This is a guest post by Georgia from High Style Life.
If you don’t want or can’t afford a long engagement, it’s time to start planning your wedding as soon as possible. The fact that your wedding is an event that requires rather complex organisation, doesn’t necessarily mean it can’t be done in a short timeframe.
The fact that you’re getting married in Australia is already a big advantage, as it offers such a great variety of locations and vendors for one of the most important days in your life. So, what do you need to do in a relatively short timeframe, while still making the whole event enjoyable and memorable?
1. Be ready to compromise
The more rigid you are about certain aspects of your wedding, the slimmer your chances will be of actually getting what you want. On the other hand, as the great philosopher Jagger said, “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find you get what you need.” Chances are that most dates will be booked, so be ready to change the venue or vendor. Don’t make any particular plans until you’ve booked a venue for a particular date. Whether it’s a beach bar or garden venue, your venue choice makes a big difference when it comes to the other tasks you have to do.
2. Don’t hesitate
You won’t have a lot of time to meet and talk to a number of photographers, DJs, catering companies, etc. Talk to friends who have already organised weddings and ask for recommendations. Have a clear idea of what you want your wedding to be like and don’t change your opinion after locking in vendors (even if you saw the most beautiful picture of a wedding posted on Pinterest or Instagram).
3. Consider a wedding planner
Hiring a wedding planner can save you a lot of time, stress and possibly even money. They are people with experience who can help you avoid the common traps and who might even be able to get a discount for you on some of the necessary purchases. You may also forget something that would be a great addition to your wedding, but a wedding planner should remind you of it and manage the whole thing, so that you can focus on having a great time.
4. Don’t overstretch your DIY
If your plan is to handcraft the décor for your wedding, but you don’t have much time, you’ll run the risk of being frustrated and not finishing everything on time. Also, if you’re planning to rely on family and friends, you first need to check their willingness and availability to help in your short timeframe, so that you know what resources you have to use.
5. Revisit the number of guests
Although your number of guests makes a huge difference on the kind of planning you need to do, you also need to take into account your guest’s location, i.e. whether they have to travel from another part of Australia or even from abroad and whether they will be able to do so on short notice. So, you might want to consider having a more intimate gathering, rather than a big celebration.
6. Don’t stress out
Try to relax as much as you can. What’s the point in cramming all the typical stress into a shorter time period? When you’re pressed for time, just be more intentional and efficient. Remember that a shorter time period doesn’t mean you can’t have the best day of your life! Good luck.
