It’s an age old question, “How long does it REALLY take to plan a wedding?”. You might have just said “Yes” to the love of your life and now you’re faced with the decision of choosing the date for your wedding. Is three months too short to plan a wedding? Is 2 years too long? If you are feeling stuck and unsure about how long it actually takes to plan a wedding, here are some of our insights into how long planning a wedding really takes.
1. The size of your wedding
The first thing to think about is how big would you like your wedding to be. If you are dreaming of an elaborate wedding for 200 guests, your wedding planning is going to take much longer than if you are eloping or having an intimate gathering with only a few of your closest family and friends. The difference in planning time can range from just a few days to a year. One important thing to be aware of if you are planning on eloping is you will still need to submit a notice of intended marriage (in Queensland) which can take up to a month to process.
2. How much free time you have
Planning a wedding can be time consuming! If you have a lot of free time, you may be able to smash out your wedding planning quickly. However, if you are working full time and have a lot of other commitments, you may not have as much time to spend planning your wedding. If this sounds like you, you may want to allow yourself extra time so that you don’t get overwhelmed and can enjoy the process.
3. Securing your vendors
One of the benefits of having a longer planning timeframe is there is a higher chance that your first choice of vendors will be available on your date. Some of the best wedding venues, photographers, videographers and florists will book out a year in advance, which can be a challenge if you are planing to have a short engagement. If you do find that all the vendors you love are booked, try moving your wedding date to a weekday. This may open up more options for you. Your family and friends can also thank you for giving them an excuse to have a day off!
4. Giving your friends and family notice
It is best to give your family and friends at least six to eight weeks notice so they can ensure they can be there to celebrate your wedding with you. Sending your invitations only two or four weeks before your wedding may mean that your loved ones won’t be able to come because of other plans they have already made. With this in mind, a planning timeframe of approximately 2-3 months would be our recommended minimum for the average sized wedding (approximately 50-60 people) to ensure the majority of your guests can celebrate with you.
5. Having a wedding planner
If you are intent on fast tracking your wedding planning, a wedding planner is what you need! We look after all of the time consuming planning so you don’t have to! If you are interested in finding out more about working together to bring your wedding to life, you can check out our wedding planning packages or click below to contact us.
CREDITS:
Photos by Cloud Catcher Studio
Venue Spicers Clovelly Estate
Flowers by Willow Bud Wedding Flowers
Styling by Foreva Events
Invitations Paige Tuzee Designs