The beautiful thing about weddings is, that every couple is different. They all have their own way of doing things from the style of the wedding to the day or season they want to get married.
Picture by Dan Morris
The average timeline for weddings is around 12 months from engagement to wedding. However, some may take a couple years to plan their celebration, others want to do it right away.
If you are looking to book a last-minute wedding, here is a guide line to follow, to help you organise towards your special day.
It’s decision time
A last-minute wedding can be a breath of fresh air. With only 8 weeks to go, there’s no time to over think decisions that can be made very quickly.
The main things you need to know at this time is where, when, who and …who?? Sit down with your better half and agree on the type of wedding you want, along with your ideal budget. You both need to be on the same page, so planning can run smoothly.
Where do you want to get married?
Couples generally have an idea of their wedding location, you just need to select a venue that suits your wedding size and character.
It’s always worth having an open mind regarding what day of the week you want to get married. Weekend weddings are usually booked way in advance. Mid-week weddings generally have more availability and can be more cost-effective
Book your venue
Just call/email your preferred venue with a list of dates in mind and get that beauty booked.
Once this has been done, leave the difficult bits to your wedding planner.
Manor By The Lake have a huge selection of preferred suppliers which handles everything from your food to flowers. Run through this list and check availability for the suppliers, as they already might have an event on that day.
Book your Registrar
The usual waiting time for a registrar is around 4-6 weeks. However it’s always risky with a last minute wedding to book the registrar last minute. Our suggestion would be to make it the first thing you do once you know where you are getting married and it’s all booked.
There is the option of booking a Celebrant wedding, which gives you more time. However with a celebrant wedding, it doesn’t make your marriage legal and you will have to make it official at a later date.
Who’s your bridal party?
This wonderful group of people, will be helping you prep for your day. There will be a lot to do in a short space of time so choose your bridesmaids and groomsmen wisely.
Create your guest list
Aaaaahhh the guest list. Many couple’s nemesis. With only 6 – 7 weeks to go, it’s a good idea to keep your guest list a little more intimate. Invite your nearest and dearest to avoid too much stress.
Ok, so you’ve decided what you want, now it’s time to start making it happen.
Get those invitations out
Once you have made a snap decision on who you want to come to your wedding, get those invitations designed and sent out. You will want a RSVP quickly, giving you an idea of numbers. State an RSVP deadline that works for you and the venue on the invite.
A great way to do this is by paperless invites. Design and send out your invitations all online, avoiding high costs on printing, envelopes and stamps.
Sort out the fiddly bits with one list
The five week countdown has begun. It’s time to book your preferred suppliers! If they are still available this late on in the year, this is the time to enjoy a cheeky deal.
Final numbers for your guests
By now you would need to have received all your RSVP’s. Put together your final numbers count and do the final checks for dietary requirements etc. A smaller wedding party will make this easier, but it is possible for a larger party if you are super organised.
Shopping time!
Now for the fun bit! Time for the wedding dress and suits. We would suggest choosing these now around 4 weeks prior to you big day , as it can take a few weeks for alterations.
You can either book a couple visits to Bridal Shops in the week or if you want to be super chilled, find your dress/wedding suits online for home delivery.
Whilst you are shopping for your outfits, take a look at the jewellers for your wedding rings. This would be a great time to buy your wedding jewellery as well.
This is an important week, as it is the last chance for you to have a final planning meeting with your venue.
At this point you will need to finalise everything with your wedding planner to make sure everything is in place for your big day. Set up a meeting so you have this planned to perfection.
More shopping
Bridesmaid dresses, these can obviously be purchased at anytime during the wedding planning process. However, with other legalities and time limited jobs to do, it’s probably better to do it when things have been decided and booked.
Party time!
With two weeks to go, you can find some time to spend with your bridal party and enjoy your hen/stag parties.
If you are doing anything activity based, it might be worth booking this for around week 6… you know… just in case.
Now it’s time to enjoy the finishing touches. Those little added extras that make your wedding that little bit more personal.
Get you creative juices flowing with extra decorations, favours and gifts for your bridal party.
It might be a good idea to start thinking about the speeches, give the best man time to think of all those funny moments that every groom wanted to forget.
The final countdown
You’ve made it through, all you have to do is beautify, any waxing, haircuts, tanning etc is now needed to make you feel extra special for your big day.
Oh, and one last thing… try and relax! Last minute weddings are so exciting and so quick fire, it’s impossible to get weighed down with silly details that in hindsight don’t really matter.
Make time to go for a walk or a meal out with your partner. Enjoy a sunset or relax with a movie, and avoid all wedding conversation. Remember, this is your last few days as an engaged couple so take some RnR time before the busy day.
Have a wonderful day and focus on the important things…. The start to your beautiful marriage.
