Weve seen weddings planned in 3 months, and engagements that lasted 5 years. The choice is yours, but its a good idea to start perusing Pinterest, Instagram, and the latest wedding trends to start considering wedding colors, dcor ideas, and more. Honestly, there's no hard and fast rule, as you can really mold the steps above to your own timeline slowing down or speeding up (we've even got athree-month wedding checklist) where it works. Having some potential wedding dates in mind will be very helpful during the venue selection process. "As we always say, the beauty is in the details.". Check out the top seven reasons why you should hire a wedding planner. Ultimately, it all comes down to your own unique set of circumstances and priorities for the day. Wedding planning can be a time-consuming task, and while every couple's needs and wants are different, it's important to give yourself plenty of time to pull your wedding day plans together. Wedding planners are super-helpful in this regard, and will assist you in making sure your vendors know where and when to be present for your wedding ceremony and reception. The Next Steps Not only will they hook you up with VIP perks and benefits, most of their services are free too. Consider what you want all of your paper goods to look like, from place cards, menus, ceremony programs, and wedding favor tags. But, you may feel more overwhelmed at the endless options and choices there are to make--and you'll have a longer time to sit on those decisions (and more time to change your mind). "There is less decision fatigue, and less time to sit in the details, so the whole planning process quips along with a bit more momentum. You may already be wondering if you can relax and enjoy your love bubble for a few more months, or if you should dive straight into checklists and Pinterest boards! (Pro wedding-planning tip: Use The Knot Marketplace to find wow-worthy venues near you.). How Long To Plan A Wedding - The Best Stuff Experts Around how much do we have to spend on a wedding? Get Our Wedding Planner App On Your Mobile Device. Our final tip? ", While you can personalize your wedding day through decorations and accent details, fashion is another way to express yourself and tell your story to loved ones. The rehearsal dinner, which usually takes place the night before the wedding, requires some planning as well. And, in addition to insuring your wedding event, we also recommend getting policies for your engagement ring and wedding rings too. Have the wedding budget talk. This will keep everyone aligned on timing, logistics, and expectations, and it'll eliminate miscommunication and confusion. Have a talk with your partner about who you'd both like to have by your sides on the big day. Reserve a block of hotel rooms for them as soon as you have your wedding date and location, too! (Just a general locationlike a city/town and state/region is okay for now. Will your party be outdoors or inside? This is also a good opportunity to start thinking about your wedding's dress code. Your wedding will likely be the biggest party youll ever throwand figuring out how to plan a wedding can feel pretty daunting at first (and particularly so if youre planning a wedding amid the COVID pandemic). A common mistake brides make is not shopping for their wedding dress early enough, says Goulding. You may be thinking a lot about how to plan your wedding step by step, but dont forget about the honeymoon! "The wedding budget and the guest list determine the rest of your planning, like where you'll get married, what kind of food you'll serve, whether you'll have a band or DJ, among others," Thornton explains. Your wedding website is equally as important. What to Do Without One, How to Narrow Down Your Wedding Guest List Like a Pro, A Guide to Preferred & Approved Wedding Vendor Lists, A Guide to Every Wedding-Related Event & Party, Get Our Wedding Planner App On Your Mobile Device. In all likelihood, youve been in close contact with all of your wedding vendors in the days and weeks leading up to your big day. Shop for your dress at least a year before your wedding as some designers require six to eight months to have it custom-made and shipped in time for multiple alteration sessions. Bennifer is married and better than ever. is totally different, but some simple guidelines can help you map out a realistic timeframe for your day. Average Time to Plan a Wedding: How Long Do You Need? If youre recently engaged, one of the first things youll want to establish is your wedding planning timeline. These questions will ensure your wedding ends on a sweet note. "Establishing your priorities and expectations is a key part of the wedding planning process for two reasons. Sending your invites on time is one of the most essentialsteps to planning a wedding. In years past, it was recommended to secure your wedding date and venue at least one year in advance. The average time spent to organize and plan a wedding is around 12 to 18 months, accumulating slightly over 350 hours of commitment! The most important tasks (like securing your venue, vendors and creating a guest list) should be first on the agenda, while smaller tasks can be actioned closer to the day. While you're certainly wrapped up in how to plan a wedding, don't forget your honeymoon too! You can plan a wedding in as little time as two days or as much as two years. The right timeline for your wedding will all depend on a few key factors. Surely it can't be the case that people need a full year to plan the wedding of their dreams . We recommend focusing on one task at a time so you dont get overwhelmed by the wedding planning process. There's something so romantic about a short engagement (less than six months or so). Another option is getting married and waiting a few months to leave for your honeymoonespecially if you'd like to build in more time to plan your wedding. Here's a basic timeline on what you should tackle first! 14. How Long Does It Take to Plan a Wedding? Your Expert Guide - The Knot She has been planning weddings in Montreal since 2015 and has won multiple awards for her events. "The photographer makes your memories, and the photographs replace your memories over time so it's important to hire someone you trust," says photographer Lucy Cuneo. According to The Knot Real Weddings Study, the average engagement lasts 15 months, but you can spend far more or less than that planning your big day. Whether a couple has a long or short engagement is sometimes out of their control, whether it's due to military deployment, work circumstances or family issues. Step 1: Get Organized. . Ready to get started planning your wedding? Your wedding party is agreeing to spend their money and donate their time to you, so be considerate and kind by informing everyone about all your plans, including costs for attire, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and more. This is a question that many couples face as they prepare to say their "I do's." While the answer may vary depending on your specific situation, this article will provide a general timeline of how long you should plan your wedding. You deserve to treat yourself, after all, because planning a wedding is no joke. )but unless you're working with a super-tight timeline, Gopal recommends waiting a few weeks before jumping into the planning process. There are so many fun elements to the wedding planning process that you want to get started on! This isn't mandatory, but if you have a particular level of wedding attire formality in mind, whether it's black tie, semi formal, cocktail or casual, it's time to nail that down. To be sure you have enough time to plan your postwedding getaway, stay on top of key deadlines for renewing your passports, booking flights, and securing lodging and extra activities. How Long Do You Need to Plan a Wedding? Pretty much immediately after you announce your engagement, your loved ones will ask: Where are you registered? When thinking about how to plan your wedding step by step, its a good idea to create your wedding registry relatively early on in the process. Read on for the dos and don'ts of this potentially sticky situation. Too late? Health and safety should be at the forefront of your mind here, as are following national, state, and local regulations. This timeframe gives couples an ample window to book a venue, hire necessary vendors, find a wedding dress, and more. Your Ultimate Wedding Planning Timeline The Bare Minimum Time to Plan a Wedding As invitations are meant to be sent out six to eight weeks prior to a wedding, you'll want to give yourselves at least two or three months to plan. Find wedding inspiration that fits your style with photos from real couples, Sit back and relax with travel info + exclusive deals for the hottest honeymoon destinations. Plan your wedding wherever and whenever you want on the WeddingWire App. While having a wedding party isn't necessary, many couples want to be surrounded by bridesmaids and groomsmen as they celebrate their biggest milestone yet. While you've already done some big picture ideating, now's the time to really narrow down what you want your day to look like. Unfortunately, they are then forced to either pay expedited rates or choose something off the rack.. Don't forget that and how special your wedding day is and enjoy yourself!". As long as you remain calm, organised and flexible, we have total faith that everything will fall into place exactly as youve imagined. The further away your wedding, the easier it will be to plan a destination honeymoon, to pick a popular venue, and even grow your budget for the big day. How to Plan a Wedding from Start to Finish in 2023 - The Knot After all, you can't move forward with any subsequent decisions until you know what you can afford to spend. A year in advance is sufficient time to arrange a normal, local wedding, according to our team of wedding planners. Each plays a role during the day, and having a consistent design among all will make your wedding look seamlessly cohesive. The options are endless when it comes to how you can personalize your wedding day. If youre planning an interstate or destination wedding, you may also find that some guests are unable to make travel plans at short notice. (Unless, of course, you simply can't wait to say "I do." We recommend using The Knot Invitations to find paper goods that match the style and theme of your wedding day. "The key to navigating these interactions is to find ways to be appropriately vocal, using your best judgment to navigate the discussion, and only accept what you can tolerate." Traditionally, the grooms family plans the rehearsal dinner, but its important to figure out whos planning (and paying) for this event well in advanceand make sure a venue is booked and details are hammered out in a timely fashion, about six months before the big day. Before your wedding, take time as a couple to do anything but wedding planning. How Long Does It Take to Plan a Wedding? - Pop The Knot Would you rather have quality one-on-one time with each guest or throw a once-in-a-lifetime party for all your friends and family? How Long Does it Take to Plan a Wedding - Inns of Aurora ), social media and real wedding photosand don't limit yourself to the obvious sources. Wedding planners can be total lifesavers. An important symbol of marriage, be sure to browse and purchase your wedding rings a few months before your nuptials. Since time is of the essence, let's get started with your wedding planning checklist. But beyond that, consider what you want the flow of the day to look like. A professional can help you know how to plan a wedding under your specific circumstances and needs. If youre thinking about how to plan a wedding step by step, remember one of the most important tasksobtaining a marriage license so that you and your partner can actually get legally married! "The aesthetic of your wedding is everything," says Holloway. "It's essential to discuss upfront what each person's role will be and the related expectations," Peterman explains. That's no small feat. Another task to check off early is sending out save the dates. Save-the-dates should be sent as far in advance as possible to ensure that your loved ones can plan accordingly. As your go-to wedding planning resource, our website has all the tools you need to bring your dream day to life. If you just can't imagine getting married without a certain wedding band playing at the reception or a photographer whose work you love, act fast. While the soon-to-be married couple usually has little role in planning these celebrations, youll need to clear your calendar to attend as guest of honor. Will you choose a specific theme, or are you inspired by a certain wedding style, like modern, classic, romantic, vintage, rustic or all-out glam? That may seem like a lot, but its important to hire the right people to ensure that your big day runs smoothly. This gives you time to revel in your engagement, but not too long so you don't lose momentum. Here, some clever and cute dog wedding ideas to pay tribute to your precious pup on your special day. The 7 Timing Mistakes All Couples Make While Wedding Planning They need to ask for time after work and book their flights and hotels., She continues, Hiring a destination wedding planner should be the first task on the list, followed by choosing a location. In that case, plan away!) "Unique touches of jewelry that have symbolic meaning of your heritage and culture can begin to tell a meaningful story.". Your month-by-month breakdown might look something like this: For a more in-depth look at the different tasks involved at each stage of your wedding planning, you can find our ultimate wedding planning timeline here. The minute you get engaged, everyone will be asking for your wedding date. Small? Your family members and friends may want to purchase engagement giftsyou can always make changes and additions to your registry later on. Are you flexible with things like your wedding venue, date and vendors, or do you have your heart set on specific elements already? How many people do you want to invite? and realize its completely out of range. 1. Its time for your guests to mark their calendars! Whether you've enlisted a planner or you're handling it yourself, aim to have regular communication with your professional team. "Hot take: It does not take two full years," our expert says. To help you get a better idea of what you want (and what you don't want), take our fun Style Quiz that takes all the guesswork out of creating your dream wedding vision, then matches you with beautiful venues and pros that fit your style. Procrastinating on Booking Key Vendors. While it may feel uncomfortable at first, having this budget discussion early on will keep you and any financial contributors aligned on your values and goals moving forward, thus preventing miscommunication or confusion. "I actually love a shorter engagement personally; our couples are very focused on the larger picture and seem to put added trust in their vendor teams to sift through the minutiae," Gopal says. The average couple spends about $28,000 on their ceremony and reception. If you have room in your wedding budget, we recommend hiring a wedding planner or a coordinator early in your planning timeline. Depending on the type of wedding you want, you could likely get married next week, or you could wait several years. Once you have a ceremony or reception site booked, for instance, you're going to be limited by how many people it can accommodate. Consider the following pros and cons to help you make a decision: Planning a long engagement may be the best option if you have busy lifestyles, or need extra time to save money for your wedding. With this being said, research shows that most couples spend approximately 12 - 18 months planning their wedding, which usually adds up to between 200 - 500 hours in total. "This is the celebration of your love with the people closest to you. While the average planning time is 12-18 months, you can plan your wedding for as long or short a period as you want. "This is one of the starting conversations I have with my clients," says Cathleen Holloway, founder of Texas-based design and event company Holloway Events. Get your own personalized wedding planning dashboard to keep track of all your wedding tasks, budget expenses, and more. An intimate wedding or elopement can be planned in a much shorter time frame, while a big celebration or destination wedding will require significantly more planning. Its difficult to put an exact timeframe on how long it takes to plan a wedding, because no two couples are ever the same! This gives you an opportunity to delight in your commitment, however not excessively long so you don't lose energy. She completed her M.A. Formal? Here are 10 creative ways to announce your engagement! It's usually around 200 - 300 hours in total. Listing out the tasks that need to be completed each month is crucial to ensuring all the Ts are crossed and Is are dotted for the day.. Once youve discussed these questions with your partner, you can move forward with other wedding-planning steps: Were not going to liedifferent aspects of planning a wedding can be hard for different people. How Long To Plan A Wedding Two Weeks Out From Your Wedding How Much Time Do You Need to Plan Your Wedding Check in with guests who havent sent in their RSVP yet. late engr. But, if you're looking for descriptive step-by-step details, check out our comprehensive wedding planning checklist, which serves as the perfect counterpart to this outline. ", In some states, marriage licenses are only valid for a short period of time, so it's vital to complete this wedding planning task in a timely matter. Often, a couple's close friends, family members or bridal party will take the lead on hosting engagement parties, wedding showers, bach parties, and the rehearsal dinner. When you're prepared to begin arranging, make it to stride by step-it's anything but smart This program will help you save on wedding expenses throughout the planning process, so the earlier you sign up, the better! But before you dive into the nitty-gritty details, we recommend thinking about the big-picture vision you have for your wedding day. Many in-demand venues and vendors book out quickly (were talking 12+ months in advance), so you may need to adjust your timeline to secure your dream team. You can simply adjust your timeline according to your priorities. The months leading up to the big day are full of additional wedding events. Every state has different marriage license laws, so be sure to study up beforehand. "Every couple is different; if you are looking for a more hands-off experience where your planner and/or designer takes the lead, you can certainly accomplish all of your planning in a shorter time frame," she says. Yes, it's a big undertaking, but you've totally got this. If your parents will be contributing financially to the wedding, they have a say on the guest list. Whether your wedding day is two years or six months (or three months!) "If you really are in love with a specific photographer, I even recommend checking their availability before you pick your wedding date.". It's for this reason that having a planner or coordinator can be a major benefit, especially when you need to streamline dialogue between everyone in the final weeks before the wedding. Not sure where to begin? Share with your guests to collect your wedding photos. After letting your newly-engaged status sink in, Gopal recommends having a heart-to-heart with your future spouse. And if you want yours to be a memorable affair, focus your attention here. "If you're not sure, contact the city or town clerk where you are getting married to get confirmation on the timeline and deadlines for documentation. "Oftentimes, additional accessories like jewelry are forgotten, but they're equally as important as the rest of your attire," says Lisette Scott, founder of jewelry brand Jam+Rico. Of course, there are more tasks you may want to tackle, but were just talking the must-dos here. Purchases made through links on this page may earn us a commission. Not all wedding planning tasks are created equal, and some need to be done long before othersand are the reasons why wedding planning usually takes a year! Step #1: Choosing the Date. Another priority: the wedding dress. Securing a venue is one of them. Alternatively, planning a short engagement might be the best option if youre ready to get married ASAP! Or perhaps you love charts and numbers but find Pinterest completely bewildering. Wedding Planning Guide wedding day timeline Stay stress-free and on schedule by following our sample wedding day timelines. How Long Does It Take to Plan a Wedding? A Complete Guide On the flip side, a longer engagement does give you more time to change your mind, and you may find it difficult to make decisions so far in advance. For those shopping for a suit, consider whether you want a traditional suit or a sleek tuxedo. Send paperless invitations, capture online RSVPs and manage your guest list.