Vendor Booking Order: What to Book First

Vendors don't get booked up at the same rate, and treating them as an undifferentiated to-do list is how people end up locked out of their first-choice photographer while still shopping around for a florist, who genuinely didn't need to be rushed.

Book earliest (as soon as your date is confirmed):

• Venue - technically not a "vendor" in the usual sense but sets everything else, so it comes first regardless.
• Photographer, and videographer if you're having one - the most in-demand ones, particularly documentary-style photographers with strong reputations, can be booked over a year out for peak-season Saturdays.
• Celebrant or officiant, if you have flexibility over who conducts your ceremony (relevant for humanist and some religious ceremonies) - popular celebrants book up similarly far ahead.

Book with reasonable lead time (6–9 months out):

• Caterer, if not tied to your venue.
• Band or DJ - good ones get booked well ahead for peak wedding season weekends specifically.
• Florist, especially if your wedding falls in a season where a specific flower you want has a narrow availability window.

Can reasonably wait (3–5 months out):

• Hair and makeup artists - still worth not leaving to the last minute, but generally more flexible than the categories above.
• Cake, transport/cars, stationery beyond invitations, favours.

What actually determines urgency isn't the category itself, it's demand relative to supply - a highly sought-after supplier in any category should be booked earlier than this general guide suggests, and a quieter month or weekday wedding gives you more slack across every category. If you're marrying on a Saturday in peak season (roughly May to September), move everything on this list earlier rather than later; if you're marrying on an off-peak date, you likely have more breathing room than this guide implies.

Cross-reference against your overall planning timeline so vendor booking and everything else - dress, legal notice, invitations - stay in a sensible order relative to each other.