Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you've ever planned a wedding in a short amount of time

39 replies

ShortNoticeWedding · 11/06/2019 16:35

I'm thinking of planning our wedding for August /Sept this year.

It's not going to be a huge do but I would like a church ceremony and reception afterwards.

Has anyone ever planned a wedding in this amount of time?

OP posts:
Drivemecrazy1974 · 11/06/2019 16:41

We planned ours in 6 weeks. To be fair, it was a registry office do with us and 2 witnesses, a meal at a posh restaurant afterwards and then a family party later in the evening, but it was what we wanted and was great! Not sure how easy it would be to organise a church do that quickly though!

ComeBackBarack · 11/06/2019 16:41

Yep, DH's son and girlfriend.

All planned in about 6 weeks. Got registry office cancellation - which I think was the really lucky bit. So I think you need to get ringing round your churches and getting the bans read.

In London so rang round venues till found one that met requirements and was free. Emailed guests with invitations.

Kept it relatively small - 60 guests.

Myusernameismud · 11/06/2019 16:45

Yep, 3 weeks! Cancellation at the registry office for a Wednesday morning, so we took it. We only had 12 guests but there still seemed to be a lot to organise! But it can be done, the most important thing is getting the banns read.

sugarbum · 11/06/2019 16:47

yes, but it was only small, and it was in January so no issue getting the venue we wanted. We also only had 14 guests.

nevermorelenore · 11/06/2019 16:50

It’s certainly possible. I came across a site that sold cancelled wedding packages but can’t remember the url! You’ll need to get moving on giving notice, but there’s no reason why weddings take a year to plan. However, you may have to accept that some people might not be able to make it at short notice.

Butterflyone1 · 11/06/2019 16:50

It can be done with great planning and a positive relaxed attitude.

Get online and look for a check list, ignore the dates but just see what you need to do for your wedding. Remember it's yours and DP wedding, no on else's so do what's right for you both and a huge congratulations!!!

PhossyJaw · 11/06/2019 16:54

On Tuesday we were told a cancellation at the registry office was available on the Friday. But it was only us and two friends as witnesses, so in fact all we did was phone them and make an expensive lunch reservation for afterwards. I bought a bouquet from a florist almost outside the registry office on my way in.

iknowimcoming · 11/06/2019 16:56

Yep did mine in 3-4 months, civil ceremony and reception for 90 odd at a local hotel, no problem!

YouWhoNeverArrived · 11/06/2019 16:58

Did mine in 3 months - got married at our usual church, after mass on a Sunday, then had a posh meal afterwards at a hotel we like. We had 11 guests IIRC.

Alsohuman · 11/06/2019 16:58

We set a date in January and got married in April. The key to doing this is choosing a weekday - nothing’s booked up. We got discounts on photography, car, etc because our business was an unexpected bonus. It was delightfully easy.

Mrsjayy · 11/06/2019 16:59

Yes i did 12 weeks. i think you might struggle in August for a date but i think you should go for it We had a ball organising it and no time to stress, start with the registrar and go from there.

Mrsjayy · 11/06/2019 17:02

I got married on a Friday booked a local bowling club for reception they did food for 30 and buffet in the evening

Beamur · 11/06/2019 17:03

Yep. Less than 2 months. Civil service. Honeymoon. Big party in evening. Cost under £3k (not including holiday cost)

Mrsjayy · 11/06/2019 17:09

I meant your clergy not the registrar although you will need to do that too.

CaptainPovey · 11/06/2019 17:10

3 weeks - husband proposed early December, we were married on 29 December

hellotoyellow · 11/06/2019 17:13

Eight weeks including church, but we had already started marriage prep (rearranged wedding). Reception in a fancy restaurant for 80. Very doable and masses of fun. Flowers we did ourselves from covent garden market, dress was a sample. I loved it.

Fluffythefish · 11/06/2019 17:15

Unless you want Church of England the first thing to do is to go and get registered - that is valid for a year anyway. I organised a wedding in 10 weeks last year. There were a few compromises as some people e.g. 1st choice photographer were booked up (second choice was brilliant though). It helped that it was always going to be a small wedding but there were people there from the US, Canada and Switzerland - that's what you get for meeting on the internet! - and it was lovely that they were able to be flexible and make the effort to get there. It was such a lovely day.

So as long as it is fairly small scale and a bit DIY its perfectly possible. If you already have a mood board and book of must have elements then you might struggle.

Fluffythefish · 11/06/2019 17:18

I've realised my first sentence doesn't really make sense. If you want a C of E wedding that needs to go via a Vicar. every other kind, including other sorts of churches (not sure about Catholic) need a civil version of the banns. At the end of the notice period you get the blue form which means you are free to marry and that lasts for a year

BertieDrapper · 11/06/2019 17:22

Sort of... we booked a venue about a year in advance.... less then 6months before the wedding they ran off with ours and many other couples money.... so had less then 6 months to find another venue, and reorganise a lot of stuff!
We did it though! And our second venue was ten times better then the first one.

Dyrne · 11/06/2019 17:24

Agree with others your biggest barrier is going to be finding a venue and registrar that are free. Once you’ve got that, everything else is window dressing really.

loubielou31 · 11/06/2019 17:26

I did, full on church wedding, beautiful flowers, hotel reception, 100 ish guests. Amazing ceilidh band. I remember going for dresses and them saying "you can't have any of these, the lead time is too long" but I still got a beautiful dress. My preferred venue had a cancellation so we got a Saturday in August otherwise it would have maybe been a Friday and a different hotel but they were just as nice. It was in our very small parish church that sees more funerals than weddings these days and we know the vicar well so we're able to check his availability quite easily. Also my mother is an organisation demon because we couldn't have done it without her. She was amazing.

Perhaps it helped that I didn't really have an idea of a "perfect wedding day" but went with what I wanted but that was possible in the time iyswim.

BeanoBrown · 11/06/2019 17:28

Yes done it within a month, no time for indecisiveness and it saved so much headspace pondering, the most crucial thing was having enough time for the banns to be read so go see your church first. As long as you aren't fussy as to what you want it's doable.

StrippingTheVelvet · 11/06/2019 17:29

Yes I did although it was small. A colleague also arranged hers within 3-4 months as her parents were able to foot the cost so she didn't have to hang about saving.

teenybean · 11/06/2019 17:41

We've just started planning ours for 24th August, it's church followed by local social club, & we're doing bbq for food! Found a dress on eBay, got bridesmaids dresses from tkmaxx, suits from next, flowers will be whatever we can find in supermarket the day before, or whatever fake ones we can find in the range or wherever, & I'll make some table decorations or something a few days before! We're having about 100 guests! It can be done

scaryteacher · 11/06/2019 18:00

I planned our wedding (church, reception, flowers, hair, make up, my dress, bridesmaid dress and it was a military wedding) in 6 weeks flat. It can be done.