Subscribe Putting Together a “Last-Minute” Wedding
Many couples plan “last-minute” weddings for many reasons. Whether or not you find yourself planning a wedding that’s just around the corner, you will find this article helpful in your wedding planning. Last-minute wedding planning will be the month of January’s topic.
So you just got engaged, or you and your fiance have finally set the date and it’s only a month or two away. Where do you begin to plan a wedding? Will you have to compromise everything you always dreamed of for your wedding? Can you quickly plan a wedding on a budget? Read on to find out!
Where to begin:
First you must get organized! I recommend reading my “Where to Start” article for tips on starting to plan a wedding and information about hiring professionals.
The most important step will be to figure out your budget. From there you will need to book a ceremony and reception location(s). Because you are planning last minute you may have a hard time finding availability. What to do? Think Friday or Sunday for your wedding. Even if you’ve picked out a date, you may have to move it forward or back a day. Depending on the site(s) some book a year in advance.
If you decide to have your wedding on any day other than Saturday, think about having both the ceremony and the reception at the same location. Guests coming from out of town or just getting off of work on a Friday evening will greatly appreciate not having to drive between two locations. Plus, your guests are less likely to stay as long at a Friday or Sunday wedding because they got up early that morning or have to get up earlier the next. And in general, saving time on your wedding is always a great tip!
Even though you are planning a last-minute wedding, don’t think your dream locations are already booked. Things happen and people postpone and cancel weddings. Call your favorite locations to check for cancelations. They might not have cancelations, but might have an earlier time slot open.
Getting the Word Out:
As soon as you have booked your locations and know when things will be starting you will need to get your invitations out! Calling and E-mailing family and friends as soon as you have a date secured (even if the exact times are not yet in stone) is a great way to give your guests a heads-up to “Save the Date!” and begin to make arrangement to attend your wedding.
Many Internet invitation and stationary sites have both good deals and fast delivery for your invitations. There are too many to list, so any Internet search on “wedding invitations” should suffice.
Next week I’ll talk about hiring your wedding day professionals (photographer, DJ, etc.).
As always, use the comments section below for questions and anything you’d like to share.
