Newbie needs help with priorities

Ladies I must thank you for all your help before I was engaged and I was just a Voyeur but now its real deal!!! I don't need a churh and I know I need to choose a Hall but were deciding on type of scenery first, but after that what's most important? Photog, Video, Music???? Thank you for your help and remember I will always try to help when I can.

Photographers book quick... but who am I to say, I'm still looking for mine!! LOL... After you have your hall you can make all the decisions. My most important decision was my limos and my music. If I did it correctly, I would have booked the Church, hall, limo, photographer, videographer, dj/band, florist.
Best Wishes and Congrats on your engagement!!!!!

I would definately go with the
Hall
Photo/video
Music
Limos
Flower

And then all the fun stuff like
Dress
Favors
Invites
ETC.

the first couple book very quickly. Many are already booked for dates in 05

Photographer, videographer (some do both, others you have to book separate) are biggies after the hall is rented. Does the hall do the catering? If not book your caterer soon. Limo and DJ I would say are next although DJ's book up quick I think. As for DJ's - we were told that it's better to book with an entertainment company (ie: In the Mix, who we booked, but that's one suggestion) rather than a guy that does it himself, becausse if he gets sick, or overbooks, or car breaks down....you're stuck. With a enter. company there's usually a backup.

Flowers can be done about 6 mos beforehand. Invitations can be done 4-6 months. Honeymoon 6 months beforehand. I'm sure you know about dresses and when to order from being on the board!! Congratulations and good luck!

Ok we did Church, Hall, Band (because we booked a Greek band = less choices), Video,Photo, Flowers

That seemed to work well for me. I would do photo/Video and music asap - those are the only vendors that you can't really 'comprimise on' - each is unique!

Hall
Video & Photographer
Band or DJ
Limos
Flowers

Good luck!

Good Luck and Welcome!

We did the hall first (having ceremony there too!)
then our caterer told us to get the DJ, photo/video since they book up fast. We got our DJ, who is absolutely awesome!! Haven't done the phot. yet....his parents have a friend that did his sisters' wedding, so we have to sit with him. I got my dress already and picked the color for the maids and got the pattern and fabric for FG dress (FMIL is making it). We are opting to do without video, there will be enough video cameras there......

Good Luck!!

Thank you Thank you Thank you! you are all so GREAT. The collective information is so helpful. The first thing I realized here is that some things really are black and white and must be done just so. But most of this wedding planning is a matter of opinion. What is great for one is not even an option for another. I really admire the respect for brides feelings balanced with the desire to express honest opinions and the offers of genuine assistance. Im hooked!

photo and video first...
then dj or band
then limos, and florists!