When to book your wedding suppliers: a timeline guide

When should you book a wedding planner?

The universal advice from planners: as early as possible. Ideally before you've booked anything else.

"Booking your wedding planner as far as you can in advance is the most useful thing," explains Bellissimo Weddings. "If you leave it until fairly close to the date, your planner can't give you the full benefit of their expertise and guidance."

They recommend booking before your venue search even begins. "Consider hiring a planner before you do anything, before you find your venue, before you book key suppliers. Your planner can recommend a top list of venues and key suppliers. Without a planner from the beginning, you can become really overwhelmed with so much information."

Events With Rio puts specific numbers on it: "Couples should be looking to book 12 to 15 months prior to the wedding day. Most planners will take bookings 9-12 months in advance, but anything less than that, you're looking at partial planning or day-of coordination only."

The key insight? Planners aren't just for execution. They're most valuable when they can guide your choices from the start.

When should you book your DJ?

DJ booking depends on two factors: your date and how much the music matters to you.

"If it's a Saturday in peak season, and by that I mean May to the end of September, then couples should be looking to book their DJ at least a year in advance, potentially 18 months," says DJ Max G. "It's such a busy time and on most of those Saturdays, most suppliers will end up being offered three, four or five gigs."

For less competitive dates, there's more flexibility. "If it's a midweek Tuesday, there's more opportunity to hold back. But I would still say at least six months in advance, ideally a year."

Your priorities also matter. "If you've done your research and you're really keen on a certain DJ, then at least a year, if not 18 months in advance. If you're less bothered and happy to shop around, then maybe six months to a year."

When should you book hair and makeup?

Hair and makeup artists book up fast for summer weekends. The advice mirrors what DJs recommend.

"I recommend a year to 18 months before the wedding date, especially if your wedding day is a peak Saturday within the summer period," says Sabrina Duparcq of Sabrina Duparcq Hair Artistry. "Hair stylists get booked up very quickly, so it's best to get them booked early to avoid disappointment."

Lauren Garfitt, wedding hair and makeup artist, suggests booking as soon as you have your date. "I would recommend as soon as you know your wedding day, enquire with your favourite hair and makeup artists. Your favourites will probably get booked up quickly, particularly between May and October."

But don't despair if you're planning last-minute. "If you're doing a last-minute wedding, still get in touch, even if it's three or four months out. You might be lucky and get the artist you want."

When should you finalise your photographer shot list?

This one's different. It's not about booking early; it's about not over-preparing.

"Couples should confirm their shot list about a month before the wedding," advises Alex Tenters, wedding photographer. "That's usually when most details are confirmed. This allows the photographer to get a better insight into the timeline and what group photos are needed."

Simon Biffen makes an important distinction between types of shots. "If this is a generic shot list like 'walking down the aisle' or 'first dance', don't worry. An experienced photographer will know what needs capturing without a list."

For group shots specifically, he recommends: "These would typically be given within two weeks of the wedding. The organised photographer will send a logistics form about three months before and this includes a place to state the groups you'd like."

The Mateers, documentary wedding photographers, take an even more relaxed approach. "We don't ask for a shot list. We'd find it inhibitive. All we ask for is a simple list of group shots, two to three weeks before. Getting loads of information early just puts pressure on the couple."