In short
- First date and venue, then the suppliers who depend on it: caterer, styling, hire.
- As a guide: 12-18 months ahead for venue, caterer, photographer and wedding planner; 9-12 for music, flowers, dress; 6-9 for cake and transport.
- Many suppliers depend on the caterer (cake, styling, music) for space and timing.
- On the day you need a single running order for everyone.
A wedding brings together ten or fifteen different suppliers. Each one works well alone, but on the wedding day they have to fit together. This list tells you who you need, when to book them and who depends on whom, so you can choose in the right order.
The guide starts from the caterer's point of view, as the supplier with the most links to the others. For the kitchen and reception side, there is the guide to wedding catering in Rome.
The full list
| Supplier | When to book | Depends on | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | 12-18 months | Date, number of guests | Decides whether the caterer is exclusive |
| Caterer | 12-18 months | Venue | Often brings linen and crockery, sometimes the cake |
| Wedding planner | 12-18 months | Budget | The earlier they arrive, the more they can help |
| Photographer | 12-18 months | Date and venue | Peak dates fill up early |
| Videographer | indicative: together with the photographer | Date | usually alongside other suppliers |
| Music (band, DJ) | 9-12 months | Venue (hours, volume limits) | Coordinate timing with the caterer |
| Flowers and styling | 9-12 months | Venue, table plan | Centrepieces and buffet share the space |
| Outfits and make-up | 9-12 months | Fittings to schedule well ahead | |
| Cake | 6-9 months | Caterer (cutting, service, fridge) | Ask whether the caterer charges for an outside cake |
| Transport | 6-9 months | Church or registry office, venue | Shuttles for guests at villas outside the city |
| Invitations | as soon as possible, sent 2-3 months before | Date, venue | Ask for allergies and diets in the RSVP |
| Hire (furniture, gazebos, lights) | indicative: after the site visit with the caterer | Venue and caterer | Needed at an open venue with no in-house services |
| Officiant or registry office | indicative: as soon as the date is set | Date | Rooms and rules of the City of Rome on comune.roma.it |
| Favours and confettata (sugared almond table) | indicative: 3-6 months | Caterer, if the confettata is a buffet | usually alongside other suppliers |
Where we write "indicative" we have no source with a precise time: the window comes from the dependency on the other suppliers.
Who depends on whom
The point to remember: the venue decides many things for the others.
- Venue → caterer. If the villa has an exclusive caterer, the choice is made. If it is open, you choose, but you must check kitchen, power and access. The comparison is in the guide on venues with exclusive or open catering.
- Caterer → hire. The caterer tells you what it brings and what is missing: tables, chairs, field kitchen, gazebos. Then you call the hire company. You will find everything in the guide to hiring equipment for events.
- Caterer → flowers and styling. The florist needs to know how many tables, what shape, and how much space is left for bottles and bread. A tall centrepiece and a four-course served meal have to coexist.
- Caterer → cake. If the cake comes from a pastry shop, the caterer has to store, cut and serve it. Ask whether there is a charge and whether there is fridge space.
- Caterer → music. The timing of the courses and the band's timing must match: no first dance while the mains are going out.
- Venue → music. Many villas outside Rome have time and volume limits because of the neighbours.
The budget across suppliers
Wedding guides suggest a sample split of the wedding budget. It is not a rule, but it helps you avoid spending everything on the first item.
| Item | Indicative share |
|---|---|
| Venue and catering | 40% |
| Photo and video | 12% |
| Outfits and make-up | 12% |
| Flowers and decorations | 10% |
| Music and entertainment | 8% |
| Contingency fund | 5% |
| Ceremony | 3% |
| Invitations and stationery | 3% |
| Favours | 2% |
| Transport | 2% |
| Rings | 2% |
| Cake and desserts | 2% |
The shares add up to 101%: it is a rounded example. For catering alone, industry estimates indicate an average of around €125 per person. The details are in the guide on how much wedding catering costs.
One caterer, several services
Some caterers work on a turnkey basis: kitchen, front of house, linen, styling, sometimes cake, flowers and music through partners. Others do only kitchen and service.
- Turnkey: a single contact, fewer phone calls, less risk of gaps between one supplier and another.
- Separate suppliers: you choose each one for style and price, but you or a wedding planner must coordinate them.
The full comparison is in the guide to catering add-on services. If you have a wedding planner, also read how wedding planner and caterer work together.
The running order for the day
A week before, send all suppliers a single document with:
- each one's arrival and set-up times (the caterer arrives first, often in the morning);
- access, parking, ZTL (limited traffic zone) permits if the venue is in the centre;
- name and phone number of the contact for the day;
- times of ceremony, aperitivo, dinner, cake, first dance, finish;
- take-down time and who leaves last.
In Rome distance matters: a ceremony at the Campidoglio and a reception in the Castelli Romani or on Lake Bracciano mean at least one transfer. The caterer needs to know when the guests arrive so it can start the aperitivo.
Questions to ask the caterer
- What do you bring, and what do I need to find from other suppliers?
- Do you work with florists, stylists or hire companies you trust? Is there a charge if I bring my own?
- If the cake comes from a pastry shop, is there a cutting and serving fee?
- Have you already worked at this venue with the band or DJ I have chosen?
- What time do you arrive to set up, and who lets you in?
- Is the meal for the photographer, musicians and wedding planner in the quote?
- Who is your contact on the day, and do they also coordinate the other suppliers?
To get started
Set the date, guests and budget, then secure the venue. The caterer comes straight after, because almost all the others depend on it. The month-by-month sequence is in the event timeline. When you have the venue, you can compare the wedding caterers and request a quote from two or three suppliers.
Sources
- Roma Capitale, civil weddings: https://www.comune.roma.it
