It’s only February which means that you still have time to book vendors for your 2020 wedding, and even for 2019. Many couples don’t know this but prices for vendors can fluctuate depending on a variety of factors including your date, location, and time of year. This is one of the advantages of working with a boutique vendor instead of a corporation where prices may be set all year round since they focus on volume.

For a business run by a small group of people, such as my studio, there’s often wriggle room and pricing strategies that clients can take advantage of. Think of an old school mom and pop store run by a family that may be neighbors of yours. Things are a bit more high tech and complicated now but the human connection is still an important factor, especially when it comes to wedding photography.

2020 is going to be a big year.
August 18th, 2018. January 19th, 2019. July 7th, 2017. These have been some of the most popular dates in recent years due to their memorability. 8/18/18. 1/19/19. 7/7/17. See what I mean? Many couples want a special date for their special day which drives demand higher and the prices as well.

I predict that 2020 is going to be a big year and I’m already being flooded with requests. A nice even number year like 2020 is definitely going to be in high demand. Can you guess which date in particular would be the most popular? My bet is on October 10th, 2020.

But what does that mean for you? Many couples are going to wait after being engaged to get married in 2020 so the demand in 2019 is going to be lower than usual. When the demand is low, prices usually go down as well which means that couples may be able to find bargains more easily!

In fact, I’m telling you right now that from speaking to other wedding professionals, 2019 has been a down year all across the board. I’m not just talking about photographers, either. I’m talking about reception venues, wedding planners, florists, and more. It seems that everyone is waiting to get married in 2020!

Economic Forces
It really is a simple formula: As demand goes up, prices go up. As demand goes down, prices goes down. There’s a direct relationship between how much a vendor is able to charge and how many people are looking for services. I always use this example as a reference, but a wedding date on a Sunday in the dead of Winter is going to have lower demand than a Saturday during the Fall. Most vendors are looking to book as many dates as possible and they’re willing to lower their prices since it’s better to work than not.

Take Advantage: Be Early
Even if your wedding is in the late 2020’s I would recommend that you start looking for vendors RIGHT AWAY. Everyone knows that all the good vendors and venues get booked up more than a year in advance. There are only so many weekends in a year (and even less premium dates) so it’s important to at least start doing your research now. Remember: more hurry, more money. If you procrastinate, you’ll end up rushing to find vendors which means that it can get more expensive.

Book your Vendors
2019 is a FANTASTIC year to have your wedding. If you don’t want to bother with all the trouble of finding vendors for such a high demand year like 2020, you’re going to have a much easier time. You’ll find that vendors have more availability and their prices might even be lower. If you haven’t booked your venue yet, don’t care about special dates, and are looking to save money, I would suggest having your wedding in 2019.