we get married june 2016. the ceremony is booked. we have started looking at reception venues and have narrowed it down to 3 venues. however, once we pick the one we are going to use, when should we book? when is too soon or too late? the problem i have is i need to save for a deposit. i dont want to leave it until next year and the date has been taken! i wonder if the venue would let me pay the deposit in installments for say for maybe 4 months so that its paid by january? thats something i will ask them! it stresses me out because i have to be super organised and when things like this arent sorted i worry that our day will be rubbish and that the dates will get taken.
so... how far in advance did you book your reception venue? is it a good idea to wait until january/february time which is 4/5 months before the wedding?
i mean, i could be super tight with money and get the deposit together this year. but christmas is coming up and i have 2 children with birthdays in november. they are young so dont really understand much but i'd feel soooo bad if i didnt throw a party or get them a decent amount of presents just so that i can have a wedding reception.
oh i hate wedding planning! maybe should leave it all to my fiance ;)
CommentAuthorIrishbride2be
edited
we booked ours just over a year ago and I'm getting married in 5 weeks. we booked straight after we got engaged. personally i wouldn't wait 4/5 months before as that hitting wedding season so most saturdays will probably be taken by then and you may end up disappointed. you could ring the venue and ask if you can do it in instalments but I'm just chancing a guess here that they may say no that they need the full deposit upfront (they are running a business at the end of the day and will think that they can book it out without having to accommodate a instalment plan) their really isn't a too soon to book some people book theirs for 2018 but you can try to book too late so just bear that in mind. have you thought of waiting to have the wedding maybe in 2017/2018 that way it gives you plenty of time to save and pick the perfect date for you. good luck xx
Met my dream man on Halloween 2012
Proposed to me in Spain 22nd July 2014
Getting married 12 september 2015
Marrying my forever best friend :-)
CommentAuthorLornaB75
we have already booked the ceremony so cant change it now without them charging us. the wedding is midweek on a wednesday so fingers crossed everyone goes for weekend weddings that week! i do know a venue that will let me pay in installments but its not really the one i want although i would be happy with it anyway. another venue also said i could pay half the deposit now and half later. so hopefully i will sort it. i do have most of the deposit, just another £100 to go but trying to work my budget around birthdays & Christmas! x
CommentAuthorMrs M Wade
I'd book it ASAP otherwise you may get the disappointment of not getting the date you want. We've had ours booked since we got engaged 2.5 years ago. Good luck. I'm sure they will let you pay in installments x
Became Mrs Wade 06/08/2016
CommentAuthorEmily17
If book asap as if not the date might go and you would be disappointed.
Met in 2009
He proposed Jan 2014
Will become Mrs P 7th October 2017
I would book it ASAP just so you know for sure you have that part of your day sorted... it is such a key part of your day too. Speak to the venues about deposit arrangements, they may be able to accommodate you and your needs. We're having our whole day under one roof, which we booked 2 years prior xx
Happily married
18th June 2016
xx
CommentAuthorErinP42
Book ASAP otherwise you may guy not get the date you need. Most venues should let you pay half and half on deposit (at least all the ones I have spoken to have said this is fine)
CommentAuthorSarah D
I agree with the others book asap so you don't miss out on what you want and have to settle for something else, we booked our venue 20 months before xx
Became Mrs Duthie 7th October 2016
CommentAuthorLouiseyweesey
I'd book it soon as. We booked pretty soon after getting engaged - if you book, you've got that peace of mind knowing it's all yours :-) xxxx
CommentAuthorMrsEmmaP
We booked ours in November which was 18 months before the wedding, you need to book asap so you don't miss out on the venue you want as a lot of people book quite far in advance. Once you book that you will be able to arrange everything else as you will know where everything is going and be able to sort out timings etc xx
Got together on 14th March 2010
Got engaged on 25th December 2013
Became Mrs P on 14th May 2016 - best day ever!
CommentAuthorSam G 2b May 2016
Yeah I agree with the others, although you should have some leeway with it being midweek xx
CommentAuthorElinor Claire
I'd agree, book as soon as you've decided, particularly as you are already pinned down to a date by having your ceremony booked. It would be a shame if you settled on somewhere and then someone else booked it in the meantime.
30th August 2014 was the best birthday ever.
It was the day that I became Mrs. Dixon.
CommentAuthorsALLY
we booked overs over a year before the wedding and they were pretty short on dates... I would check when then want all the payment by as you may find that by January they want the next instalment
CommentAuthorInDreamland
Book it asap. We had ours booked 14 months ahead of the big day.
Married the love of my life on Saturday 11th May 2013 xxx
Had our dream perfect honeymoon in Hawaii!
CommentAuthorPyxie
We booked our venue just under 4 months ago for a Thursday wedding in August. We haven't had any trouble booking anything, in fact I only just got a cake sorted this week - and it's a vegan cake! Obviously the sooner you book things the less likely you are to be disappointed but I think it's a lot easier doing things a bit more 'last minute' for a mid-week wedding. We never really plan that far ahead so 4 months in advance seemed like ages to us!
CommentAuthorLornaB75
Thanks everyone. Think I'm going to book it within the next 4 weeks once I've finished looking at different venues :) x
