You just started planning a wedding but where in the world do you even begin? Here are the top three vendors you’ll want to make sure you book first besides a wedding planner because they should be the very first!

1. Venue – Before anything else you should look for a venue. After all that’s where a majority of your wedding day will be spent so make sure they are available for your date and include everything you are looking for.
2. Photographer – I may be a little bias in saying this but it’s true. Photographers typically book out 6 months to 1.5 years in advance. If you wait until the last minute to find a photographer a lot of them will probably be booked already and you shouldn’t have to settle with the one vendor who give you tangible memories of your wedding day.
3. DJ/Band – It’s not a party without a great MC and music am I right? DJs and Bands typically book out 6 months to 1.5 years in advance as well so once you find one you love make sure to contact them asap before someone else books them!

If any of the above are already booked for your day ask them for referrals! They’ll be able to give you other businesses who they trust, like and know that they will be a great addition to your wedding day.

Once you have these three definitely look for a videographer as well. After watching numerous wedding videos I can assure you that it’s well worth the investment! It’s one thing to remember the day through photographs that you can look at on your walls everyday but it’s another to remember it by hearing your and your spouse say your vows out loud to each other. Not to mention the laughter from your guests and the DJ mixing it up on the dance floor!

A few other vendors to consider booking after a venue, photographer, and DJ/Band would be the following:

1. Florist
2. Caterer (if needed)
3. Bakery for your cake or desserts
4. Officient
5. Hair and Makeup Artists

Of course there are many other things to do but these vendors you want to make sure you book ahead of time to make sure you have the perfect wedding dream team!