Six Top Tips for Planning your Wedding in Less than Six Months
Photographed by Liberty Pearl.
Published on Tuesday 24th October 2023Does the idea of planning your wedding in 6 months fill you with dread?
Do you imagine that there’s simply not enough time to collate your thoughts, to agree on the guest list, to decide on the flavour of cake, and indeed to find the funds for your wedding in such a short space of time? You wouldn’t be alone, but if a short-lead wedding is something you are considering for any reason, then it doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. Check out our 6 top tips for planning your wedding in under 6 months.
Having hosted weddings for over 15 years here at Pentillie, we have seen a whole range of planning experiences. All have their merits, but contrary to popular belief, some of the biggest wedding meltdowns that we have witnessed, have ultimately been caused by having too much time, resulting in overthinking, self-doubt, and ultimately stress.
When you are considering getting married within 6 months of getting engaged, there’s simply no time for second-guessing, so you may find the decision-making becomes relatively easy.
Discover how you can cut out the stress factor and plan your wedding in under 6 months!
Here are the 6 things you’ll need to do in the next 6 months:
Serve notice to marry
Set your budget
Find your venue and choose a date
Hire caterers/book food
Book the details, including the entertainment
Choose, then buy or rent your wedding attire
Book the registrar
This is the only restrictive time factor stopping you from marrying in under a month. Legally you must serve 28 days’ notice to marry. This is the case for a registrar-based ceremony. Church marriages are different, and all have slightly different time restrictions… But in all cases, 6 months is plenty of time to plan any marriage ceremony - of course, once you have checked that all parties have the date available, and there are no ‘curly’ situations that may extend the time required - e.g. One of you is a foreign national. So, once the registrar is booked, then you are good to go.
Your budget
Set a budget with your fiancé to start before you commit to anything. With less time and fewer pay packets to cover wedding expenses, there is less opportunity to spread the costs and most wedding vendors will require payment upfront. Our wedding budget planner is a useful tool for this. Concentrate on your needs versus your wants and write those down. It’s likely that when you look critically, there is a lot which is not essential. For example, you could consider wastage. Think about how many wedding favours get left behind when guests leave. The answer is too many! So this might be something you reconsider spending your budget on.
Ask before you view
Before you view any wedding venues, check if they have availability on the date or within the month that you and your fiancé want. Save the time and don’t waste it getting your hopes up for a venue that is fully booked.
Equally important, you will probably have your list of ‘we can’t marry without you there’ guests. Whether that’s parents, siblings or close friends, you should also check that they will be free.
Many venues will ask you to schedule a private viewing to allow you and your fiancé the opportunity to truly immerse yourselves in the surroundings of the venue. While on this viewing, be sure to confirm their availability and communicate your preferred dates or month.
If you’d like to view Pentillie, use the link below to book your private viewing!
Food glorious food
So, you’ve found your venue and booked the registrars, the next item on your list is food. We all know that food is an important part of any event, especially a wedding. Hire caterers (and all other suppliers) based on who you like within your budget. You can create a list of your top choices so if they aren’t available it’ll be easier to accept, cross them off the list and move on to the next.
If the idea of arranging a three course sit down meal is too much or just not your style, then you can consider more casual options. Other choices like BBQ, hog roast, street food vendors, and even Cornish pasties are great alternatives and sometimes cost-saving as well!
Wedding Essential: Ensure you have dietary information for each guest. Never assume this and always check to be sure.
The details…
With 6 months to plan, after booking your venue and your registrars, the next investment will be the details that add to your special day.
Before booking your photographer, it’s important to know that every photographer will have their own style, the same as every artist has a style. Make sure you research and admire their work because they will be the ones capturing moments of your love that will last forever. Make sure to reach out to a few photographers, look at their portfolio and discuss availability and pricing. There is an abundance of wedding photographers, but the good ones are worth every penny.
For floral arrangements, streamline your choices by selecting a colour scheme and flowers that are in season for the time of year you’ve chosen. Consider talking to local florists who can work within your timeframe.
The cake cutting is a lovely ceremonial part of most wedding days, but do you want a ‘cake cake’, or a ‘cake that can be dessert cake’ or even a tower of cheese that can double up as a delicious cheese board? Either way, cake tasting is a great time to eat as much cake (or cheese) as you’d like because it’s for research purposes. For cakes, book appointments with various bakers and taste different flavours. If you’ve already decided on your flowers and colour scheme, this should make it easier to plan and decide on a design for your cake that will complement the rest of your day.
Time may be tight, but with planning, you can bring your wedding details to life.
…and the entertainment
Dancing is what most couples think of for their evening reception, but it’s okay to break the norm if you want to. It all depends on who you are as a couple and what you want for your big day. From live bands to guests gathered around a fire pit with a Bluetooth speaker streaming background music we’ve seen a range of entertainment styles at Pentillie. As long as you and your guests are laughing and enjoying each other's company the entertainment can be as grand or as subtle as you want it to be.
Wedding attire
Realistically, designing a couture gown may not be within your time constraints. Buying your wedding attire off the rack saves the anticipation of waiting as you’ll be able to take it home that same day or within a few weeks if alterations need to be made. You can even consider buying pre-loved wedding attire or renting wedding attire as a way to be sustainable and budget-conscious.
Stick to your priorities
Remember that time is of the essence when planning your wedding in 6 months or under. Time is precious therefore spend it wisely! Distractions or worries without action are factors which will delay and hold you up. Sticking to your priorities is key.
Communication will be the glue that keeps your wedding plans together. Some couples decide to hire a wedding planner or coordinator and if they are worth their salt, they will guide you so seamlessly throughout your wedding journey that you will know what you should be doing and when.
Keeping things simple is often more budget-friendly and won’t leave you feeling overwhelmed with too many decisions to make. But as you get closer to your wedding date, you may find that there are more details you want to include on your wedding day- if you have the budget now is the time to include the extras - e.g. a magician or classical quartet.
Planning a wedding in 6 months or less is not always stress-free, but with quick decision-making, a good plan, and good support (an experienced wedding coordinator can make a huge amount of difference) it can be a hugely rewarding and fun experience. The opportunity for doubt to creep in or for you to change your mind with every magazine you read, every wedding fair you visit, and every friend you chat with is almost entirely avoided.
And life as a married couple can begin in earnest.
A real wedding story:
After just two months of engagement bliss, Ellen and Dave tied the knot at Pentillie! They were looking for a local venue that could host all of their guests for the weekend, provide a beautiful ceremony space, and where they felt a connection with the people who could help them have a wonderful wedding! Read about their wedding here.
Ellen and Dave’s top tip for other couples looking to plan their wedding in months:
“Think about the overall experience you want to create and then be decisive.”
Are you planning your wedding? Why not take a look at our recommended suppliers!
If you’re considering Pentillie Castle as your wedding venue, we would be delighted to show you around and discuss your plans. Why not get in touch with our professional team, book an appointment to view or take a virtual tour.
