How to Handle a Rushed Wedding

Hi everyone!
My name is Brittney and I’m engaged to Dan, who is my hero in every way possible. I’m one of the new bride bloggers for the Budget Savvy Bride and I think my engagement/wedding would help other brides since I’m not the first bride to have life throw them a curve ball.

Dan and I were engaged in the middle of August 2013 and we originally planned to have our wedding in August 2014, which would give me a whole year to plan! But my fiancé is part of the Air Force Reserve and is scheduled to be deployed at the end of January. Not too big of a deal since we’ve known about this for a while, but we recently found out (recently means about two and a half weeks ago) that his return date isn’t guaranteed. So we were given two options: move our wedding date to Fall 2014 and hope that he’s home, or have it this winter. We weighed all the options and played out every scenario but because of how our lives are playing out, having the wedding this December ended up being our best choice. So now I get to plan my wedding in three and a half months… pure insanity, right?

Probably. But hey, when life gives you lemons you gotta make it work.

My Tips to Handle a Rushed Wedding:

1. Set your budget with your timeline in mind. 
Since my date was moved up several months in advance, I didn’t have the time to save the money I was originally planning to set aside. Realizing that your budget may change will help you prepare for the obstacles ahead. For example, originally my dress budget was  whatever I could save for in the year. Now it’s $1,200 including alterations.

2. Start a new Pinterest board. 
If you’re like me,  you were already pinning ideas to your board or at least you were planning out your dream wedding. Now that your date has changed, you should start from scratch. Why? Well, your original board probably was made with your old budget and date in mind. Things are different now so start fresh! If your theme fits all seasons then awesome! Choose the ideas that fit your timeline and budget best. Plus having that old board may remind you of the old dream, and you know what they say, “Comparison is the thief of joy.”

3. Find a venue and a dress ASAP. 
The venue and the dress are the two main things that you want to check off the list first since they can take the most time to prepare. Traditional venues tend to book quickly so you may have to think outside the box. If the weather is warm, choose a park or garden. It’s affordable and beautiful. If the weather is cold, think about renting a cabin or even choosing a restaurant. Fortunately I had already talked to a venue, but for a summer wedding next year. My venue was flexible and has a beautiful indoor reception area that can be used for a ceremony as well. And they had my date available! Yay!

Do research to find deals and specials in your area. In my area there is a boutique that advertises that they carry most of their dresses in stock, meaning you don’t have to order your dress and wait five months.

4. Accept it for what it is, and choose to have a great attitude about it. 🙂
Your situation may have not been ideal or maybe you chose to have it in less than four months, but either way you must accept that this may limit you when planning your wedding. For example, your dream venue could be booked already, most wedding dresses need at least four months notice unless you buy off the rack, your colors might be out of season and not stocked in stores, etc.

So preempt the obstacles and look at things differently! Now that my wedding date is moved I knew I had to look at things with a positive light. I couldn’t afford my original dress, but my new dress is the perfect for a winter. Not many of my out-of-town guests can come since my date is so close to Christmas, but smaller weddings are easier on the wallet and more intimate. I may only have three months to plan a whole wedding, but now I don’t have to wait as long to marry the man of my dreams and I can save money for our house while he’s away!

These are just a few tips that I wish I knew when my wedding date changed. Ultimately, Your wedding will be amazing as long as you two are in love- so don’t stress so much that you can’t enjoy the process! And remember that having cream napkins instead of ivory won’t stop you two from being married. 😉

 photography by: Photography by Jordana