Mother Nature...... Nuf' said!

Hi Meadow98,

Sorry no one answered your question in a timely manner! In case anyone else is wondering the same thing, I'll try to give a sufficient answer:

The earliest possible is best! Of course that seems obvious - but there are a number of factors at play, which makes it hard to give a concrete number of months.

Finding a wedding venue 1 month ahead is going to be difficult even with a small guest list (read: 50 - 75). It's not unheard of, but unlikely. If you're looking into a competitive venue, 1 month is unfortunately, just not going to happen.

When considering when to book, take into account your venue requirements, budget, number of guests and demand for the venue.

The higher the demand and the higher the number of guests, the earlier you should book a venue. With a highly popular, glamorous or high-traffic venue, you may be looking at up to 1 year's advance booking in order to secure a date. With a guest list of 500, I would recommend 6 months minimum in order to find a place you'll be satisfied with. If the time frame is more important than the venue, then by all means, compromise where you can!

My advice, if you're stuck with a small time frame, is to explore all of your options. In my experience, research yields a reward. You may want a swank venue that caters to the stars, but dig deeper and you might find a more affordable, wildly romantic and ultimately more memorable venue that is more likely to have an opening!

Good luck to anyone seeking the perfect venue, whatever your time frame may be!

Meadow, I hope the wedding was unforgettable!