Most timelines bury the important stuff. This one does not. Book the things that set the mood and hold the date, then let the rest fall into place.
If you only remember one rule: book your venue and your entertainment first. In peak Sydney season the good dates and the good acts disappear earliest, and everything else can be arranged around them.
Set the date window and the guest count, then lock the two anchors:
Dress and suits, celebrant, florals and styling, cake, and your cars. This is also when you lock the run of show, the order of the day, so your entertainment and venue know exactly what happens when.
Send invitations. Confirm hair and makeup. Book transport and accommodation. Finalise your song choices, including your entrance and first dance, which is a lovely thing to let your musician personalise.
Final numbers, seating, a full run sheet shared with every supplier, and small things like a wet-weather plan. Then genuinely, hand it over. The couples who enjoy their day are the ones who stopped micro-managing in the last week.
Live music is the single biggest lever on how your wedding feels. Booked early, it lifts the whole day. Booked late, you take whatever is left.
What should you book first? Venue and entertainment. The best of both go earliest in peak season.
How far ahead should you plan? Twelve months for a peak Saturday is ideal. Six months is workable if you book the essentials in the right order.
What do couples most regret? Leaving the entertainment to the end, then having to settle.