Wedding Planning

it depends
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By duoduonana on Oct 7, 2008

It really depends on the kind of wedding. For example how big the wedding is going to be….2-6 bridesmaid….The color, the location, the food….etc all of these take time to figure out.
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By justwanttoknow on Oct 7, 2008

Most of the time it takes truly depends on how fancy you’re planning to make the wedding. The fancier and bigger, the longer I’d plan ahead.
Many venues are booked solid a year in advance, so that alone forces many couples to plan way ahead.
Also some guests (especially if they need to travel) need at least a few months warning to come up with money to travel, a hotel room and vacation time.
There are other factors like decoration, food, cake, photography etc. that can definitely done quicker, so if you are planning only a small wedding with family that lives close by, you might be able to accomplish all the planning within a few months.

I know for my own wedding (hopefully soon), I’ll need at least a year because most of my family and friends have to travel from Germany and I want to give them plenty of time to plan for that kind of trip.

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By xajide on Oct 7, 2008

Depending on the details of your wedding, and the size, the time varies. Heck, you could organise a small wedding in a matter of hours! The reason why they take so long is because certain people want this space, which is only available between such and such dates for their use, money issues, decorations/cake, food/reception details, and notifying guests. Plus the priest. Dress and wedding party dresses/tuxes…
So if you want a simple wedding, and your friend got ordained as a minister online, and you only want your immediate family there, and no reception or anything fancy, your wedding can be organized in an hour or two.
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By Joy on Oct 7, 2008

Really, the reason why it takes such a long time is because you need to reserve everything in advance. The venue you want (some have a year + waiting list), the caterer you want, the photographer you want, etc. Oh, and everyone/thing has to be available on the same day.

Then you need time to notify your guests and receive RSVPs back. It's recommended to give people 6-8 weeks notice before the event.

So, if you weren't choosy about where you were married or the details of the reception (or who attended it) it wouldn't be too hard to put everything together in a couple of weeks. Since this is such an important day for some people though, they make sure everything is in place months ahead of time.
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By miss_nikki on Oct 7, 2008

The first step is deciding if you are having something in a hall or not. You usually need to book these about a year out depending on your date. I have seen friends plan weddings in less than 6 months and I have been planning mine for about 18, but that was also because we wanted October and last year would have been too soon!
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By Jurczy Girl on Oct 7, 2008

I'm planning my wedding for a year and three months from now.

My best friend planned her DW in three months.

It all depends on what you want to do, the availability of your vendors/locations, the kind of guests you are having, etc.

For example, I'm planning my 2009 wedding but was able to lock in 2008 rates for planning earlier so its cheaper. My best friend planned hers within 3 months and had to choose very expensive photographers because all of the cheaper (and really the good ones) were already booked. She has also had to rush everything…her favors, her dress, her invites…so she had that extra added costs.
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By True on Oct 7, 2008

It *can*, but it doesn’t have to. It depends on so many factors. How complicated, formal, and large the wedding is, where the wedding is (large city ballroom? small town hall?), and when the wedding is (holiday weddings need to typically be booked very early). Also, how organized the bride/groom are, how much help (if any) they will have, and the resources available in their area.

Most people say that a *typical* relatively formal mid-size wedding requires about 1 year of preparation time.

This was the guideline I used, although I would say that after booking the venue (it was a hotel so it took care of food, alcohol, etc.), I completed everything else in a total of less than 2 months, with a few last minute confirmations and details about 1 month before. Then you just sit back and wait. I felt that being very efficient and organized helped at lot. If you remain calm, prioritize, and cross things off your list, things will go smoothly.

I have seen many gorgeous weddings planned in less than 3 months (if you can get a venue, DJ, etc. it’s possible), and many simple weddings that took over 1 year.

Some people do not handle stress well, and such, they cannot ration their time properly. Others are undecided about what they want (some even up to a month before the wedding!). Aside from these issues, most brides who end up planning 2 years in advance either are just really excited and can’t wait, or they live in a large city and/or are having a very large complicated, lavish, and/or holiday weddings.

In most cases, once your venue is booked and you have ordered your dress, 6 months should be sufficient. Sometimes you will need to order your gown up to 8-12 months in advance. I had my gown custom made by a local designer, so that was one less thing to worry about. I had it made to fit (less alteration), and it was done in less than 1 month. It definitely helped.

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By reginachick22 on Oct 7, 2008

It certainly doesn’t have to wait that long. My fiance and I became engaged over the summer and we’re getting married in December. I had plenty of time to plan everything we need. We had to make some quick decisions because we got the invitations out in August, but it’s not that difficult.

I think that if you have very specific ideas about the ceremony/reception site and the date, you may need to book it in advance. Also, if it is on a holiday or is a destination wedding, give several months’ notice (save the date or invites) so your guests can prepare.

But no, I would advice against a very long engagement. Don’t become engaged lightly, but when you are, go ahead and get married. The longer it gets put off the bigger deal it becomes and it’s much more likely to cause more anxiety and cost a LOT more money.
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By Gettin' murried 12/31/08 :) on Oct 7, 2008

I planned my wedding in 3 months. We had an outside wedding on the beach. From renting the chairs, decorating an arch, picking out my invitations, making my own centerpieces, CD’s for the wedding favors…etc. I did everything and it was beautiful. People actually asked me who I hired to do it all. They were very surprised that it was all done by me. The internet can be your best friend for ideas and ordering things online. I had a blast planning my wedding. It shouldn’t take that long. And for me…I wouldn’t have wanted to have any longer to plan it. I have had friends who took a year if not more to plan their wedding and then after wards…they are like…I planned all this time and it’s over already. For me…it only took me 3 months and it was just as nice if not better then the others I have been to. (not to toot my own horn…but the wedding turned out beautiful and we still, 2 years later still get people commenting on it). Anyways…if you have the time…and thank god I did. You can bang out a wedding in 3 months and save a bunch of money too.
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By M S on Oct 7, 2008

3 moths is long enough
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http://bestweddingdance1st.blogspot.com/

By adherentofgod on Oct 10, 2008