It needs to be said

Tibbar75 Posted: May 12, 2006 08:04 AM

It needs to be said

Ok brides I would love your feed back on this 'issue'.

I am planning my LI wedding for June of 2007. I have already started calling up vendors, as early as Feb thinking I would be ahead of the game. I did this so I could get price quotes, this way I could start saving up. At that time vendors were already telling me that they were booked or dates were moving fast. At first I thought this was a line given to make me and the groom sign up then and there. But I recently called a florest back and he is already booked, and not just for my date but most of June!!!

I thought I could follow those time lines all the bridal mags have but turns out I am wrong.

Has anyone else had this problem?
Is this a LI only problem because we are so grand with our events?

debsey75 Posted: May 12, 2006 08:18 AM

Re: It needs to be said

We planned our wedding only 9 1/2 months in advance. We were able to get all the vendors we wanted. But I am getting married in October which I dont think is as popular as a June date.
You might find it hard because June is peak wedding season.

sr081906 Posted: May 12, 2006 08:24 AM

Re: It needs to be said

That's probably because you picked June. I just planned my wedding for this year in August with 7 months of planning.

A lot of vendors were booked but we looked outside the box and were creative. We found a lot of great vendors.

You may not get the 'most' popular place but you will find 'other' great places or vendors.

I suggest working on the Hall first. Look under the 'Community' section under LI Hall guide.

Good Luck!

thelilacone Posted: May 12, 2006 08:28 AM

Re: It needs to be said

if you need a great florist, FM me for details. She's a relatively new vendor on here, but she's been a florist for a really long time. She does great work.

Summer101 Posted: May 12, 2006 08:41 AM

Re: It needs to be said

I planned my wedding 11/2 years ahead and I started booking the important one like the band and photographer right away because they book fast. I haven't had anyone booked but I am getting married on a Sunday which isnt as popular as a Saturday. My sister is getting married in Sept '07 and has already booked her vendors so she wont get shut out. My advice - if you love someone's work book them right away to ensure you dont get shut out . We only had to put 500-1000 down on most to hold our date and the rest isnt due to right before the wedding.

ML110 Posted: May 12, 2006 08:49 AM

Re: It needs to be said

i think its more because of the june date, than an LI thing... i got married in south jersey in june, and we booked things 1 1/2 years ahead ( about what you're doing) and a couple vendors were already booked... but it can be done! there are some really good vendors who aren't well known yet...

mrspapagorgio Posted: May 12, 2006 09:28 AM

Re: It needs to be said

you are 100% right-it is crazy! We live together and are getting engaged this summer-but have already started planning and securing the vendors we want for next May. Someone told us that if we wait until the summer we would not be able to get the RH, florist ect. I never thought I would b planning a wedding before the engagment was official, but we both agreed this was the best road to take. Honestly, we have noticed that if you book now for next year, you are getting better rates, and some extra's-if we book our hall now (Which I think we are doing this weekend after we take one more tour) we will get a free chocolate fountain!

N.Y.bride Posted: May 12, 2006 09:29 AM

Re: It needs to be said

I wouldn't worry. I planned my wedding in about 4 months and it was GORGEOUS. You just have to be flexible. Good Luck and FM me if you need help with anything. All my vendors were incredible!

MrsC2b Posted: May 12, 2006 10:12 AM

Re: It needs to be said

places and people book up fast... and u have to remember u picked june.. thats one of the months that go fast..

CLMon7906 Posted: May 12, 2006 10:23 AM

Re: It needs to be said

YES. FMIL and I went to 5 halls in one day on a Thursday and they all said, that weekend will fill up fast so if you are interested, you have to get back to us soon. That weekend, FH and I went over all the info and I picked a place. Well, FFIL, being the take charge kind of guy he is, insists on being there to 'book' so the next weekend (9 days later) we went to book. The date that we had picked that had been completely UNbooked, was now solidly booked!!!! So we actually moved the wedding up a week. (Then later, we realized we had too many people and we moved it up another week to have a bigger room!) You CAN do it in 6 months or less on LI, but it's a little harder I think...b/c clearly with over a year, many of us have trouble.

kase21 Posted: May 12, 2006 10:29 AM

Re: It needs to be said

The Bridal Mags are a catch all for the entire country and in a lot of other areas - those timelines work, but in NY (around the city and on LI) - there's a different timeline altogether. the average bride in NY plans a wedding over a year in advance.. we even order dresses long before a year in advance... granted if you're working in an 'off-season' month - Nov thru March - then you can relax the timeline a little.

It's frea.king crazy here.

DandS Posted: May 12, 2006 10:35 AM

Re: It needs to be said

I booked my catering hall and church 1 year and a half away, but everything else was booked about 7-9 months before the wedding, and I still have things to book. I think that June is a very busy month, so you definitely do have to get a head start on vendor's and book them soon, especially if you really love one!

nicknmb Posted: May 12, 2006 10:36 AM

Re: It needs to be said

June is one of the most popular months to get married, so I am not entirely surprised. And you have to remember that the bridal magazines do not take into account that we live in NY and are a little more 'wedding crazed' than other places.

mrsh2b Posted: May 12, 2006 10:41 AM

Re: It needs to be said

The guidelines in those magazines and book are set for the rest of the country. LI is on its own timeline b/c let's face it, we are out of control. LI, or I guess the tri-state metropolitan area, takes weddings to a whole new extreme. Plus your wedding is in prime season so things will book up fast. I know its so crazy and it can definitely push a bride over the edge! My wedding is in November of 2007 and I get that sometimes!

M&S Sept12006 Posted: May 12, 2006 11:06 AM

Re: It needs to be said

I think you're on the right track...book all of your vendors (especially the LIW vendors) way ahead of time since they book very fast, and that way you have time to do other things.

EJSD2006 Posted: May 12, 2006 11:23 AM

Re: It needs to be said

i'm getting married in june of this year ( ) and started planning in january of 2005 only because i wanted to make sure i had all of the major vendors booked. even when i was booking way back then, alot of the vendors were already saying that June is a popular month so book early. i thought it was a gimmick too but didn't want to take the chance.

go with your gut. if you really like a vendor and their prices work into your budget then book on the spot! good luck!

2Be1 Posted: May 12, 2006 11:45 AM

Re: It needs to be said

Yeah, it is definitely the month, have you considered booking a different date and being more flexible in your choice?

R&J0806 Posted: May 12, 2006 12:30 PM

Re: It needs to be said

I booked a year in advance, but I know you can do less. I think you're having probs with June because it is the most popular month to get married.

Katie&Chris2006 Posted: May 12, 2006 12:52 PM

Re: It needs to be said

it's definitely the month, I would guess. Although, I got engaged in November and thought having a year to plan would be enough. However, we couldn't get our 1st choice of dates with our RH or our church.