How long does it take to plan a wedding?

Wedding planning can be a time-consuming task, and while every couple’s needs and wants are different, it’s important to give yourself plenty of time to pull your wedding day plans together. There are a lot of moving parts— calls to make, people to meet, desserts to taste, etc.

Generally, it’s a good idea to plan for at least a yearlong engagement for a no-frills, local wedding. This timeframe will give you enough time to find and book a venue, as well as interview and hire vendors for your day, and cross every other little item off your wedding to-do list.

When should we begin planning?

Take a moment to celebrate your engagement! This is a huge milestone in your relationship and one that deserves to be cherished before you dive into the world of wedding planning. Enjoy a date night with your partner, host an impromptu surprise dinner to reveal the big news, or celebrate however you see fit!

Within a week or two of your engagement, you should begin laying the foundation for planning. Think budget, vision, theme/ aesthetic. Allow yourself up to a month to accomplish these tasks.

• discuss your wedding day vision with your partner and figure out what details are most important to each of you

• talk to parents/ family who are helping to pay for the wedding so you can set a clear budget for the celebration

• discuss a wedding date (or at least a season/ month) so you have one ready before approaching venues or vendors

 What should we do first?

 Book a venue

Some wedding planning tasks should definitely take priority over others! You need a place to host your ceremony and reception. Sometimes the availability of a venue dictates your wedding date, which affects every vendor booked thereafter. So, it’s a good thing to hammer down right away.
Many venues also offer catering and alcohol or have preferred vendors they work with, so booking a venue can lead to crossing off several other tasks on your list.

Choosing a venue takes time and includes visiting potential locations and discussing pricing and fees, so it is one of the more time-intensive tasks of wedding planning. But once you have a venue for your date, it’s much easier to make the rest of your details fall into place!

Choose your vendors

If you find a vendor you absolutely love, book them ASAP! If you don’t have anyone in particular in mind, begin with the must-have vendors and progress to the nice-to-have vendors.

Many vendors fill up their calendars quickly, and you don’t want to regret missing out on that perfect vendor line-up. Be sure to review any contracts carefully before you sign them and ask questions so you know exactly what’s included and if there are any extra fees.

How can we stay on a planning timeline?

The absolute best way to keep your planning on track is to hire a professional wedding planner. A pro can ensure that you stick to your budget and that you get all your vendors lined up and ready to go for your big day. 

If hiring a planner isn’t in your budget, check out QC Wed Me’s planning resources and take advantage of free checklists and timelines that can help keep you organized.  Or, sign up for the QC Wed Me weekly planning series— 52 weekly emails to walk you through wedding planning with just a few simple steps each week!

As you begin to plan your wedding, be sure to give yourself as much as time as possible and write out clear to-do lists with due dates to keep you on track! See these tips for staying organized!

And, as always, QC Wed Me is prepared to answer your questions in our Ask the Expert features! Submit your questions here!

We’re excited to be the Quad Cities region’s FIRST all-inclusive wedding blog and vendor directory! We are celebrating all things love in the QCA and helping couples plan their happily ever after!

Dream it. Plan it. Love it.