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UK Bride Member Request 7 Mar 2017

How early do I need to book everything? We're getting married May next year...

How early do I need to book everything? We're getting married May next year and H2B thinks I'm over-thinking things. We have the venue and hair/make-up booked so far.

53 Comments
Nicola Eatwell
Nicola Eatwell 7 Mar 2017

Mine is in 892 days (August 2019)... thanks to the little calendar at the side haha... And I'm wanting to get everything booked and done in the next 6-12 months so I know it's all done, I will forget something and this gives me time to make sure I can have everything I want there. Also, everything gets booked up so far in advance... I would start now to ensure you get your perfect day, exactly how you'd imagined it.

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

We are getting married May 2018 and have nearly everything booked now! We started planning early 2016 xx

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

Book things ASAP to avoid disappointment. You will be surprised how many things get booked up.

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

Definitely ASAP! We get married October next year and we have everything booked.. literally from registrar, venue and flowers to invites, makeup hair ect! Dates get booked up really early X

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

The sooner you book things, the longer you have to pay things off....that's my way of looking at it! X

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

Start asap I get married in July and went to get invites and dresses a few months ago and everyone said omg your leaving it late

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

well my dress is taking 8 months for delivery so need to start looking for that xx

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

I'm getting married 6th of May this year. We got engaged on my birthday back in June 2014. We booked our wedding in February 2015 and started booking everything asap to avoid disappointment it also gave us longer to save to pay things off on the lead upto the wedding. xXx

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

I got engaged March 2015 and set the date for October 2016. I started booking everything in the Sept 15 and my day was perfect. I pretty much organised my wedding in 6 months as I fell pregnant a month after booking the venue and didn't want to be running around mad when I was huge. All the best for your big day :)

Ashley Power
Ashley Power 7 Mar 2017

We're getting married in 2020 and we've preliminarily booked our photographer, seen a venue, made inquiries about menus, worked out our guest list and have started a savings fund! So it's never too early!! X

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

Although I would say start now, equally, don't stress. We got engaged in April and are getting married this Saturday so the whole thing has been done in 11 months. With no stress at all!!!! (I also went to a wedding over Christmas that had been all planned in 3-4 months and it was incredible!) People get far too stressy about things on these posts so just take it all in your stride and it will all work out in the end. Also enjoy every minute of planning it- it's such a fun time and I'm really going to miss it all after the big day! :) x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

I'm getting married on 26th may 2018, so far I've booked my venue, photographer, the registrar, DJ and room decorators/florist, all of this was booked between Jan & Feb this year, it's never too early to be prepared x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

I hay married 12th may next year I have booked venue photography church dj/singer cake got my dress got two bridesmaids dresses started getting Dec's Aswell I want to do as much as I can now rather than stressing next year

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

I would book your venue dresser ASAP with 18 months to go I asked 3 venue dressers before I found somebody available x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

I'd get booking everything asap, good suppliers will have plenty of dates already taken for 2018. We booked our July 2015 as early as late 2012/early 2013 xx

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

We booked things 18 months in advance. I like to be organised so the more things booked the sooner means less stress in my eyes! Plus certain suppliers get booked up really quickly!

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

Depends onhpw flexible you are really. If you have a specific venue or something it's best to book early. I'm getting married October this year and really wanted to get married at sherwood forest but they're fully booked until 2019 as were a lot of places i tried.

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

Never to soon to start or there is a chance you won't get who & what you want. I started 2 years ago & I'm getting married in Aug 2017 - it's mainly sorted & I'm totally chilled about it

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

You need to get the registrar or church booked. We booked the registrar 17 months in advance and they only had 2 slots left. Our florist and cake lady are also getting booked up for next year. My advice...book the major things as soon as poss or at least start looking for preferred suppliers and check out their availability. Then you'll know what times you have

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

We were married 7th May 2016 and booked everything around a year before. It gave us time to pay it all. We left bridesmaid dresses and kilts until a little closer though

Kim Dean
Kim Dean 7 Mar 2017

I'm getting married Aug 2018, I went to a wedding fayre at the beginning of January, spoke to 5 photographers and only 2 of them had my date available. Also only 1 cake maker out of 3 was available.
I think get the big things booked but then invites, centre pieces, decor, favours etc can wait a bit longer xx

Gemma Peterson
Gemma Peterson 7 Mar 2017

Registrar. Forget that and you have no wedding. I was so lucky I just caught the last time slot when I called last week for my wedding I had already paid deposit for next August x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

We get married may next year and everything is booked and deposits paid

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

Lol I booked my venue 2 months ago and I'm not getting married until June 2020!! Never too early! :)

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

Registra or church should be booked at same time as your venue to make sure they have your date free!!!

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

My husband is a photographer and he is already taking bookings for next year so I'd definitely recommend getting your photographer sorted.

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

I am getting married in July next year and have nearly everything booked. I went to a wedding show this w.end and a couple of suppliers I was considering are fully booked up and not available for my wedding day. I would start putting deposits down now as the best suppliers book up really fast xx

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

We get married May next year and I feel like I should be getting a move on and doing stuff buy I don't really know what as I've had everything booked for ages! I have church, reception venue, band, photographer, videographer, flowers, cake, make-up, dress, ice cream tricycle all booked and deposits paid! Just need to get save the dates out now and get outfits for bridal party but doing that towards the end of summer to make the most of the sales!

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

We organised our wedding in 4 and a half months! It just depends on how picky you are about the expensive stuff

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

We're starting to book now for August 2020. Alot of venues we were in contact with already had bookings full for 2019.

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

I'm married next March and we have everything booked x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

So glad I saw this I'm getting married may next year aswell and so far booked venue and church and that's it, but my fiancé says I'm pestering him about getting things booked and we have ages but I'm stressing it's only 14 months x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

We get married next year (April) I booked the venue in October but have only just started booking things this week!
I did book the photographer in November but they had to cancel last week, a few photographers I spoke to had all ready been booked on our day so That was my priority!
I also have my dress but that's because I'm excepting a baby in June and didn't want to be trying on dresses on after having the baby was born as I wouldn't be a size I want to be,
Next major thing on my list is the registrar but we can't book until a year in advance! X

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

I also get married on 26th May 2018, and have just the videographer left to book, and then to find something to wear for both of us. So far have booked/bought:
Venue
Chair hire
Celebrant
Tree hire
Bar hire
Caterers
Table decorations
Lighting hire
DJ
Wedding coordinator
Stationary
Photographer
Cake
Magic Mirror
Florist
Cake
Maids of Honour's outfits
Make-up
Hair

I don't think you can ever be too prepared, and May seemed a popular month according to a lot of the suppliers I spoke with - two bank holidays and spring weather make it popular (we have also booked a Saturday on a bank holiday weekend!). Maybe at least get the main/important things booked in so you don't miss out on suppliers you really wanted.

Having everything booked also means you may be able to plan your budget a bit better and more realistically

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

I get married may 26th 2018 i have venue, registrar, cake photogropher/videographer my dress all bridesmaids dresses my shoes hair and makeup venue supplies food etc all sorted and i feel like im behind im stressed already xx

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

I get married June 18 and we've booked the venue, transport, cake, photographer, dj, hair and makeup and lit backdrop for top table. I've also got my dress but that's only because it was in the sale. The rest I'm going to sort around August time. Just take your time with everything and don't worry about getting everything done straight away.

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

Ray. If you message Linda I am sure she would give you some advice. She sorted ours out completely so knows what you would need to sort and in what order x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

Don't forget your honeymoon! Get it booked as soon as you can to get the best prices etc.....happy to help if you want...I'm on ukbrides..I'm on.... Steve Friend - Brilliant Travel

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

I'm getting married next August. I've booked so far Venue, Church, Cake, photographer and hoping to put a deposit down on my hair next week xxx

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

If it's things like a photographer where you may want someone specific and they can only do 1 event a day then book them early to avoid disappointment... things like smaller details though leave till later, you might change your mind before then

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

Wow I'm getting married in June next year and I have everything booked and near enough bought including my dress xx

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

I'm getting married June next year , booked the church and venue and that's it, oh and an appointment for suits but that's not til November this year lol. I'm just adding to the 'wedding fund weekly at the minute. Do need to book cars soon though but sorting invites, dress and table centrepieces this year, the rest can wait til next year x

Hattie Clark
Hattie Clark 7 Mar 2017

One piece of advice I would give is - giving yourself too much time can be just as stressful as giving yourself too little time! At the end of the day the majority of things cannot be booked any further in advance than a year anyway. The longer you give yourself the more time you will spend proscrastinating/changing your mind/faffing! It's only a one day event at the end of the day - there isnt a huge amount to plan! Im getting married in about 2 months and we have given ourselves a year which has been the perfect amount of time. Most big things were booked in the first 6 months and atm I'm sort of twiddling my thumbs a little because there really isn't a great deal to do! Don't over think it. Start planning in May and you will have more than enough time. :)

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

You will be surprised at how quick things get booked up im getting married march next year and was looking to book a photo booth they had bookings 2 years in advanced so you just book what you need asap...

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

I'm a wedding photographer, and I would always advise book a photographer way in advance... I already have bookings for Sept 2018! So it's very realistic that if you have a specific style or photographer in mind you might miss out if you don't book far enough in advance

Feel free to message me for a quote or if you have any questions!

www.fjsphotography.co.uk

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

We get married September 2018 and we have everything booked and sorted apart from bridesmaid dresses and lads suits.
I found a few people I wanted to book were already booked and the ones I could book I was able to book st 2017 prices as we booked just over two years in advance.
My other half thought at first I was rushing must be a lad thing haha. Good luck and have fun planning. Xx

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

I had booked venue, church, cars and photographers over a year in advance, I think I got my dress too but not sure. The rest I booked about 8 months in advance although the singer was booked about 6 months before. I sorted out the details nearer the time and I was a bit late with the stationary but it made it all minimal stress and I knew what to pay and when.

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

Im getting married july next year and have venue booked and registra booked already xx

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

We are getting married June next year and have the church, reception venue, cars and toastmaster booked. I would book as soon as you can, we are finding people are booked for our date already.

Ashleigh Bodinnar
Ashleigh Bodinnar 7 Mar 2017

We're getting married June 2018 and my amazing wedding coordinator advised us to wait until late this year/early next year to book a lot of things as you can save around 30% x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Mar 2017

I would advice 18-12 months in advanced, so you're doing the right thing x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 8 Mar 2017

Dj and photographer should be booked soon as they get booked up quickly. I had everything booked a year before my wedding. Congrats and good luck x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 8 Mar 2017

I'm getting married in August and I have had my waxing appointment booked since January!

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