ActiveRecord executes hooks in the following order (source):

1. save called
2. valid called
3. before_validation hook called
4. before_validation_on_create/before_validation_on_update called
5. validate called
6. validate_on_create validate_on_update called
7. after_validation called
8. after_validation_on_create/after_validation_on_update called
9. before_save called
10. before_create/before_update called
11. create/update (at last)
12. after_create/after_update called
13. after_save called