How To Plan A Wedding In A Hurry

Whilst most couples have lots of time to plan for their big day, some – for many reasons – face the challenge of planning a wedding in just a matter of weeks. The good news is that it can be done! Below, our BCME expert panel member, Clare Ebbs, Managing director of Aghareed, offers her top tips for when you have to plan a wedding in a hurry…

Above right: Clare Ebbs, Managing director of wedding concierge, Aghareed.

Be Flexible

My main piece of advice is to forget your predetermined notions, because you might just have to go with what you can get. Maybe the venue you had your heart set on isn’t available, as many popular locations are booked a year or so in advance. But you never know, a fabulous venue could be a place you hadn’t originally imagined. This is a great time to be creative. For example, planning a backyard wedding might be in order. If the date you choose is already booked, you might have to consider other options, such as booking the reception mid-week instead. You might also not have enough time to find a traditional wedding dress, but there are ways round this, including sample sales, the mall boutiques and of course second-hand/vintage gowns.

Invitation & Guest List

Preparing the guest list and putting together the invitations are definite priorities. When planning with such short notice, it’s very important to send out your invitations as early as possible in order to give guests the maximum amount of time to make arrangements, particularly if they are travelling from overseas. Keep in mind that some guests you are intending to invite might not be able to attend, as many people like to make travel arrangements way ahead of time, especially in summer and around the public holidays. Instead, this might be the perfect opportunity to plan a small, intimate wedding with your most cherished relatives and friends.

Get The Help You Need

Researching all the required vendors and handling every aspect of a wedding in such a small amount of time might be overwhelming to say the least! Many wedding planners may be already working on other weddings, but try booking a planner to help you out on the big day itself, or even with some of the major areas of management. Working with a wedding planner will definitely make things easier, as most have established relationships with certain vendors and will facilitate the process.

Have A To-Do List

As you do not have much time to plan your wedding, a ‘to-do’ list is essential. The last thing you want is to forget any of the elements involved in your big day. With such a list, you can delegate some of the responsibility whilst keeping track of progress. You can also pick and choose your priorities, should you wish to take control of some of the management aspects yourself. The secret is careful planning and maximising the use of your available time. Good luck! 

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