Casey Fatchett Photography

So, in case I have not mentioned it, I have a lot of friends getting married next year…and they all come to me for advice since I am in the wedding business, and I am happy to give it! My number one tip for couples getting married is this – don’t wait to book your vendors!

It has come up a lot recently in discussions I have had with other wedding professionals as well  (other photographers, DJ’s, wedding planners, venues, etc.) that there seem to be a lot of couples waiting until a couple of months before their wedding date to lock in their vendors. Listen, I understand that if you are having a small, intimate gathering or an elopement that you are not going to spend a year and a half planning, but that is not what I am talking about. If you have set a date a year out and you plan on having a big shin-dig (150 guests or more), you should not be waiting around. And just to be clear, I am not just saying this as a wedding vendor. I am saying it as someone who has been there.

The main reason that I have found for people waiting is….money. Surprise! We all know the economy is pretty crappy at the moment, and people seem to be waiting until closer to their wedding date so they can be more aware of what their financial situation will be. That is totally understandable. However, my contention is that you are more likely to actually save money and be happier with what you get if you book early and here are a few reasons why:

Choice

You are more likely to get the vendors you want if you book early. I feel terrible when someone contacts me two months before their date saying they love my work and to ask me if I am available and I have to say, “I’m sorry but I am already booked.” I seriously feel bad. Wedding vendors who are in demand (and isn’t that who you want?) get booked for dates 6 months to a year in advance and for dates in the ‘wedding season’ between May and September, they can be booked even earlier.

Stress

Do you really want to have to put everything together at the last minute? Planning my own wedding a year in advance it seemed like there were enough problems figuring out the logistics, and little things always seem to come up at the last minute. Book early and get the stress out of the way. That way if there are any problems or last minute surprises you can focus on those instead of having to worry about who is going to do your flowers, or take your pictures, or marry you to one another!

Spread out your payments

So you are concerned about money? Think of booking early like using layaway – would you rather pay for the entire wedding all at once or spread out those payments over a year long period?

Rates don’t go down!

Once you book your vendors, you have locked them in at that rate. Wait six months, and they might be charging more money for their services.

In Conclusion

I know this advice does not apply to EVERY wedding. I paint in broad strokes…If you have any questions or if there are other topics you would like to see discussed, please leave a comment or feel free to contact me.