Q+A: How Far In Advance Should You Book a Wedding Coordinator or Planner?
Welcome to our wedding Q+A series. From wedding etiquette and vendor needs to guest experience and design advice, we’re here to teach you more about the wedding planning process and inform you of best practices.
Q: “When should we hire our wedding coordinator or wedding planner?”
A: Ideally, as soon as you want to start wedding planning! The sooner you hire a wedding coordinator or planner, the more likely you’ll be able to work with your favorite vendor and the sooner we can set your planning process up for success.
Couples looking for a full-service planner to help with everything from budget setting and vendor booking to vision planning and design typically hire their wedding planner at least 12-18 months before they plan to get married. We have planned weddings for couples with a shorter engagement and also have quite a few couples who’ve set a date 20+ months in advance! More time is always better so we can plan the best event.
For couples who don’t need as much hands-on help, you can wait a little longer — but just know that the longer you wait to book, the less likely it is that we will still have your wedding date available. Our Partial Planning and Wedding Management services typically book around 10-12 months in advance.
A modern elegant reception at La Pointe Events // Rachel Traxler Photography
What is the benefit of hiring a wedding coordinator or planner at the start?
Hiring a wedding coordinator early in the planning process ensures you get the most value for our services. Your wedding planner will provide helpful planning tools to keep things organized (more on this below!), and we can help you set a realistic budget and guide you to the vendors that we know fit that budget.
Most importantly, as soon as you book us, your wedding planner will be available by phone or email as your go-to resource whenever you have any questions or want to bounce around ideas. No need to resort to a web search when you can go straight to a professional!
When you work with HappiLily Events, you receive access to a suite of professional wedding planning tools that you’ll want to use right away.
These must-have resources include a Budget Builder and Tracker, a Guest List Tracker, a Vendor Comparison Tool, and planning guides including our Preferred Vendors List and a “How to Hire Your Wedding Vendors Guide" with all the important questions you need to ask and contract clauses to review before hiring your vendors.
Our favorite and clients’ most-loved tool is an interactive Wedding Planning Checklist. This tool organizes every wedding planning task into manageable phases, with a planning timeline customized to your wedding date. You can assign tasks to different planning partners and even add new tasks based on your unique planning to-dos. Our Planning Checklist is a must-have tool for keeping your planning process organized and on track!
Ultimately, hiring your wedding coordinator/planner as soon as possible means you’ll get to work with your first-pick vendor and your planning process will be stress-free from the start.
A September ceremony at Rustic Roots Winery // Tiffany Kokal Photography
HappiLily Events plans crazy-fun weddings for couples in Minnesota and Wisconsin. We specialize in making each wedding day as unique as it is memorable with thoughtful details and personal touches.
Whether you dream of getting married in a modern downtown venue, a romantic barn, or celebrating in your backyard, HappiLily Events is here to support you through the entire planning process.
