Is it possible to pull off a stunning wedding in a short time frame? Absolutely! For all of those couples opting for a short engagement, we’ve collected some helpful info for your 3-6 month engagement time frame.
TIP ONE. Stay Flexible. With a shorter engagement, there are certain aspects that may not be available. Stay open to multiple options with all of your vendors and wedding day selections.
TIP TWO. Picking the Wedding Date. When searching for a wedding venue, keep in mind that popular dates are usually booked up well in advance. Stay open to Friday and Sunday options. Be sure to ask if there have been any cancellations that you might fill. Check with your top wedding venue choices and see what they have available.
TIP THREE. Getting Dressed. Expect a rush on your wedding gown or shop off-the-rack. Typical wait times for a wedding dress is 8 months without alterations. If you ask around and know where to look, you will still have several gorgeous wedding gown options to choose from.
TIP FOUR. Flower Power. Know that your wedding floral options might be limited on what is available that season. There may be some special blooms that won’t be an option. However, the opposite is true and you might hit the sweet spot for your favorite flowers.
TIP FIVE. Guests. Be prepared that some of your guests may not be able to attend with short notice. Typically, the special people in your life will make the time to be there for you. That being said, get your wedding invitations out ASAP. An option to consider is to send your wedding invitations electronically (think Paperless Post!).
TIP SIX. Wedding Vendor Lockdown. Do not hesitate to lock in your wedding vendors. With so many options per wedding vendor category, keep contacting wedding vendors until your roster is filled. Again, now is not the time to be overly particular. There are some wedding vendors that are able to do multiple events a day. You don’t have to skimp, you just have to ask.
TIP SEVEN. Possible Discounts. Never assume, but it is acceptable to ask for any discount options for last minute bookings. Especially if you are in a 3 month time window and filling an empty date for that vendor. Not all wedding vendors will give discounts, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. (Wedding Rentals, for example, most likely will not give discounts because there isn’t a set booking season for them. They book clients anywhere from a year out to as little as a few weeks out.)
All in all, short engagements are easily doable and are becoming more and more popular. If you don’t want to wait to walk down the aisle, stay open to a variety of options and stay flexible. You’ll no doubt have the wedding of your dreams much sooner than most! Happy Planning!
Contributing Photographer: Beatbox Portraits