Weddings

The Tweed Coast Wedding Timeline That Actually Works

180 weddings later, here's the planning order that prevents the two classic disasters — the venue scramble and the guest transport mess.

21 June 2026 7 min read Renee Callister, Wedding Coordinator
Wedding reception in the grand ballroom

Every wedding that goes sideways goes sideways the same way: the couple books the dress and the photographer first, then discovers their date doesn't exist at any venue they like. Order matters.

12+ months out: the venue first

The venue sets the date, the style, the budget shape and the guest logistics — everything else hangs off it. Spring Saturdays book a year out minimum. Winter Fridays are the industry's open secret: same room, lower price, available dates.

9 months: the big three

Photographer, celebrant, entertainment — in that order. Good photographers book faster than venues. Everything else can wait.

3 months: logistics nobody thinks of

Guest rooms — block them now, not the week before. Transport — if the ceremony and reception are in different venues, you're paying for buses and losing an hour of your day. (This is genuinely why single-venue weddings exist.)

1 month: the tasting

Eat the actual menu. Change what you don't love. This is also when the run sheet gets written — the document that means nobody asks you anything on the day.

FAQ

Questions readers ask

For spring/autumn Saturdays, yes. Flexible on season or day-of-week? Six months is comfortable.

Underspending on food and overspending on styling. Guests remember dinner, not napkin rings.

Any venue without a genuine indoor backup is a gamble — ask to see it physically, not in photos.