You’re engaged! Congratulations! Once the celebrations settle and you start thinking about the actual wedding, one of the first questions that usually comes up is: when should we actually start planning?
The short answer? Most couples will benefit from starting their wedding planning around 12 to 18 months before their wedding day. But there’s no one-size-fits-all timeline. Your ideal planning period will depend on your venue, guest numbers, preferred suppliers, budget and how involved you want to be in the process.
If you’re beginning your wedding planning in Perth, here’s what you need to know about when to start, what to prioritise and what happens if you’re working with a shorter timeline.
Is 12–18 months enough time to plan a wedding?
For most couples, yes! A 12–18 month timeframe gives you plenty of time to make decisions without feeling like everything needs to happen at once.
It also gives you a better chance of securing your preferred wedding venue and suppliers, particularly if you have your heart set on a popular Saturday or you’re planning to get married during Perth’s busiest wedding months.
Starting early doesn’t mean you need to have every little detail decided straight away. The first few months are really about getting the big things locked in, then you can enjoy working through the fun details as your wedding gets closer.
What should you book first?
Once you have an idea of your wedding budget, guest numbers and preferred time of year, your wedding venue is usually the best place to start.
Your venue will determine your wedding date and influence plenty of other decisions, from your styling and catering to transport and your overall wedding-day timeline.
Once your venue and date are confirmed, you can start securing the suppliers that can only take on a limited number of weddings each day.
These will often include:
- Wedding planner or coordinator
- Photographer and videographer
- Celebrant
- Caterer and bar services
- Florist and stylist
- Entertainment or DJ
- Hair and makeup artists
From there, you can move into all those beautiful details that bring your wedding together.
What if you have less than 12 months?
Don’t panic, you absolutely can plan a beautiful wedding in less than a year.
A shorter planning period simply means you may need to make decisions a little faster and be more flexible with dates, venues or suppliers.
This is also where having professional help can make a huge difference. Instead of spending weeks researching suppliers, comparing quotes and figuring out what needs to happen next, a wedding planner can guide you through the process and keep everything moving.
For couples who want an even simpler option, All-Inclusive Wedding Packages can bring many of the major elements of the wedding together within one package, reducing the number of individual suppliers and bookings you need to manage.
Can you start planning too early?
Not really, but you also don’t need to plan everything the second you get engaged!
If your wedding is still two or more years away, you can use the early stages to enjoy gathering inspiration, discussing your budget, creating a rough guest list and exploring different venues.
Some suppliers may not have their pricing or availability open that far in advance, so there’s no need to rush every decision.
Think of this stage as your chance to work out what you actually want your wedding to feel like before getting caught up in all the little details.
A simple wedding planning timeline
18+ months out: Start talking about your budget, guest list, wedding style and preferred location. Research venues and wedding planners.
12–18 months out: Secure your venue and date and begin booking your key suppliers.
9–12 months out: Focus on suppliers, styling, photography, entertainment, attire and your overall wedding design.
6–9 months out: Finalise more of the details, including invitations, florals, décor, transport and accommodation.
3–6 months out: Start bringing everything together. Confirm styling details, menus, timelines and remaining supplier arrangements.
1–3 months out: Finalise guest numbers, seating plans, supplier details and your wedding-day timeline.
Final weeks: Confirm everything, hand over the final details and get ready to actually enjoy your wedding!
Ready to start planning your Perth wedding?
Whether your wedding is two years away or you’ve decided you want to get married in six months, there’s no perfect amount of time to plan a wedding.
What matters most is having a clear plan, knowing what needs to be prioritised and having the right people around you to make the process feel exciting rather than overwhelming.
At Confetti + Co, we help couples with everything from full wedding planning and wedding-day coordination to All-Inclusive Wedding Packages, bringing together the venue, suppliers, styling and planning support you need for a beautiful wedding that still feels completely yours.
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