Ladies with Long Engagements

Hi Ladies! FH and I will be having a long engagement-- we got engaged November 2013 and will be getting married October-ish 2016. 2 years and 11 months.. but my countdown now is 961 days! (my mom thinks I'm crazy counting down the days lol).

Anyway my question to you ladies is, how far in advance did you book your venue? FH thinks we should start looking this summer, and at first I agreed with him.. it will be 2 years and a few months out by then. But now all I want to do is find our place! I've done so much research and being on these boards is making me antsy! He thinks people will think we're crazy calling and visiting looking to book so far in advance. What did you ladies do or would you do?

Ladies with Long Engagements - Long Island Weddings

I have mixed feelings on this (only mixed recently). I don't think venues will tell you you're crazy. I started my venue search in April 2012 and my wedding is May 2014. I got a great price that I wouldn't have gotten if I waited. I got 2012 prices as opposed to 2013 or 2014 prices. With that being said, I'm a TC bride, so my venue is in bankruptcy. I'm still having my wedding there, but that's the drawback to booking in advance. There are things that can happen in between. You also shouldn't wait too long because popular dates book out quickly. I'm Sunday of Memorial Day weekend and one venue actually told me that day was booked already and I called 2 years in advance! I vote start looking now, but read contracts carefully and I recommend putting down the lowest deposit you can and don't give the venue more $ than the contract says in order to pay the bill off faster in case something happens. That's my 2 cents!

Ladies with Long Engagements

We had a 2 year engagement (engaged May 2012, getting married July 2014). We booked our venue pretty much right away. When we booked (June 2012) there were dates in the summer of 2014 already taken and we wanted a summer wedding because I'm a teacher. We got good pricing because our venue was still in the phases of being completed. So we were booking a new venue. So far we haven't had an issues.

Ladies with Long Engagements - Long Island Weddings

I wouldn't book a place that far out. there are SOOOO many venues on long island and because of that, it is hard to compete with each other.. I would be afraid of booking a place that far out and risk a bankruptcy or something.. like cj52514 said, you get a great price for booking early but it is a big risk

there is no telling what will happen to a venue though, so it's a risk regardless

Ladies with Long Engagements - Long Island Weddings

I would say to begin looking and seeing what you like in each venue...No hurt in looking and ruling out some venues, and maybe as you get closer to that date re visit the top venues on your list...I wouldn't think booking in advance is necessarily a bad thing, I would just do your homework and make sure your venue has a good reputation...Like with mine, I would think a lot would have to happen for Fox Hollow to go in to bankruptcy....But definitely begin looking because there are many many many venues on long island :)

Re: Ladies with Long Engagements

I totally think it's a good idea! For a few reasons!

Some places told me when I looked in July and August of 2013 for our Mar 2015 wedding oh looking early are we or don't worry we r clear u can have any date or other more popular places like Jericho terrace had dates booked already. Also my hall warned me that in 2014 they were changing the pricing!

Pros
1. Budget. u can exhaust all your options as far as price and u get locked into a cheaper price if it goes up in 2015 u ain't have to pay that price!
2. More available less halls will be booked that early
3. STRESS FREE less time stressing bc you have a ton of time

My advice do it!!!

Ladies with Long Engagements - Long Island Weddings

There's no harm in looking now, especially if you know the date you want! We booked our venue just under 2 years out and I'm glad we did because we got 2012 pricing and honestly, as soon as I walked into my venue, I had to have it.

There are many venues on Long Island, but if you have a specific type of place you know you want (waterfront, mansion, country club, one event at a time vs. multiple events at a time), that narrows your options quite a bit. Having a waterfront venue was pretty much non-negotiable for me and one wedding at a time was strongly preferred. As a result, I only had so many venues to choose from, and because I'm having a summer wedding, competition was going to be somewhat fierce to get one of those venues.

With that said, I agree with cj52514 to start looking but read your contract closely, because anything can change in a year or two's time. Good luck!

Ladies with Long Engagements - Long Island Weddings

Like most of the other girls said I think it's a great idea to book early. I got engaged Sept 2012 and within a couple of weeks I booked my venue for October 2014. I'm Sunday of Columbus day weekend and I knew this would be a popular day. One of the places I looked at was booked for that day. So a lot of LI brides book early. Also, within a month of booking my venue we started looking for a band and one that we really liked was also booked. Don't worry about bankruptcy. This can happen regardless of when you book. You can't let that hold you back because it can happen a year before your wedding or a month before your wedding. You can't plan a wedding thinking about the what ifs.

Ladies with Long Engagements - Long Island Weddings

We have a long engagement, we got engaged December 2012 and are getting married May 2015. We booked our venue in May 2013 and the weekend before we booked at the Riviera, there was another couple that had booked for the weekend after ours. It's not crazy to be booking far out and it doesn't hurt to look at all but I totally get some other views such as bankruptcy and not knowing what is going to happen in 2 years.

Good luck!! If all else fails and you don't know if you want to book, it is fun to just look at different places. Also, if you are planning on going to bridal shows, lie to them about your date. When I went to them right after we got engaged, nobody would even talk to me but the few people that did are the people that I kept information for and plan to use.

Ladies with Long Engagements - Long Island Weddings

I think a year to a year and a half the most.. Any further in advance is risky!

Ladies with Long Engagements - Long Island Weddings

I am 645 days till my wedding and I am booked. I did not want to lose my day and I decided to book it ASAP!

Ladies with Long Engagements - Long Island Weddings

We booked in Nov 2012 for our July 2014 wedding, I think booking 18-20 months out its ok, especially for in demand venues/times. You can get a great deal booking early and be able to have your pick of days. I'm sure you wont rush into blindly booking, so look around everywhere in your budget, this way when you decide you will know its perfect!

Re: Ladies with Long Engagements

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Posted by GoingToBoyle

Like most of the other girls said I think it's a great idea to book early. I got engaged Sept 2012 and within a couple of weeks I booked my venue for October 2014. I'm Sunday of Columbus day weekend and I knew this would be a popular day. One of the places I looked at was booked for that day. So a lot of LI brides book early. Also, within a month of booking my venue we started looking for a band and one that we really liked was also booked. Don't worry about bankruptcy. This can happen regardless of when you book. You can't let that hold you back because it can happen a year before your wedding or a month before your wedding. You can't plan a wedding thinking about the what ifs.

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This is exactly what I want, Sunday of Columbus Day weekend. I'm hoping we'll be able to save having a Sunday night with a lot of guests still having off the next day. Thanks for the advice! And I agree with the bankruptcy... That can happen at any time.

Ladies with Long Engagements - Long Island Weddings

Thanks for your replies ladies! I think I'm gonna start calling/emailing and gathering information on my list of venues to start and just visit a few, and hold off on booking until the summer unless we REALLY fall in love with a place. Thanks for all the advice! :)

Re: Ladies with Long Engagements

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Posted by rcotter90

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Posted by GoingToBoyle

Like most of the other girls said I think it's a great idea to book early. I got engaged Sept 2012 and within a couple of weeks I booked my venue for October 2014. I'm Sunday of Columbus day weekend and I knew this would be a popular day. One of the places I looked at was booked for that day. So a lot of LI brides book early. Also, within a month of booking my venue we started looking for a band and one that we really liked was also booked. Don't worry about bankruptcy. This can happen regardless of when you book. You can't let that hold you back because it can happen a year before your wedding or a month before your wedding. You can't plan a wedding thinking about the what ifs.

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This is exactly what I want, Sunday of Columbus Day weekend. I'm hoping we'll be able to save having a Sunday night with a lot of guests still having off the next day. Thanks for the advice! And I agree with the bankruptcy... That can happen at any time.

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We saved a ton of money ($50 pp) with this Sunday. Just a heads up some venues will consider that a Saturday but definitely look around because a lot will still consider that a Sunday.

Re: Ladies with Long Engagements

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Posted by GoingToBoyle

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Posted by rcotter90

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Posted by GoingToBoyle

Like most of the other girls said I think it's a great idea to book early. I got engaged Sept 2012 and within a couple of weeks I booked my venue for October 2014. I'm Sunday of Columbus day weekend and I knew this would be a popular day. One of the places I looked at was booked for that day. So a lot of LI brides book early. Also, within a month of booking my venue we started looking for a band and one that we really liked was also booked. Don't worry about bankruptcy. This can happen regardless of when you book. You can't let that hold you back because it can happen a year before your wedding or a month before your wedding. You can't plan a wedding thinking about the what ifs.

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This is exactly what I want, Sunday of Columbus Day weekend. I'm hoping we'll be able to save having a Sunday night with a lot of guests still having off the next day. Thanks for the advice! And I agree with the bankruptcy... That can happen at any time.

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We saved a ton of money ($50 pp) with this Sunday. Just a heads up some venues will consider that a Saturday but definitely look around because a lot will still consider that a Sunday.

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Would you mind FMing me the places you looked that considered it still a Sunday?

Ladies with Long Engagements - Long Island Weddings

THREE YEARS!!!! We have NOW been engaged THREE years... still have to wait 6 more months. Never thought it'd be so long. We would have booked as soon as we got engaged to lock in the date and price but only reason we didn't is for the same reason we had such a long engagement.. we didn't know how to pay for any of this.

Ladies with Long Engagements - Long Island Weddings

i will be engaged 2 years 4 months when i get married!!! you do what works for you! When i booked my venue I had almost 780 days now I have 288! :)

Ladies with Long Engagements - Long Island Weddings

We will have had almost a two year engagement when we get married. Even with giving almost a two year wait, we weren't able to get the date we wanted at the hall we wanted. I'd say if you have your venue in mind there's no harm in getting it out of the way! Good luck!

Re: Ladies with Long Engagements

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Posted by cj52514

I have mixed feelings on this (only mixed recently). I don't think venues will tell you you're crazy. I started my venue search in April 2012 and my wedding is May 2014. I got a great price that I wouldn't have gotten if I waited. I got 2012 prices as opposed to 2013 or 2014 prices. With that being said, I'm a TC bride, so my venue is in bankruptcy. I'm still having my wedding there, but that's the drawback to booking in advance. There are things that can happen in between. You also shouldn't wait too long because popular dates book out quickly. I'm Sunday of Memorial Day weekend and one venue actually told me that day was booked already and I called 2 years in advance! I vote start looking now, but read contracts carefully and I recommend putting down the lowest deposit you can and don't give the venue more $ than the contract says in order to pay the bill off faster in case something happens. That's my 2 cents!

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This exactly, on all points. I'd also suggest start saving now or pay off any extras debts. It will be easier in the long run & it will be in your bank account not invested in a hall too early. We are only making our deposits as we have to. Once we have our break in deposits we will bank it & make the final payment 10 days prior.