LI Brides planning from out of state

I am planning my LI wedding from Baltimore. I went home last weekend and we booked the Hamlet in Happauge for July 5, 2003. I feel like I can take a break and not really start worrying about vendors and dresses just yet. How early did all of the rest of you start meeting with vendors and everything? I don`t want to be overloaded as the wedding date approaches, but I feel like a year and a half is soooo much time. Also, if there are certain vendors that I will want to book earlier, I would appreciate some guidance! Thanks, Becky

planning from CA (Long)

I did a lot of research and looking around online. I'd narrow down my choices and use family (primarily my parents) to check out places we liked. Bands sent us demo tapes and if we liked the video them mom and dad would go see them live. Since you have your place already, that's huge relief. We got engaged in June and the wedding's in April so we didn't have much time to relax. But we took our time to find the vendors we liked and I feel really good about all of them. We booked the place and the photographer first (in July). Then the band (Aug), florist (Oct), video and limo (Dec). You do have plenty of time but popular vendors book up pretty far in advance. I'd look into your photographer and band (if you're having one) soon. We made the most of our trips home. I've been back to NY 4 times (for different occasions) and I used each trip to cross another thing off my list. On my next trip (Feb) I'm having my first fitting, hair and make-up trials and finanlizing the menu with the caterer. It makes for hectic trips but one benefit of not being in NY,- it keeps you from being too wrapped up in the planing. If I was in NY, it would be wedding stuff 24-7, here my FI and I can have a life outside the planning too. Good luck!

LI Brides planning from out of state

Hey Becky, I am planning my long island Catholic wedding from Long Island, with his family in Philly and my fiance in Colorado in the Air Force Academy and it is this July 5th, 2002. You have plenty of time. We just started last week. I would suggest your church and Hall ASAP.. Laurie

LI Brides planning from out of state

My fiance and I are planning from Raleigh, NC. We started planning at least a year and a half away. Our wedding is this August. We booked our hall, and DJ first. Then about 15 months ahead we met with Photographers and videographers. Then around Christmas, which is about 8 months ahead, I bought my gown, picked the bridesmaids dresses, did the florist thing, booked the limos, looked at hotels for a bridal suite, and picked out the tuxedos. Now all we have to do is the favors, invitations, etc. You should always do things in advance. You don't want to get stuck with someone you don't like. We did ours the way we did because we were limited with the times we could go to Long Island. Planning from long distance is hard, but at least you know things get done, when you're up there.

LI Brides planning from out of state

Hi Becky, It is not easy planning for far away. A friend of mine planned a LI wedding from CA last year. She made the most of her visits home and used the Internet to do a lot of research. My advise is to book entertainment, photography and video between now and Spring then over the summer look for your dress. After Valentine's Day you will find a ton more girls planning their 2003 weddings that is one of the reasons I think you should try and find those vendors first. Bands seem to book up really quickly. Also, looking early gives you a larger selection. The worst thing is to find someone you really like and find out they cannot do your wedding. If you need any help please e-mail me, [email protected] If you are the Becky that booked The Hamlet Windwatch (previous posts) I also booked and am getting married Nov. 2, 2002.

Planning from Cleveland

Don`t work yourself into a frenzy...you still have time, but you`ll feel better if you get the major vendors booked now. And once you do, try not to second guess yourself. I met my FI, who lives in Mt. Sinai, in Florida. I had never even been to NY. We got engaged in October, and we`re getting married 8-31-02. I don`t even know the LI area, so for me, planning has been extra hard. As of right now, we do not have a single contract signed with anybody, and yes, I`m freaking, but every vendor I talk to is still available, and I have appointments set up for Valentine`s weekend. I hope to get all my plans made in one weekend!!! Yeah, right! Hang in there and good luck!

Planning from FL (long)

We are planning from Gainesvilles, FL. We have been engaged since Jan 1, 2001 and we are getting married Nov 9, 2002, so it gave us a lot of time to do research on the internet first. This board also helped tremendously, so if you are looking at a vendor do a search to see previuos post it may help you save time when you go back to LI. I went home in Aug of 2001 and booked my hall, photographer, and bought my dress. I went home for x-mas and booked my DJ and talked to my aunt (she is a professional florist, and will be doing my flowers) just to get ideas. In October of 2001 my sister came to visit me in FL. Since my other brides maid lives here we bought the brides maid dresses in Gainesville and shipped them to NY. In March we are going to order the invites, and favors. We are sending our invites out a little earlier than usually becuase my FI`s family is from Nebraska and we want to give them ample time to book their flights and hotels. I was restricted to when I could go back to NY because I am a graduate student at the University of Florida and I teach a class, so it is hard for me to get off during the semester, so my next visit will be not be until Aug to have my first fitting of my dress, and hair and make up test. I am happy I did everything early we had no problems booking any of the vendors we wanted. Good luck and enjoy the planning.

Planning from FL (long)

where is your wedding going to be?

LI Brides planning from out of state

We started looking into things right away. Our engagement was a year and a half also but you will be surprised at how quickly the time will pass. Also booking early let us know exactly what the costs were going to be so we could save. It worked for us because we were able to figure out our budget and how much we would need to save per month to have the wedding paid off by the day of the wedding. I think that planninng so far in advance really helped us financially. Good Luck.

Lisa T - I can totally relate!

I too, planned a LI wedding from California from March 2000 - June 2001, and I did exactly what you are doing now. We planned several trips back East, and each time crossed something else off the list. Good luck with the rest of your plans!

Planning from CA

My fiance and I are planning from CA..and its been fine. We are getting married in Sept, and have only been back to NY two times, once for wedding planning and the other for Christmas. It has been relatively easy and less stressful to plan from long distance, well except for booking the reception hall, that had to be the most stressful, but eveything else has been fun. This board totally helps with finding out who the good vendors are..then you just do the research yourself. We may not even go back to NY until August to finish up last touches for the wedding.