What Wedding Suppliers Should You Book First?

The ultimate guide to booking your wedding suppliers in the right order.

Planning your wedding is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. With so many incredible suppliers to choose from, it's hard to know who to book first and what can wait.

One of the biggest mistakes I see couples make is spending lots of time researching smaller details before securing the suppliers that are most likely to book up quickly.

As a wedding planner and coordinator, here's the order I recommend booking your suppliers to make planning as smooth and stress-free as possible.

1. Your Wedding Venue

Your venue should always be your first booking.

Your date, guest numbers and even your overall style will often depend on where you're getting married. Until you've secured your venue, it's difficult to book many of your other suppliers.

Popular venues can book up 18–24 months in advance, especially for spring and summer Saturdays.

Top Tip: If you're flexible with your wedding date, you'll often have more venue options and could even save money.

2. Photographer & Videographer

Once your venue is secured, your photographer and videographer should be next on your list.

These are the people capturing memories you'll treasure forever, and the most sought-after suppliers often get booked well over a year in advance.

Take the time to find someone whose style you genuinely love rather than simply choosing the cheapest option.

3. Celebrant or Registrar

If you're having a civil ceremony, make sure your registrar is booked as early as possible.

If you're choosing a celebrant-led ceremony, the same advice applies. Popular celebrants can become fully booked well in advance, particularly during peak wedding season.

4. Entertainment

Whether you're dreaming of a live band, a DJ or an acoustic singer for your drinks reception, entertainment is another supplier that books up quickly.

Great entertainment can completely transform the atmosphere of your wedding, so it's worth securing early.

5. Florist & Venue Stylist

Once you've secured your venue and key suppliers, it's time to start thinking about how you want your wedding to look.

Your florist and stylist will help bring your vision to life by creating a cohesive look that reflects your personalities.

This is also the perfect time to start thinking about:

• Centrepieces

• Candles

• Welcome signs

• Table plans

• Ceremony styling

• Decorative hire

6. Hair & Makeup

Hair and makeup artists often take multiple bookings across a wedding weekend, so it's worth securing yours as early as possible.

Book a trial a few months before your wedding to make sure you're completely happy with your chosen look.

7. Wedding Cake

Your cake designer should usually be booked around six to twelve months before your wedding.

This gives plenty of time to arrange consultations, tastings and final design details.

8. Stationery & Finishing Touches

These are some of the most exciting parts of planning.

Save-the-dates, invitations, place cards, table numbers and signage can all be finalised once you've confirmed your guest list, colour palette and overall wedding style.

Where Does a Wedding Coordinator Fit In?

Many couples assume they only need a coordinator a few weeks before the wedding, but booking earlier has some real advantages.

By securing your coordinator in advance, you'll have someone who already understands your plans, can answer questions throughout your planning journey and will step in during the final weeks to liaise with suppliers, finalise your timeline and ensure everything runs smoothly on the day.

It's one of the best investments you can make if you want to spend your wedding day making memories instead of managing logistics.

Final Thoughts

Every wedding is different, and there's no single "right" way to plan your day. However, booking your suppliers in the right order will make the entire process much less stressful and give you the best chance of securing the suppliers you really want.

If you're feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to start, I'd love to help.

Whether you're looking for full wedding planning, partial planning, a Kreation Hour planning consultation or wedding day coordination, Koso Kreates is here to make your wedding planning journey as enjoyable as the day itself.