The content in this blog post first appeared in my monthly newsletter in August of 2024. Sign up here for first access to more content like this!
Hi Friend!
August is here – the time of sweltering heat and oppressive humidity that does crazy things to my hair. But this month also holds things that I’m really looking forward to! This coming weekend we’re going to a hot air balloon festival right here in Northwest Arkansas (Soar NWA for those of you who are interested), and next week I’m going to see the musical Hamilton with one of my girlfriends, also here in Northwest Arkansas. But more than anything, August is that kind of transition month from summer to fall, and it gets me so excited for cooler weather, sweaters, soup, and hot drinks.
This month we’re back to the regularly scheduled programming on the topic of wedding planning timeline.
The wedding planning timeline is kinda a toughie because some couples are engaged for a year and some couples are engaged for a month. Some, less than a month. The point is, engagement lengths and wedding planning periods can vary so much! That’s why I’ve decided to format this timeline in the order that you should book your vendors and have things planned rather than give specific time frames.
Planning Your Wedding
In general and as a rule of thumb, you’ll want to start with the vendors and purchases that are the most expensive and the most important to you, and work your way down from there. So here we go with the first and, in my opinion, the most important piece of the wedding planning puzzle:
Wedding Planning Dream Date
If you’ve been around here for any length of time, I’m sure you’re familiar with the wedding planning dream date. It’s the first and foremost thing you need to do to kick off your wedding planning. I wrote a whole blog post about it a few weeks ago. If you need even more inspiration on it, I also briefly touch on the subject in my blog post titled “I Just Got Engaged! Now What?”
Guest List
Before making any concrete reservations or plans, creating even a rough draft of your guest list is necessary – in order to find an appropriately sized venue and to give all your vendors a heads up of wedding size. I personally require a second shooter for weddings with a high guest count. If you are planning to elope with just the two of you, congratulations – this step is complete!
Venue + Photographer and/or Videographer
Now that you and your partner are in agreement on what kind (and size) of wedding you want to have, it’s time to make two of the biggest decisions about your wedding. Choosing your wedding vendors can be tough, but I break it all down in my blog post “How to Choose Elopement Vendors”. There is some controversy in the wedding vendor world on whether you should book your venue first or your photographer first. Honestly, I think it comes down to which one is a deal breaker for your wedding.
For example, if there’s a photographer that you’ve been following for several years that you really want to photograph your wedding, you should probably reach out to them first. Or if there’s a venue that’s really special to you for sentimental reasons – for example, maybe your parents got married there – you might want to inquire there first.
Timeline: The sooner you book these vendors, the better! If time is not an issue, reaching out to venues a year in advance is usually ample time to secure your desired date. As for photographers, each one is different, but in general most photographers open their books for the next year in late summer to early fall. However, if your engagement period is short and you don’t have a ton of time to plan your wedding, that does not mean that you won’t be able to get your dream vendors. A lot of wedding vendors, especially elopement vendors, are used to operating on short notice and may be able to accommodate you, as long as you are flexible and willing to work with their existing client schedules.
Attire
Having ample time to get the necessary tailoring done is of the utmost importance, whether you are buying your attire new from a bridal or suit store or you are searching for secondhand attire. And yes, wedding rings are included in attire, so don’t forget those either!
Invitations
You will want to give any guests that you choose to include on your wedding day as much time as possible to make travel plans, ask off of work if necessary, find babysitters, etc.
Catering, Flowers, Decor Rentals
You can’t book these three things without first booking your venue, but they can definitely be significant portions of your budget. You may be tempted to DIY some of these things to save on costs; there are pros and there are definite cons to wedding DIYs, which you may remember from this blog post from a few weeks ago.
Group size is one of the main factors that will affect these items when you’re planning them. Throwing together a picnic basket of charcuterie for just the two of you to elope with, or just one bouquet and one boutonniere is one thing, but the larger your wedding is, the harder it will be to DIY these things and the more important it will be to hire a professional.
That’s definitely not to say that you shouldn’t hire a professional florist or chef for your simple elopement – it can be a really fun way to treat yourself and be intentional with how you are spending your money (on you and your partner instead of on wedding guests).
Honeymoon
Another thing that you have to wait until you’ve locked in a date with the venue and your top vendors is your honeymoon. Travel plans can be tricky, and I always advise you to lock them in as soon as possible.
Hair + Makeup Artists
Having hair and makeup trials well in advance of your wedding day are very important. This is neither here nor there, but I recommend having your trials on the day of either your engagement photo session or boudoir session, if you choose to have them. This can be especially helpful to see how you will look on camera (as we all know, mirrors can be deceiving).
Entertainment
For large weddings, the band or DJ can make or break your reception. And don’t sleep on the photo booth – it’s become a staple at many weddings and it’s always one of my favorite reception activities. I also loved the caricature artist that was at my cousin’s wedding a few years back – I loved the picture she drew of my husband and I so much that I hung it on the wall in my office!
For elopements, planning an activity for your wedding day can be a matter of choosing which waterfall to hike to, or it can be a matter of choosing which glacier to land on in the helicopter you charter. There are so many options out there, that the sky is (literally) the limit.
Wedding Day Timeline
Nothing is too small to include in your wedding day timeline, and you should always consult with your vendors (and especially your photographer) before making any firm decisions. I have a sample wedding day timeline freebie, which you can access by signing up for my monthly newsletter!
Marriage License
Make sure to research the state and county laws and requirements for obtaining a marriage license. Despite careful planning, my husband and I almost got stumped at the county clerk’s office in Estes Park when they asked for his mother’s name at birth and we didn’t have any cell reception to call her. Clearly we figured it out, but it just goes to show you can never be too prepared!
Have the Wedding of Your Dreams!
Always remember that at the end of the day, the goal of your wedding is that you will be married to the love of your life. Everything else is just details.
Final Thoughts
Planning a wedding is no small undertaking – even if it’s a simple elopement. Staying organized and accepting help from your vendors is the key to planning the wedding of your dreams. There’s no way I could have included every minute detail of wedding planning in this newsletter, but I will say that every couple who hires me to photograph their wedding receives a list of “100 things not to forget when planning your wedding”, and there are literally 100 things on that list that you will need to plan for your wedding. One of my goals as a wedding photographer is to be the vendor that I needed when I was planning my own wedding.
If you are planning an elopement and are searching for your perfect photographer, I’d love to get to know you and see if I’m the right fit for your wedding! Click here to send me an inquiry and we’ll set up a complimentary, no strings attached phone call!
*All my blog posts contain a selection of images that I’ve taken. If you are interested in booking a wedding or session with me, I am more than happy to send you a full gallery upon request!
I’m a wife, a dog mom, a foodie, a wanderer, a registered nurse, and a couples/intimate wedding/elopement photographer … and this blog will cover it all! If you enjoyed this post, first of all thank you, and second of all please follow me on Instagram + Facebook and sign up for my monthly newsletter to get exclusive wedding planning advice and access to all of my new (and old) freebies! If you have any questions about elopement photography, my journey from nursing to photography, or my time spent as a full-time RVer, drop a comment and I just might write a blog post answering your question (but I definitely will)!
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