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Freshly engaged?

Feeling...overwhelmed?

Congrats!

don't stress! i'm here to help.

Planning a wedding in New York City is no small feat, and it's okay to not know where to start. But fear not, I'm here to help. This thorough wedding guide will streamline your planning and ensure all your i's are dotted and your t's are crossed. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by all the decision-making, allow yourself to enjoy each and every step by breaking down your tasks into more manageable steps. 

The average engagement is about 12-15 months, but of course, every couple's timeline is different. During the months of your engagement/pre-wedding, pick a few things from this list to do every few weeks, and you'll be right on schedule with time to spare before the big day.  

Let's get started!

PLANNING TIMELINE

12 months to go

11 months to go

10 months to go

9 months to go

8 months to go

7 months to go

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5 months to go

4 months to go

3 months to go

2 months to go

1 month to go

1 week to go

1 day to go

Determine your budget, make your guest list, hire a planner, select venue & caterer

Choose colors & theme, determine formality, hire priority vendors (photo/video, entertainment, florist, etc)

Shop for dress/suit, book hotel room blocks, take engagement photos, browse invitations

Buy outfits, send save the dates

Register for gifts, choose wedding party outfits, meet with florists

Plan rehearsal dinner venue, order rentals, book musicians for ceremony, book officiant

Book transportation, plan honeymoon

Choose your cake, pick out wedding bands

Final tasting with caterer, hair & makeup trial

Order invitation suites, create & plan menu, start writing vows, plan ceremony, meet with officiant, start any DIY items

Send invites, first dress fitting, pick up marriage license, buy wedding party gifts, floral mock-ups, create wedding song playlists

Make sure vendors are paid up to date, create seating chart, venue walk-through, prepare cash tip envelopes, break in heels

Final dress fitting, pack for honeymoon, give final headcount, finalize vows

Pack small bag of personal/emergency items, pack the car, have dress steamed

Choosing your vendors

teamwork makes the dream work

Your wedding vendors should be made up of people you trust; people you know have your best interest at heart. It may also be important to you that you share similar values and priorities.

Don’t be afraid to ask all of your questions during the initial meeting/consultation. I can only speak for myself, but I always appreciate an open and honest dialogue. I'll let you know not only what you can expect from me, but also what makes me different than others.

There is a perfect vendor team for everyone, and they are waiting for you to pop into their inbox.

WEDDING VENUES & CATERING HALLS
The venue you choose in the wedding planning process is likely the first big vendor decision you will make. This choice will determine your wedding date, and put the biggest dent into your budget.

It is recommended that your wedding venue is chosen between 16 and 9 months before your desired wedding date. The location you decide on may also have some peak & off peak pricing differences, so be sure to ask about that if it applies.

Being based in New York City, I have worked at some truly incredible wedding venues, and have even had the pleasure of traveling to Italy for a destination wedding! Here are some of my personal favorite venues to recommend:

Bryant Park Grill, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, The Weylin, The Tuxedo Club, Sands Point Reserve, Larchmont Yacht Club, Chesterwood, Troutbeck, Windham Manor, The Foundry, Bedell Cellars, River Cafe, The Roundhouse, Liberty Warehouse, and more.

WEDDING PLANNERS
For some, hiring a wedding planner is basically step one after getting engaged. For others, a wedding coordinator may not come along until after the date and venue have been decided. It is possible to plan a wedding without hiring a coordinator, but they may have some suggestions or vendor recommendations that you can utilize.

ENTERTAINMENT
As soon as you book your wedding venue, you should plan out your DJ or band. Due to high demand, most entertainment books out over one year in advance. Something that we find is becoming more and more popular is a live music/instrument element alongside a DJ. This way, it’s like the best of both worlds!

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS
While wedding planning, you may come to realize that photography is probably one of the most important investments you will make on your wedding day. It may sound biased coming from wedding photographers, but it’s true. After the cake is eaten, the flowers are dried, and the decor is returned, you are left with your photos (and video, too). Your photos will be cherished for generations.

Beautiful photographs and hard work behind-the-scenes come at a price, though. If you’re getting married in New York City, the average price for a wedding photographer will range from $4000 to over $20,000. Less experienced photographers may fall below the $4000 range. Most couples end up spending an average of at *least* $6000.

Personally, my starting price is about $6500 for photography. You should book your wedding photographer between 12 and 8 months before your wedding day.

FLORISTS
Wedding florists are usually the vendors that people are shocked to find out how quickly they will affect their budget. Flowers are not cheap, even less so if they need to be imported from another country. Make sure you have a good idea of what your wedding colors/theme will be. Some advice from my friend after planning her own wedding: “Don’t spend too much money on flowers, especially if you’re getting married outdoors. You can’t take it with you!

HAIR AND MAKEUP
You should try to book your hair and makeup artist at least 8 months before your wedding. If you are having an engagement session, try to time your hair and makeup trial around the same time. You’ll be able to test the wearability of your hair and makeup while taking photos for about two hours. It’s not as long as a wedding day, but try to keep it on all day! This way, you’ll have bomb makeup and hair for your engagement photos and above all, you get to put the look to the test.

Creating your budget

It sounds daunting, but the first step to wedding planing should be creating your (ideal) budget. Set reasonable expectations for what kind of bang you can get for your buck, but don’t be afraid to dream big and write down EVERYTHING. Include what you’d like to have in your dream wedding, then prioritize once it’s all on paper.

Once you have a list of all the grandiose items on your wedding planning bucket list, make a separate list: want vs. need. Separate the vendors into those two categories. Here’s what I would do to organize the need category, in descending order:

  • Venue
  • Food
  • Photographer
  • Decor
  • DJ/Band
  • Planner
  • Officiant (I put this last because maybe you already have a friend or family member who is/can get ordained)

Here’s a list of some vendors and items that may be in your wedding planning want category that couples have said they spent TOO MUCH money on:

  • Flowers
  • Makeup and hair
  • Attire
  • Invitations
  • Catering

Things to keep in mind while creating your budget: Is this vendor a boutique/mom & pop type business? What goes into their pricing? Do they give each couple their full attention? Do they only take on a certain amount of events per year? Is there a travel fee?

TIP: itemize want vs. need

example moodboard