Your Wedding Planning Timeline: When to Book What

The single question we’re asked most often: how far ahead do we need to start?

The honest answer is that most couples are comfortable with around twelve months, though plenty of beautiful weddings come together in less. What matters isn’t the number — it’s the order you do things in. Book in the right sequence and the rest falls into place. Here’s how we’d map it.

12+ months out — the big rocks. Set your rough budget and your guest number first, because nearly every other decision flows from those two. Then secure your venue and your date. Good venues in popular regions like the Yarra Valley and the Mornington Peninsula can book twelve to eighteen months ahead for peak season, so this is the one not to sit on. If you want a planner involved from the start, this is when to bring them in.

9–11 months — the suppliers who book out. Photographer, videographer and any in-demand florist or celebrant go early; the good ones hold only one wedding a day and the best dates go first. Lock your catering direction here too if it isn’t bundled with the venue.

6–8 months — the shape of the day. Order your attire (dresses in particular have long lead times), book hair and makeup, send save-the-dates, and start your styling and florals in earnest. If you’re planning from a distance or on a private property, this is when logistics start to matter — power, marquee, wet-weather backup.

3–5 months — the details. Finalise your menu and tasting, order stationery, sort transport and accommodation, and build your run sheet. Invitations usually go out around now.

6–8 weeks — confirm and close. Send invitations if you haven’t, chase RSVPs, give the venue and caterer final numbers, confirm every supplier in writing and finalise the timeline. This is the stretch where a coordinator earns their keep — pulling every thread into one master document so nothing slips.

The final fortnight — hand it over. By now the wedding should be built. The last two weeks are for confirmations, the rehearsal and packing, not big decisions. If you’ve been carrying it all yourself, this is the point most couples wish they’d booked someone to take the reins.

A few notes from doing this every season. Build in more time than you think for anything custom — stationery, a made-to-order dress, bespoke florals. Don’t book your suppliers before your venue; the venue shapes everything. And if a timeline like this already has your stomach in a knot, that feeling is worth listening to — it usually means it’s time to hand part of it over.

You don’t have to do it in this exact order, and you don’t have to do it alone. If you’d like us to take some of it off your plate — whether that’s the whole journey or just the final weeks — get in touch and we’ll talk through what fits.