Why Make The Wedding Date Sooner?

This couple changed their wedding multiple times and when I say multiple times- I mean A LOT! They chose me as their photographer early on (ish) and they changed the date on me 3 times in less than a week! It does help that I am a very flexible and understanding person and thankfully, wasn't booked already on the date they ended up choosing. All I can say is while some couples might find joy in making their wedding date a long distance away, there is also nothing wrong with making your wedding date as soon as can be! After all, the end goal is the same- to get married!

Can A Wedding be Planned In Under 3 Weeks?

The short answer to this is YES. Will it be easy? No! But can it be done? Yes!

Let's be real, there is A LOT that goes into planning any wedding, whether it's big or small- it takes time. Thankfully, this bride's mom was on her side and helped her plan everything as quickly as possible and their special day ended up coming out so beautiful! It truly couldn't have been done without her. I can confidently say that the best piece of advice I can give you is to get help! It will be so much easier on you if you have a support system!

Things NOT To Forget When Planning a Wedding With Short Notice

When you don't have a lot of time, a lot of small details can slip your mind that you may regret later. I am here to help you narrow down that mental checklist and have everything together in a short period of time.

• STEP 1: Pick out your venue and book it! (This one must go first, because you can't book any vendors without knowing which days your venue will be available, especially on short notice.)
• Book your photographer & videographer, if you have the budget for this as well (While having a videographer is completely priceless, if you can't afford one, at least hire a photographer. You WILL regret not having beautiful photos of your wedding day. It is all you take with you after the wedding. Make sure you find one you love and who fits your style. As a bride myself, I am a strong believer that your photographer is the most important vendor to book.
• Decide if you want real or artificial flowers. Real flowers can be pricey, but do look gorgeous. However, this doesn't mean that artificial flowers can't be made to look just as beautiful. Do what works for you
• Book an event coordinator or at the very very least a "Day Of" coordinator. Please, please, please don't skip out on this one! I've seen weddings go down where the bride is very stressed because there is nobody directing the crowd and she need to take charge and keep track of the time. I will definitely say this is the most important investment you can make on your wedding day. They will keep the crowd in check and keep the day operating smoothly.
• Book a DJ & sound system (if you want one)- we all know we can set a speaker and do it ourselves if its a small event, but this may not always be the best idea. Remember, the music really does set the tone for the party after, so get a good DJ!
• Don't forget about your dress and/or suits. Any wedding attire, bridal party attire. Be sure all is ready early on, because if any tailoring needs to be done, you may not have a lot of time, causing you to have to settle and buy off the rack.
• Catering is a big one! Ask if your venue allows you to bring your own food or if you have to use their caterers. Also ask if you need a certified caterer with a license or if you are even allowed to bring in home-cooked meals! This can be a big budgetting expense to account for.
• Decide if you want a cake cutting ceremony and if you even want a cake!
• Do you want your guests to gift you physical gifts or cash towards a honeymoon or house fund?
• Decide if you want to do any of the traditional dances.
• Know that some people may not be able to attend your wedding because of short notice and learn to be okay with that!

Do You Want A First Look?

The new tradition now, if you didn't know, is to do what is called a "First Look" with your soon-to-be spouse. Some brides choose to go the traditional route and simply see each other when they walk down the aisle while others rather do it the modern way. This wedding happened to be a very traditional Christian wedding and they decided they didn't want a "First Look" with each other. Instead, the bride had one with her dad and one with her bridesmaids and it came out so precious! There is no right or wrong answer to this one, you really have to just look at things and decide what you want to do!

Saving Yourself For Marriage

As I mentioned before, this was a very traditional Christian wedding and something I considered to be absolutely wholesome was that they chose to save themselves for marriage. Nowadays you may think everyone is "doing it," but that is simply not true!! Some people in this day and age still want to wait until marriage. The best part of this wedding truly was capturing their very first kiss EVER on camera, up at the altar. It was beautiful to watch this young couple's excitement to finally get to kiss each other!

The Almost Impossible Can Be Done!

Sometimes, it may seem like hard things are nearly impossible to accomplish, but I can assure you that planning a wedding in short notice is not fully impossible! I have faith in you that it can be done and that you will have the most stunning wedding planned in a short period of time, just like this couple did! I feel so fortunate that they chose ME as their photographer and that I got to capture this magical day for them! What a beautiful day that it was!