Organising a last minute wedding is totally possible, we’ve been helping couples do this exact same thing for years, so here are some top tips from one of our wedding experts, Chloe.
One of the best things about a last minute wedding is that a short engagement means you stay firmly in the exciting engagement bubble. And it continues until the day you say “I do”!
DECIDE WHEN TO GET MARRIED
The first thing you need to do is choose your wedding date. You can’t start planning your wedding unless you know when it’s all going to happen.
Try to be as flexible about the day as possible as weekends in the peak summer season may already be booked up and will cost more.
There is usually more availability if you opt for a midweek wedding. And anyway, there’s something quirky about going against the traditional Saturday afternoon wedding day.
WRITE YOUR GUESTLIST
Many couples start looking at venues at this point, but it’s still not quite time for that yet! You need to know your approximate numbers first as each wedding venue will have a maximum capacity.
Sit down with your partner and come up with a guest list together and go from there.
FIND YOUR WEDDING VENUE
Finding your wedding venue is likely to be a big decision for you both, so you’ll need to spend some time researching and visiting a few wedding venues.
Some wedding venues will offer discounts for last minute weddings, and if you can find a venue with an all-inclusive wedding package that’ll take a lot of the hard work out of last minute wedding planning.
SEND OUT INVITES ELECTRONICALLY
As soon as your wedding venue is booked, it’s time to send out your invites. Remember, you’re not giving a whole lot of notice and people have busy lives, so the earlier you let them know, the better.
You can cut out snail mail and send invites via email, text or WhatsApp. It’s also much easier to get RSVPs that way too.
Simply head online to find a wedding invitation template and get creative!
FIND A WEDDING CHECKLIST
Wedding planning involves a lot of tasks, so find a wedding checklist online and it will outline everything you need to cover. That way, you’re not going to forget anything important.
If you download our wedding brochure, we’ll also send you a handy wedding checklist with timelines. It has everything you need to know about organising a last minute wedding.
WRITE A WISH LIST
Next, think about what you want versus what you can do without. It’s important to be realistic here because you have less time than usual. Write a list of the must haves, the things you’d like to have if possible, and the things you can do without.
Remember, its vital to keep sight of what’s most important here and try to cut down on as much of your wedding checklist as possible.
The small details really don’t matter that much and you’re not going to remember most of them anyway; you’ll be too focused on saying “I do” and celebrating your love for each other.
GET CRAFTY
It might sound contradictory, but you could actually save time by making a few things yourself! The control is firmly in your hands to get things finished quickly rather than waiting for deliveries or relying on other people to provide supplies on time.
A few ideas of things you can make include place settings, invites and wedding favours. Having a personalised touch and saving money are more great reasons to get crafty!
ASK FOR HELP
You are not an island, so don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Call on family members and friends to run errands, and if you have particularly artistic people in your life, they can help with some of the craft items that we just mentioned.
KEEP THINGS SIMPLE
Look at every item on your wish list and see if there’s anything you can do to reduce the time needed to tick it off.
STAY REALISTIC WITH YOUR EXPECTATIONS
You might not get your first choice wedding venue or vendors. It’s possible that some of the popular spots and suppliers are booked up, and while you might be lucky, it’s important to be realistic about it from the start.
At the end of the day, you have to keep sight of what’s most important, and that’s the love between you and your partner. That’s really all that matters, and certainly not the perfect bouquet or glittery place settings.
You can’t count on those things in times of trouble, but you can count on the person you’re marrying.
IT CAN BE DONE!
We hope that we’ve shown you how quickly you can plan a wedding if you just strip back some of the unnecessary things and focus on what’s most important.
Here at The Connaught Hotel and Spa in Bournemouth, we’re experts in last minute wedding planning and we’re here to help you have your perfect day on a deadline. We’ve helped countless couples just like you arrange their dream weddings without months or years to plan.
We offer all-inclusive last minute wedding packages from as little as £4,795 for 50 guests, giving you much less to think about before the biggest day of your lives.
LET US TAKE YOU ON A TOUR…
