Just engaged-Can I plan a wedding in a year?

sparklingjewelee

Hello everyone.
I just got engaged two days ago. We have been together 7 1/2 years.
I just turned 31 today, and I really want to have children. So I would prefer a short engagement, especially since we have been together so long.
Anyway, I see a lot of people getting engaged this year and not having their wedding until 2015.
Is it possible for me to have a fall 2014 wedding? I just don't want to put it off that long because I want to be married before we have children, and after 35 they
say it's harder to conceive.
Or am I just being way too crazy?
I have no idea where to begin. Any help would be appreciated!

KeptInStitches

Congratulations! I think it would be possible to plan a wedding in a year, but depending on your area, venues might be booking up so you'll have to start pretty soon. As far as where to start, star by making a budget and setting a guest list - this will help you determine what you can afford to host. Good luck and happy planning!

MobKaz

My son planned it in less than a year.  They tackled their budget, guest list, and venue first.  They did a lot of online reconnaissance to narrow down choices. They would often ask me if I could do some online recon for them.  I was happy to do it as I had much more down time.  They even did a ton of DIY projects. The key is to stay organized and not get too "themey".  

Liatris2010

We did ours in about 6 months, totally doable. Picking a venue that does catering, tables, chairs, linens, and all that other stuff made it a ton easier. After we had the venue set, all we needed was a photographer, DJ, and guests.

melbelleup

You can definitely do it, but I recommend scouting out venues now! Remember also that October and September weddings are a lot more popular than you would think as far as dates.

fre3doms

I'm doing one in 8 months but it's really small. And a friend of mine is doing a more traditional wedding in about 9 months.
I agree figure out guest list and venue first. It's good to have a venue that does everything cause that's less to plan.

Congrats on your engagement!

svc2014

You can definitely do it! You just have to be flexible about venue and vendors (if you have your heart set on a place but they are booked through the year you'll have to be ok with finding another) You have lots to plan but it's all doable! Good-luck and congratulations!

sparklingjewelee

Thank you everyone!

I'm going to go over to his parents house and start talking about stuff tonight.
Hopefully we can get our marriage classes taken care of and then we can actually pick a date.
I'm getting pretty excited and trying to just take it one step at a time!

lovesclimbing

It's definitely doable.  We planned ours in seven months.  My sister is planning her's in five.  My other sister is planning her's in 11.  A good friend planned her's in four.  Most of the people I know who are married or are currently engaged have had/are having rather short engagements.

AprilH81

When we get married it will be 7 months after he proposed.  This is only doable because we are getting married in January (in Ohio) so a lot of venues and popular vendors were available. 

One year is pretty typical and doable, especially if you have an open mind about venues.

CaliMel11

You can definitely do it! We got engaged June 02 of this year and our wedding is in April of next year.
I really think a year is totally normal! Just find a venue that you like and go from there. The checklist on this site is really great because then you can look at it and have an idea of what stuff needs to be done still.
I would say book things as soon as you can, but don't overwhelm yourself trying to deal with it all either. Once you know where you're getting married, that helps a lot of the other stuff fall into place.

shoebunnie

Yup!  I agree, totally doable!  We are planning an April 2014 wedding in Vegas.  It's small but everything is already secured with deposits.  If my fiancé wasn't so busy during football season and if it didn't take 5 months for my dress to come in we could have our wedding by the end of the year.  Stupid football but it does pay the bills!

ShellLillian

I hope it's doable because I'm doing mine in under 8 months!
Seriously though, I have a few friends who pulled it off in a year or are getting married within the next few months and will have had a year.

shelyg89

Did ours in 6- had plenty of time. just had to be flexible!

alyssaglane

Yes, it is! Got engaged April 2013, getting married April 2014 I agree with everyone else, if you get organized you can definitely pull it off. I would start with guest list so you have an idea of how many and then find your venue.

rakkaya87

Definitely! Venue is your first mission.  I got engaged this past May 2013 and am getting married in March 2014! 200 guests.  Totally doable!

Rachelroni

We just got engaged August 31st and we are planning our wedding for October 2014. I think it's totally doable, the lady at the dress shop said she would call me back in December, because it's too soon! My only advice is get a venue quick, I called some that were reserved every October until 2016!

NerdyLucy

The pps have already given great suggestions, so yes, you can do it.

We've planned ours in 6-7 months and it honestly hasn't been as hectic as I originally thought, though I should mention that ours is probably more low-key than a lot of weddings being discussed on the knot.

Good luck and happy planning!

katieg520

Of course you can! I am having a 6 month engagement. I don't do long engagements b/c I don't understand the purpose of it. This is my second marriage and last time I was only engaged for three months. This time, I feel like 6 months is waiting forever lol.

Majelin86

I had a year & a month to plan mine and it was plenty of time! I would get on looking for & booking a venue though! 2 of the venues we looked at didn't have the date available that we wanted (and we started looking about 2 weeks after we got engaged).

vmj23

I'm in a simliar boat.  Together 7+ years, in my 30's and not wanting to waste time.  I definitely thinkg that is enough time to plan.  I started planning mine in about June (that was the first time we went to see a venue) for our May wedding and we booked the venue in July. 

Tulips29

It's totally doable. Pick a few dates and rank them say 1 to 3. Then visit venues and see what's available on your most desired date. Once you have the venue and date set, everything else will start falling into place. Venues get booked years in advance, so get that out of the way first and enjoy the rest of the planning process. 

lostinmusic89

I was in the EXACT same boat as you. I was so excited to get married after getting engaged last January that I set the date for September of the same year. I would not have been able to do it without the information in this book: "How to Create the Ultimate Wedding Planning Binder - And Other Helpful Wedding Planning Tips"

SmileDamnit

Yes, yes, yes! Everyone has had great advice…just get organized and secure a venue, stat. We will have just slightly over 6 months, and we're doing it from "afar" (us in CO, getting married in FI's hometown in MT). I thought having a small (under 30) ceremony/reception would make it easier, but at the end of the day the same planning takes place regardless of number of guests. Do some digging round the boards…there's great information to be found!

kittypolishnbags

Mine will be a little over 4 months from the time I got engaged to getting married. Definitely doable. I want to be married to my man and am having a wedding as a moment to share with family and friends. We toyed around just getting married at the courthouse but looks like this is actually really happening since we're nailing down the venue tomorrow!

Mitch617

A year is normal and perfect. We are doing 8.5 months and we are pretty much on track. You just have to be ready to make decisions.

kjvaracalli

Congrats!!! You can do it. We are doing it in 9 months bc we are older and wants to start a family sooner thsn later. It's gonna be little hectic no matter how fast/long engagement is. Had BM who did hers in 4 mos. get going on venue ( fall is busy wedding season), church if you're doing that, and your dress too. These can take time. Good luck!

littledog25

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firebabe6519

A year is plenty of time! FI and I are doing it in 4.5 months (because we changed the state our wedding was in to be accommodating to family). Once you have your venue and caterer its all downhill from there. :-)

kaegurl85

A year for me would be to long. If I had a whole year to plan I'd be changing my mind all the time. It took me 1.5 months to have everything planned. So yes, it is possible to have a fall 2014 wedding! We were together five years and we've been engaged since November of 2013 and will be married June 2014 ... so just a seven month engagement. I've known people to do it in less time as well.