groovy formula and locked in your trustworthy vendors, you can kick back and enjoy every moment of your engagement and look forward to your big day!
1. First up – your dream vendor!
If you have been dreaming of this moment for some time, or you are of Generation Z era, you may already be streets ahead with your vendor research prior to getting engaged. If this is the case, you may very well have your heart set on one (or two) vendors already. So, to avoid disappointment, book these first - like immediately!
At this point you may also like to consider the vendors that can only be at the one location at a time – your dream venue may only be able to host one ceremony for the day, photographers are often solo and booked to be with couples for a lengthy duration, and authorised celebrants are usually booked to officiate one ceremony at a time.
Booking in your favourite vendor will be good mojo for the rest of your planning. Don’t have a fav vendor in mind? Then that’s ok too – just tick off the list from this point on.
2. Ceremony and Reception Venue (12 – 18 months in advance)
This is where ‘time’ plays an important role in your wedding planning process – you may already have a date in mind; however, your venue of choice may not be available on that date. It may be a popular venue, especially during peak season, so get in quick – most of these will be booked solidly for 12 – 18 months in advance.
If you are choosing a venue that requires an external catering vendor, then you will want to choose your preferred caterer and lock them in at the same time – this allows them to work with the venue from the get-go.
3. Wedding Planner - (12 months in advance)
Wedding planners are the ultimate multitaskers and if you are going to use one, they will be one of the very first vendors that you will want to lock in. A good wedding planner will also have insight into other reputable vendors that may sight your style and be able to book them on your behalf.
4. Photographer / Videographer - (12 months in advance)
Wedding photographers and videographers are generally booked out 12 – 18 months in advance. Most photographers/videographers operate within an annual wedding cap e.g. a limit of 25 weddings for the year. So, when deciding when to book your wedding vendors, you’ll want to book them in early too!
I recommend that you do some research to find out which photographers and videographers have a portfolio that suits your preferred style, and then line a few up to interview them.
5. Celebrant - (12 months in advance)
More personal weddings that focus on the couple rather than traditions that are not familiar to them and don’t reflect their story or style are on the rise, and this is something I feel passionate about. These ceremonies are a chance for couples to work with fabulous celebrants to make the ceremony one of the most unforgettable moments of their lives.
In saying that, if you’re looking for a legal ceremony, you will need either a:
- Commonwealth-registered marriage celebrant
- Commonwealth-registered religious marriage celebrant
- Ministers of religion who are from a recognised denomination
- State and territory officer
Most celebrants will be booked 12 months in advance for popular days of the week – Saturdays being the most popular, now followed closely by Fridays and Sundays.
It’s best to get in early if you have a celebrant in mind. Equally, get started on your research early and reach out for a catch up and chat.
Planning a wedding in Toowoomba or Kingscliff (or anywhere in-between) is such an exciting journey—but it all starts with choosing the right vendors early! From your wedding celebrant to your dream venue, photographer, and planner, locking in key wedding suppliers 12–18 months in advance will give you the freedom to truly enjoy your engagement. If you’re dreaming of a relaxed, heartfelt ceremony that reflects your love story (and skips the cookie-cutter scripts), I’d love to chat. As a Toowoomba-based marriage celebrant who services everywhere from the Darling Downs to Northern NSW and further afield, I specialise in personal, fun, and memorable ceremonies for modern couples. Let’s make your wedding ceremony one of the most loved moments of your day.
