Hiring a different vendors and wedding party rentals to assist your wedding can take the stress out of the grand event. But the question is when to start? Take a look at our vendor timeline below, organized from a year in advance.

12 Months Before

Booking a wedding planner at this point can be very beneficial, as they can assist you through the whole process. The next thing on the list is choosing the venue, because unless you’ve done that, you haven’t officially set the date for the big day. Do this as soon as possible no matter if you are hosting both the wedding and the reception in one place or separate venues.

10 Months Before

This is the time to start looking for a photographer for your big day. Research them and then shortlist the ones that match your style and budget. Also make sure they are easy to get along with. If they do videography too, great. That’s two birds down with one stone. Otherwise, find a pro to create your wedding cinematics.

You might also want to find a wedding florist who sees eye to eye with your vision for the ceremony, as well as conforms to your budget.

The third most important thing to tackle now is caters and wedding rentals. A lot of the time, wedding venues come with one. However, if yours doesn’t, find one who fits your needs for the reception. Decide on specific dishes as well as the style of serving along with them.

8 Months Before

This is when you should book DJs and musicians for the ceremony. Music is key for setting the right tone and ambience throughout your special day, so be sure to research suitable talent well in advance.

And then comes the dreaded wedding dress shopping! Just this one thing can take months from the moment you order it until when it’s actually in your hands. Be ready to go through several dresses before you finally land on one that you feel is the perfect fit for you. However, that too will require alterations to fit your figure.

7 Months Before

Cake bakers are in high demand all year round, so in order to be on top of your game and ensure that the cake you will have at your wedding both looks and tastes great, start looking for a patisserie around seven months in advance.

This is also a good time to start thinking about your honeymoon! No matter where you and your better half decide to spend the first few days of their lives as husband and wife, talking to a honeymoon agent and sorting things out while you still have some time before you guys tie the knot will make life much easier.

6 Months Before

With only six months left for your wedding preparations, it’s time to buckle up and get one of the most cumbersome tasks leading up to the ceremony out of the way: the invites!

Sit down with a card designer to decide a theme for the invitation cards, and then make a list of everyone who you want to send it to. Believe us, this will take a huge chunk of your time.

Equally important is booking a hair and makeup stylist, to ensure that you look your best on the most important date of your life.

Last thing to check off this month is the specifics for the venue, namely linens, crockery, tables, chairs etc. Make sure to get the quality right based on the total number of guests.

5 Months Before

If you haven’t given thought to how guests will arrive at the venue yet, now is as good a time as any. Look into limos, shuttles or other modes of transportation to take care of the logistics on your wedding day.

Also take care of the attire and accessory needs for the day, like renting out suits or tuxedos for the groom and the groomsmen, buying shoes and undergarments, and so on.

3 Months Before

And now it’s time to order the most important thing: your wedding ring! Keep in mind this is something both the husband and wife will be wearing every single day so do make sure you take your time to consult with one another and choose a pair that truly resonates with you.

And that wraps it up. Make sure to do this as planned so that you have time to compare wedding rental packages Maryland. Good luck!