Who Should You Book First? A Step-by-Step Guide to Planning Your Wedding

If you've already read my last blog about creating your wedding budget—awesome! 🎉 You're already ahead of the game.

Now comes the question almost every couple asks...

"Okay...now what do we do?"

Wedding planning can feel overwhelming when you start looking at all the different vendors. It can be hard to know what should come first and what can wait. The good news? If you tackle things one step at a time, it becomes much less stressful.

Here's the order I recommend to my couples.

Step 1: Pick a Season (Not Just a Date)

Before you lock yourself into one specific date, think about what kind of wedding you really want.

Ask yourselves:

  • Do we love spring flowers?
  • Are we dreaming of a colorful fall wedding?
  • Do we want a winter wonderland?
  • Would we rather be outside or inside?

Once you've narrowed down the season, pick a few possible dates instead of just one. This gives you a lot more flexibility when you start reaching out to venues.

Step 2: Book Your Venue

Your venue is the foundation of your entire wedding.

Once you've booked it, you'll know:

  • Your official wedding date
  • How many guests you can invite
  • Whether your ceremony and reception are in the same place
  • What style your wedding will naturally have

Everything else starts falling into place after this.

Step 3: Book Your Photographer

Okay...I might be a little biased here. 😊

But photographers are one of the first vendors to book up, especially if you're getting married during peak wedding season.

When the wedding day is over, your photos are one of the few things you'll have forever. They're what you'll look back on years from now and what future generations will see.

When you're choosing a photographer, don't just look at the price. Think about:

  • Do I love their editing style?
  • Can I picture myself in their photos?
  • Do they make me feel comfortable?
  • Will they help me through the planning process?

A good photographer does so much more than just show up with a camera. We're helping build timelines, keeping your day on track, calming nerves, and making sure you actually get to enjoy your wedding day.

Step 4: Book Your Wedding Planner or Day-of Coordinator

If you're planning to hire one, now is the perfect time.

Wedding planners often have amazing vendor recommendations and can help keep everything organized from the very beginning.

Even if you're planning everything yourself, having a day-of coordinator can make your wedding day so much less stressful.

Step 5: Book Your Big Vendors

Once your venue and photographer are booked, it's time to secure the vendors that tend to fill up quickly.

This usually includes:

  • Caterer
  • DJ or band
  • Videographer
  • Officiant
  • Florist

The sooner you book these vendors, the more choices you'll have.

Step 6: Start Dress Shopping

This surprises a lot of couples, but wedding dresses can take several months to arrive.

On top of that, you'll probably need alterations.

Starting early means you won't have to rush or settle for something you don't absolutely love.

Step 7: Send Your Save-the-Dates

Once your venue is booked and your guest list is mostly figured out, it's time to let everyone know.

This is especially important if:

  • Guests are traveling
  • You're getting married during a busy season
  • You're planning a destination wedding

Giving your guests plenty of notice helps everyone plan ahead.

Step 8: Have Fun with the Details

Now comes the really fun part!

This is when you can start planning things like:

  • Hair and makeup
  • Cake
  • Décor
  • Transportation
  • Rentals
  • Photo booth
  • Wedding favors

These little details are what make your wedding feel uniquely yours.

Step 9: Build Your Wedding Day Timeline

This is honestly one of my favorite parts of helping my couples.

A good timeline helps everything run smoothly and takes so much stress off your shoulders.

Think through things like:

  • Getting ready
  • First look
  • Family photos
  • Ceremony
  • Cocktail hour
  • Sunset portraits
  • Reception events

Having a plan means you can spend less time worrying and more time enjoying your day.

Step 10: Don't Forget to Enjoy Being Engaged

This might be the most important step of all.

It's so easy to get caught up in planning that you forget to enjoy this season of life.

Go on date nights.

Celebrate the little milestones.

Dream about your future together.

At the end of the day, your wedding is one beautiful chapter, but your marriage is the real adventure.

Your Homework for This Week

If you're following along with this wedding planning series, here's what I'd work on next:

✔️ Pick your favorite season and a few possible wedding dates.

✔️ Tour your top venue choices.

✔️ Reach out to your favorite photographers and ask if they're available.

✔️ Start a folder for vendor quotes so everything stays organized.

Planning a wedding doesn't have to be overwhelming. Take it one step at a time, ask questions, and remember—you don't have to figure it all out by yourself.

If you're looking for a photographer who's here to help with more than just taking pictures, I'd love to chat with you. I love helping my couples create timelines, answer questions, and make the planning process feel a whole lot easier.

Happy planning!

— Megan, Tell Me A Story Photography