Three months is enough. You will have less choice and you will have to decide quickly, but the wedding at the end of it is indistinguishable from one planned over two years — and you will have spent twenty-one fewer months discussing napkins.
In this guide
- Week 1: the four decisions that unlock everything
- Weeks 2 to 4: book the people who sell out
- Weeks 4 to 6: dress, suits and paper
- Weeks 6 to 9: the details, decided fast
- Weeks 10 to 12: chase and confirm
- What to cut without regret
Week 1: the four decisions that unlock everything
Budget, guest count, date and venue — all in the first week, in that order. Ask venues for their remaining availability rather than proposing a date; you are shopping their gaps, and gaps come with discounts.
Be flexible on day of the week. A Friday or Sunday in three months' time has far more availability than a Saturday, and costs less.
Weeks 2 to 4: book the people who sell out
- Photographer — book first, they are the hardest to replace
- Caterer, or a venue that includes catering
- Officiant, and check your licence timeline immediately
- Music — a DJ is far easier than a band at short notice
- Send digital save-the-dates the day the venue is confirmed
Weeks 4 to 6: dress, suits and paper
Off-the-rack or made-to-order with a rush fee — a bespoke gown needs six months and is out. Sample sales and bridal outlets are your friends and often better value than the compromise.
Order invitations now with a two-week turnaround and post them immediately with an RSVP deadline four weeks out. Point them at a simple wedding website rather than printing every detail.
Weeks 6 to 9: the details, decided fast
Flowers with a florist's seasonal choice rather than a specific brief. Cake from a bakery with a standing design. Hire, rather than buy, anything structural. Day-of stationery — welcome sign, seating chart, menus, place cards, table numbers — ordered as one matched set so you make one decision instead of five.
Set a rule: any decision that takes more than a day gets made by the person who cares more.
Weeks 10 to 12: chase and confirm
Chase RSVPs by phone. Confirm every supplier's arrival time in writing. Build the timeline, do the seating chart, write the place cards. Delegate the entire decor box to a friend with a one-page instruction sheet.
Book your hair and make-up trial for week 10 so there is still time to change.
What to cut without regret
Save-the-dates on paper, favours, elaborate ceremony structures, a second dress, a photo booth, and anything that requires a supplier you would be settling for. Nobody at your wedding will know what you skipped — they will only notice whether you looked like you were enjoying it.
From Sagevow
Everything on this list that gets printed — invitations, welcome sign, menus, place cards, seating chart — can be ordered in one matched palette so nothing clashes on the day.
0 comments