All your Wedding Planning Timeline Questions Answered

You’ve made your wedding list and checked it twice, but there still may be something missing. In fact, there’s a few things many couples overlook when it comes to wedding planning. Thankfully, we have Hannah Heres, owner of MK Event Boutique and wedding planning expert, to help with your wedding planning timeline. Keep scrolling to read Hannah’s advice on vendors to hire, important dates and more!

Photo // Madalynn Young Photography

What are the first vendors a couple should hire?

The first vendor that you are going to want to hire is a wedding planner! That way you will have the guidance and support from your wedding planner throughout the entire planning process. After that, you will need to book your venue so that you can officially “set a date.” The next biggest things, after those two, are your photographer, videographer and florist.

How far in advance should a couple send out wedding invitations and save-the-dates?

For a local wedding, you will want to send your save-the-dates out about 6 to 8 months before your wedding and send your invitations out about 8 to 10 weeks before your wedding. If you are getting married around a big holiday or having a destination wedding, then you are going to want to send your save-the-dates out 10 to 12 months before your wedding and send your invitations out about 10 to 12 weeks before your wedding.

What final details do couples tend to forget in the planning process?

The most common final details that couples tend to forget during the planning process are transportation for the wedding party, guests and/or bride and groom at the end of the night, Plan B for bad weather, vendor tips and a photo shot list for formal portraits after the ceremony. However, if you are using MK for planning, we will make sure none of the details get forgotten during the planning process and on your special day.

Who develops the wedding day timeline? The planner? The officiant?

We create a very detailed master timeline, vendor roster and ceremony outline that we send out to all of the vendors. We coordinate all arrival times with the vendors to make sure that everyone is on the same page, for the wedding weekend. We also create a wedding party timeline for everyone that is involved in the wedding, so that they also have the schedule of events right at their fingertips.

What’s the easiest way or best tips to ensure the family stays on track during the day’s events?

We send out a Wedding Party Timeline to the parents, bridesmaids, groomsmen, ushers and anyone else that is involved in the wedding, about a week before the wedding, so that they know in advance, the entire schedule for the weekend. They are then able to reference this, at any point throughout the weekend. It is critical for the bride, groom, and family to trust your vendor team and know that they are going to do their best work for your wedding.

What is one piece of advice that you always give to your clients?

One piece of advice that I always give to our clients is to hire a solid vendor team and trust them. If you have a solid vendor team on your side, you can be confident that they are going to do their very best to make sure your day is executed with perfection. Additionally, you can expect them to work as a team on your wedding day, which will ensure that everything runs smoothly and every detail is covered. Trust your team of vendors and remember that they are specialized professionals!

A special thank you to Hannah Heres from MK Event Boutique for sharing these amazing wedding planning tips and insights! To learn more about having MK Event Boutique help you create the wedding of your dreams, visit their Brides of North Texas vendor profile to contact them directly.