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J
Beginner August 2011

how far in advance did you book your venue?

Jelly_Bean, 8 of January of 2010 at 10:56 Posted on Planning 0 22

Hey everyone,

my boyfriend and I got engaged on christmas eve, and we're starting to look at venues next week in the hope of getting married in 2011 - preferably may, june or september. I thought this would be far enough in advance, but I was speaking to a colleague yesterday who got married in 2008 and he told me that they picked their venue and requested a saturday between may and september and were given a date two and a half years away! This has panicked me a bit as he used a nice hotel similar in style to the sort we're looking at, and I don't want to wait another year! Anyway, seeing as i've been lurking on here since the engagement and everyone seems really helpful, I thought i'd be brave and ask what everyone else's experiences were Smiley smile

thanks everyone! Xx

22 replies

Latest activity by missdeedee, 8 of January of 2010 at 20:23
  • millymolly83
    Beginner August 2010
    millymolly83 ·
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    We booked ours July 2008 for our wedding August this year. And we still couldn't get the date we orginally wanted.

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  • The Sock Chicken
    Beginner August 2010
    The Sock Chicken ·
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    Hi ?

    Don't panic - some venues get booked up way in advance, but many others don't. We got engaged March 2008 and booked in April 2008 for August this year, but the venue said that was way earlier than they were used to!!

    Many people plan in less time than you are allowing and get the venue they want.

    Welcome to Hitched ?

    (Oh - and he's not your boyfriend anymore, he's your fiance ?)

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  • GeordieBarbie
    Beginner May 2010
    GeordieBarbie ·
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    Hi & Welcome

    We booked up 8 months in advance ? And even that feels like a lifetime away... ? From engagement to wedding day is almost exactly 9 months. We never wanted a long engagement.

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  • Gillsy
    Beginner April 2010
    Gillsy ·
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    We booked our venue 16 months in advance and at that time they only had 2 dates left for the period we were looking at. OH is a teacher so we are really restricted by dates and had only 2 weeks at Easter to get married.

    We booked it December 2008 and we are getting married this April

    Some venues book out quickly but for 2011 I wouldn't panic just yet.

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  • flutterbye
    Beginner
    flutterbye ·
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    Hi ?

    No need to panic, you will definitely be able to get somewhere for next year! ?

    We started looking over Christmas for a venue this summer, and most of the Saturdays were taken but we have still managed to find a venue that's free on a Saturday in July (peak season!). It's not confirmed yet, but hopefully will be tomorrow, and that's almost exactly 6 months before the wedding.

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  • Sherrie H
    Beginner
    Sherrie H ·
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    If you have a specific venue then book asap, they tend to take bookings 2yrs in advance andpopular months are booked fast.

    If you have ne real preference there are some websites online that have late bookings.

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  • Ms Nic
    Beginner May 2010
    Ms Nic ·
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    We booked 16months in advance Smiley smile

    But we are getting married on a Thursday, so we have alot more flexability Smiley smile

    Nx

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  • bridgetvictoria
    Beginner April 2010
    bridgetvictoria ·
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    Hi- we booked fifteen months in advance but for a tuesday. Also not your 'typical' venue so not a huge amount of people using it.

    If you want somewhere specific then book and appoinment to go and see it and book it asap x

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  • B
    Beginner July 2010
    brideseekingblush ·
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    Just saying what the other ladies did - if you want a specific venue some are very heavily booked up - I started looking in October for next Summer and a lot of barns were v.heavily booked across Thurs-Sun.

    However, I would have thought hotels may be easier as they have a number of different rooms.

    I'd get it done sooner rather than later though as once your venue's sorted you can relax a bit.

    OT - bridgetvictoria is that your ER - it's absolutely stunning.

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  • ashmegdj
    Beginner August 2009
    ashmegdj ·
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    We booked ours in August 2007 for our wedding in August 2009.

    But we also have friends who booked there's in April 2008 for their wedding in August 2008 and they still managed to get everything they wanted.

    But I agree once you have sorted your date and booked the venue you can relax a bit and it gives you a definate to work towards.

    Congrats to you both and enjoy your planning!

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  • S
    Beginner January 2009
    sarahv75 ·
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    We're getting married on April 24th (this year!) and only booked the venue yesterday! The place we chose has only recently started doing weddings so I don't think many people know about it yet. Almost everyone i've told has said they didn't know you could get married there!

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  • The BFG
    Beginner August 2010
    The BFG ·
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    All i can say is if you find one you really like and its available on the date you want then go for it, its not a case of having to rush out and book somewhere now but it would be awful if you were to find somewhere you liked that was available but decided to leave it for a while as you still have 'lots of time' only to go back to book and its gone ☹️

    We booked ours in February last year for our wedding in August, for a couple of reasons - to get a date we wanted

    - to secure a good price

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  • Mitzi50
    Beginner June 2010
    Mitzi50 ·
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    We booked ours about 18 months in advance. And they didnt have the date avaliable that we wanted. We were given a couple of other dates to choose from. My advice is if youve seen the right place then book it!

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  • J
    Beginner August 2011
    Jelly_Bean ·
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    Wow, thanks everyone for so many quick replies! So I guess I don't have to worry too much yet then, as long as we get something sorted sooner rather than later. We've found six places to look at, and have got appointments to see five of them within the next couple of weeks, so fingers crossed we like one of them and we can get a date set! Having thought about it we think we might so for a Friday wedding instead of a Saturday so hopefully this should give us a few more dates to choose from Smiley smile

    Thanks again!

    Oh and Zippy, I can't get used to the word 'fiance' - it makes me laugh every time I even think it! - Should really work on that!

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  • C
    Beginner May 2011
    Curly Panda ·
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    We're provsionally booked in at our venue after getting my quote through this morning and we get married in may 2011

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  • Weather Girl
    Beginner October 2009
    Weather Girl ·
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    Hello welcome to Hitched!

    We booked our venue in January 09 for our October 09 wedding. I think it really depends on the venue and the date you're after. My advice would be to contact the venue you like and ask them about their availability for 2011.

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  • 1Lucie
    Beginner May 2011
    1Lucie ·
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    We booked 20months in advance for a saturday in May 2011. It really does depend how fussy you are about your venue and how fleixble you want to be with dates. Also depends on your area. I live in Cambs and there limited choice!

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  • A
    Beginner December 2010
    anglefish ·
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    Hello congrats and welcome we booked our 18 months in advance i think it all depends on individual venues xx

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  • aliaisp
    Beginner July 2010
    aliaisp ·
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    Hey congratulations on your engagement! we booked our venue in early October 2009 for july 2010... Depends on the venue, as many have said, but do try to get in asap. good luck!xx

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  • videogal
    videogal ·
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    We booked our wedding venue 11 months before we got married but got ours was out of season. The venue we chose is usually booked up solid 18 months during the summer. Pls try not to panic - go and have a chat to the wedding co-ordinator where you're thinking of having your special day!

    videogal

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  • Saracroft251
    Beginner August 2010
    Saracroft251 ·
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    From the actual wedding date, it is about 2yrs 3 months and even then we had to compromise on dates, but then we went for a venue that is v popular in Sussex and we were happy to wait 2 years as the venue meant a great deal to us X

    (now only 7 months and a bit to go!) ?

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  • missdeedee
    Beginner April 2010
    missdeedee ·
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    Hi, firstly congratulations!

    As everyone has said, I think it really depends on your location and venue.

    We booked in July 08 and wanted a Saturday in Sept 09, but by that time, the next available Saturday was in November, so we decided to wait until April 10, so 21months in advance for us, but it is a fairly popular venue (there aren't that many venues where we are) and it was all the Saturdays that were booked, Im pretty sure they still had Friday dates available.

    I would start looking with the view to booking as soon as you can and have decided. It goes in your favour that your not looking for a specific date and if you don't 100% want a Saturday.

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