📋planning

Wedding planning timeline: 12-18 months ideal

Name: Weddy
Rating: 4.8 (500 reviews)
Author: Weddy

The ideal engagement length for stress-free planning is 12-18 months. This timeline allows you to: book popular venues and vendors before they're taken, take advantage of seasonal sales, spread out costs, lose weight or get in shape if desired, DIY projects without rushing, and avoid premium pricing for last-minute bookings. 6-month 'short' engagements are doable but more stressful and expensive. Book venue and photographer first (12+ months out), then caterer, DJ, florist. Send invitations 6-8 weeks before, start dress shopping 9-12 months before allowing time for alterations.

More Planning & Organization Tips

Create a Master Wedding Planning Timeline

Start planning 12-18 months before your wedding date. Key milestones: 12 months - book venue and photographer; 9 months - book caterer and entertainment; 6 months - order dress and send save-the-dates; 3 months - finalize menu and send invitations; 1 month - final vendor meetings and create seating chart. Use a shared spreadsheet or wedding planning app to track all tasks and deadlines.

Book Your Top Priority Vendors First

The most in-demand vendors (venue, photographer, videographer, caterer) book up 12-18 months in advance, especially for peak season dates. Once you set your date, immediately reach out to your must-have vendors. If your dream photographer is available, build your day around their schedule. Popular venues often only have a few Saturday dates available per year.

Create a Shared Wedding Email and File System

Set up a dedicated email address (like yournames.wedding@gmail.com) for all vendor communication. This keeps everything organized and accessible to both partners. Create a cloud folder (Google Drive, Dropbox) with subfolders for: contracts, inspiration, guest list, budget tracker, and vendor communications. This prevents important details from getting lost in personal inboxes.

Ready to Plan Your Perfect Wedding?

Weddy helps you organize all aspects of your wedding planning in one beautiful, easy-to-use platform.

Get Started with Weddy