How to plan your wedding… fast!
Everyone is under the impression that weddings take at least twelve months to plan. If you search the web for a wedding timeline, most are made for 12 + months of planning. Well, I’m here to say that you don’t have to take an entire year of your life just to spend the rest of your life with the one you love. The only reason I would argue beginning the planning early is if my clients are looking for specific vendors and will not comprise. In that case, it’s best to start as early as possible and book the people you want to work with. However, if you are flexible and are happy to work with vendors that fit your budget and style, I can guarantee you will have the most perfect wedding even if you planned it within a couple of months from the big day. Here are a few things to consider when planning a wedding in a short amount of time:
1- Be flexible with the date. Choose an approximate time, like early fall or late June. It’s important to be open minded about the date, that way you will have more choices when picking your venue.
2- Get a wedding planner! You might think a wedding planner is an added cost to an already expensive wedding, but it is well worth the money - trust me. Wedding planners already have a list of vendors that they work with, and they classify them by budget and style. So whether you want a bohemian wedding with middle eastern food or a contemporary wedding with a Japanese menu, they have the right vendors in their rolodex . Also, make sure you look through their portfolio of weddings before making an appointment to meet. It’s important to love your planner’s work; when you share the same aesthetic everything is easier. Lastly, have a meeting with them to ensure your personalities match and go over their planning process. If their fee fits within your budget, then there is no reason not to sign the contract.
3- Finding the perfect wedding dress. After hiring a wedding planner, it’s time to get dress shopping with not a minute to spare. Each bridal shop caries selected designers. When booking your appointment ask them what is the turn around time to get your dress made. The bridal shop will be able to tell you how long it will take to get the dress made or if there is a sample close enough to your size that they can alter. This way you won’t get your heart set on a dress that can’t be delivered on time. But the dress shopping is fun, so try on all the dresses you like!
4- If you insist on not hiring a planner, the task will be difficult but not impossible. First, find your venue and caterer, and as for the rest, keep it simple. Hire a “day-of” planner that is a florist too, as this will minimize the amount of people you will have to communicate with. You risk having less miscommunication since everything is going through one person. The coordinator will put together the entire event and your mind at ease while you’re saying your I do’s. I sincerely believe having a day-of wedding coordinator can be the most important asset to the success of your wedding.
5- Finally, if you are stuck and can’t find what you are looking for, make an appointment for a consultation with a planner and ask them everything you need to know to plan your wedding. This is a cost effective way to plan your wedding and ensure that everything runs smoothly.
These are just a few tips on how to fast track your wedding planning and could possibly reduce your timeline from 12 months down to 3 or 4. So hop to it, because love waits for no one!
Cheers!
xoxo
Jenn
