Do’s and Don’ts For Quick Wedding Planning

by Holly Lefevre

Not a lot of time to plan? Want to pull off a Fall wedding and it is already June? Read on for tips to speed and ease you through your planning.

Do…

Hire a Professional.

Wedding consultants can save you time and money. They can locate wedding and reception facilities, 0put you in contact with vendors that suit your style and budget, and even do the leg work for you (if you desire). Rely on their expertise and connections to pull your wedding together quickly.

Look for Reception Packages.

Many hotels, country clubs and restaurants offer easy full service wedding and reception packages including all of the reception necessities – hors d’oeuvres, meal, cake, and champagne toast. You might even get a complimentary suite for your wedding night!

Get Referrals.

Talk recent brides (co-workers and friends). Get the scoop on who they interviewed, who/what they liked and didn’t like, and who they would hire again. Referrals such as these can cut down your research time when looking for vendors.

h4 Prioritize and Focus.

Discuss the most important elements of the wedding with your fiancé right away and focus on those. Spend the time that you have allotted for planning to get the really important details “right.”

Keep the Guest List Tight.

Fewer guests is a time and money saver. Obviously fewer guests can reduce your costs, but it can save you the time of planning seats charts and addressing and assembling invitations, to name a couple.

Use the Internet.

Use your “off hours,” breaks at work, late at night, etc., to do research on the Internet. Email vendors or request information on products you are interested in.

Keep the Wedding Party Small.

You will spend less time “gathering up the troops” and looking for the proper attire.

Be Flexible.

With little time to plan, you may have to compromise when it comes to time or day. Saturday nights go quickly. Mornings, Sundays, and even Friday evenings may be a better bet. (One bride had her choice of vendors and location for a popular holiday weekend just by switching to a Saturday luncheon.)

Don’t…

Be Obsessive.

With little time to plan, the small details such as handcrafted favors or wedding programs may have to be axed.

Compromise.

Just because you Are planning quickly, do not be pressured by slick vendors or high pressure sales tactics. There are enough quality professionals to choose from – you do not want to regret one of these decisions later.

Forget about Budget.

Decide where and how you are going to spend your money, or you will get in over your head before you know it. When things are moving quickly, we have a tendency to get carried away.