Recently engaged? Congratulations! Planning your wedding is such an exciting time! Brides frequently ask us when they should hire their wedding vendors, and although there is no set guideline for this, we have provided a timeline below to help give you an idea. If you already have your heart set on a particular live wedding band, photographer or other wedding vendor, go ahead and give them a call! The earlier you book the less likely you are to run into schedule conflicts and the closer you are to the wedding of your dreams! If you’re more than eight months out and still deciding on your wedding theme or venue, no stress. Take some time to research all of your options. After all, your vendors will become a huge part of making your wedding a success, so it’s important to choose the best fit for your style!
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Wedding Vendors Booking Timeline
12 Months
Wedding Planner - If you're hiring a wedding planner for your event, do this first. 
Your wedding planner can assist you in narrowing down your other wedding vendor choices to help make the rest of your vendor selection process easier. No planner? No problem! 12 months out is the perfect time to begin researching vendors in your area.
Wedding Venue - Book your venue prior to hiring any wedding vendors, not including the wedding planner. Your venue may have a list of preferred vendors which you can use as a starting point in your research. Some venues also have rules regarding types of entertainment they allow as well as vendor regulations. To avoid later confusion or stress, it is important to know your venue rules, if any, prior to hiring your wedding vendors.
10 Months
The majority of your vendor hiring will take place during this time. With the exception of caterers; wedding bands, DJs and Photographers can typically only book one event per day and the more popular they are, the faster their schedules can fill up. The earlier you book the better!
Caterer Ceremony Musicians Wedding Band Wedding DJ Photographer/Videographer
8 Months
Wedding Officiant Florist / Event Design or Decor Company Transportation - with fall and spring being the most popular seasons for weddings, securing your transportation early will minimize the potential of companies being booked for other events such as prom or homecoming.
6 Months
Dessert and Wedding Cake Baker - most bakeries are comfortable handling multiple orders per day, particularly on weekends, so this can be one of the last 
wedding vendors you hire. If you are unsure which bakery you want to use, you might need to spend some time researching and sampling (yum!) your options prior to the 6 month mark.
Wedding Director / Day of Coordinator - Unlike a wedding planner, the day of coordinator does not need to be involved in your planning process from the beginning and can be hired much closer to your wedding date.
The timeline above is a guideline for hiring wedding vendors, however, once you are engaged it is really never too early to begin your research and booking process. Popular wedding vendors, especially sought after wedding bands and djs can book up to a year or more in advance, which can lead to disappointment for some brides when their preferred vendor is not available. Don’t be that bride! Securing your vendor contracts early means you can relax a little more and enjoy planning the details of your wedding. After all, wedding planning should be exciting and fun!
If you need help finding the perfect Atlanta wedding DJ or band for your event, contact Blue Sky Atlanta today! We are here to make your dream wedding a reality!