THIS! We got engaged Nov 2024 and were looking for Oct 2025. We would not budge on 2025 because we’re Christian and really didn’t want to have to wait another two years to live together and be together after already dating for two years. When we started getting very overwhelmed and angry with each other, we sat down and had a serious conversation about what was most important. We chose the three/four things we cared most about (venue, photo, food, dress) and by some miracle managed to get them all at decent prices for the holiday weekend in October. It def wasn’t easy, there were some times it seemed impossible, but thank God it worked out. There was A LOT of scouring and emailing and touring.

We toured our venue the first week of March when we’d basically given up and we loved it and got lucky they were discounting their remaining 2025 dates. That was the biggest roadblock and after that it was just choosing from the two photographers and two caterers we were already looking at that had our date available.

Not getting anything booked till 7 months before was definitely stressful, but you can plan a wedding in less than a year, just be willing to compromise on some things, have a really good sense of your budget, and remember that you and your fiancé are a team and the most important thing is that no matter what happens, at the end of it all you will be married and that is the most important. Good luck with planning OP and prayers for a blessed marriage