Wedding Planning dilemma!!!

[FLgirl41]

OK so I need some advice on a planning timetable.

So here is the deal. My fiancé and I live in Florida but are originally from Minnesota. We will be getting married in Minnesota but not until August, September, or October of 2009; so it is quite far away.

He is in law school right now so our income is just mine, which isn’t a lot when your employer is the state. We can not afford to make trips back to Minnesota for planning because travel to and from Florida is not cheap! But we are planning to head back to Minnesota for Christmas this year for almost two weeks. It will be our Christmas present from our families.

I tend to have slight control issues when it comes to planning. I need to be fully involved and fully aware of what is going on. I trust my family and friends to help be my eyes, ears, and taste buds in Minnesota, but I need to be present and be there for things first hand.

So this leads to my question. Is it too early to get a huge chunk of the planning out of the way almost 20 months before the wedding? I know vendors probably won’t sign contracts that early, but will vendors even see you and make commitments that early? I want my fiancé to be involved in all decisions; and that is why I am veering towards getting planning done at Christmas.

When I say planning, I mean to pick a venue, find a florist, and find a baker. I already have my dress and my fiancé and have a good feel on what we are looking for in our wedding.

What do people think? Is it just too early?

Thank you for any advice in advance!!!!

 

[DivaDiamond007]

I do not think it is too early to start planning at all. Why not take advantage of being there? It took 1.5 years for me to plan my wedding (locally) and we didn''t have any problems having vendors sign contracts that early in advance. Good luck and keep us posted!

Jess

 

[FLgirl41]

That is what my mom said that it would be just fine to do it that early. But I tend to worry because that is how I am, but also how nice would it be to be able to have the big things out of the way and not have to worry about anything for almost a year!

But I have another question. Lets say my fiance and I choose a photographer before Christmas and the photographer offered the free engagement session is a year and a half way early for engagement photos?

 

[lehcarm]

I don''t think it is too early. I''m in MN too and I found that www.bellagala.com has pretty much everything you need. I haven''t personally used it, but many of my friends have. Just a thought.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I don''t think it is too early. We got married in WI and live in NC so I know what it is like to plan from afar. If you are organized you can get it all done. I would however wait on the dress/invites/decisions that are harder to change as your taste might change. But getting the venders out of the way is fine! That is great your FI wants to be involved.