How far aheadto book your wedding suppliers

"The sooner the better" is the answer everyone takes for granted. Yet a review of the official websites of some fifty wedding suppliers in Madrid, Mallorca and Ibiza, carried out in September 2026, shows that barely three state how far in advance they should be booked. The rest say nothing.

What they say, and what they do not

Those who do write it down are prudent: six to twelve months for catering or bridal services in high season, and a few weeks for a cake. All the others omit the lead time, a calendar of free dates and any open season. A commercial "limited dates" line without a figure behind it does not count.

Two caveats prevent hasty conclusions. A supplier that does not publish it is not necessarily without a diary: it is usually shared in reply to the first message. And with three cases there is no pattern by city; it would be wrong to claim that one place books earlier than another.

A silence that repeats

The same is true of fees: a minority publish figures and venues, none at all. The practical conclusion is simple: a website shows the style of a craft, not its calendar. Availability is found by writing.

How to order the bookings

• The venue first: it fixes the date, and without a date no other supplier can commit. Before fixing the date: choosing a wedding date in Mallorca.
• Then the crafts with the tightest diaries: live music, flowers and catering.
• Last, those that can be settled with less margin: cake, stationery and details.
• In each enquiry, give the exact day and ask how long it can be held unconfirmed.

What to ask in the first message

• Is the specific day free, and how many celebrations do you take that weekend?
• How far ahead do you usually close the diary for that season?
• Can the date be held for a few days while we decide?
• Do you regularly work at the venue?

What to put in writing before confirming

An email reply is not always a confirmation. When a supplier confirms, it helps to have the following in writing, even if only in a message:

• The exact date and the service provided that day.
• Until when the date or place can be changed, and what happens if they have to be. Wedding insurance: what is worth reading.
• What happens if the supplier cannot attend: whether there is a substitute, who proposes them and by what criteria.
• Delivery times, if a result is handed over afterwards.

Where several diaries meet

Some trades depend on one another: whoever photographs needs to know the ceremony time; the caterer, when it ends; the music, where to plug in. One question that saves calls: is there a timetable for the day that is shared with everyone? If not, make one once, with the venue's light hour as the starting point, and send it to all.

When the venue sets its own conditions

Many venues work with their own suppliers or a closed list: ask in the first email whether others may come in and on what terms. It is better to know before falling for a particular trade.

Websites change: before deciding on any figure, confirm it directly with each supplier.