Accelerated Nursing Program and Wedding Planning...HELP

EarthyBride2017

Hi Everyone!

I'm new here but have been stalking the discussion threads for a few days now.  

I was engaged 6 months ago and will be (hopefully) starting nursing school a year from now (May 2016).  The program is accelerated and will end in August 2017 and has barely any breaks.  Due to this, my only options for getting married in 2017 would have to be September-December.  Maybe I'm just being stubborn, but I don't want to wait until summer 2018 (almost a four year engagement).

So far our thought is to aim for late Sept. 2017, about a month after I graduate.  I'm looking for advice from other people who have planned a wedding while in a rigorous program.  I'm terrified and really wish I could afford a wedding planner.  The wedding will most likely be for 125-150 people.  The other issue is the NCLEX (licensure exam) and deciding if I want to fit that in before the wedding or after...and then there is the honeymoon.  

Any advice? I'm already stressed and I technically have two+ years to plan if I start now.  It is just so overwhelming.

justsie

As long as you find vendors that are willing to sign contracts that far out you can probably plan most of it before you start the program. There are obviously going to be a few extra busy weekends, but honestly your FI should be helping you do the planning, so its not like you are going at this completely alone. 

I would just plan one event at a time. Plan your wedding and then worry about your honeymoon later. 

Knottie1430965129

Late to the party again... I just finished an Accelerated Nursing program myself and am getting married next May. I would suggest taking your NCLEX as soon as you can after graduation, even though you will be stressed with wedding thoughts and studying, it is definitely worth it not to put it off. FI and I did a lot of our planning/booking/vendor searching during the few breaks I had (Christmas was the longest at 3 weeks!) It was easier for him to work his days off around my clinical sch so that we could both be involved in just about everything. It helps that FI WANTS to do all those things with me, and definitely lets me know what he isn't interested in (centerpieces/florist visits and the like).

My advice is to sit down with your FI and define what are "do together" items, and what are some things that can be done individually (or with bridesmaids/groomsmen). Plan to take care of the "do together" stuff like venue, photographer, DJ before you begin the program. For us, we booked 1 1/2 years out to ensure we would have everything locked down for the date we chose and so time would not get away from us. Our venue was able to provide a list of photographers and DJ's so we would have a place to start.Florist, suits/tuxes, even bridesmaid dresses can wait until about 6-8 months (or even closer) before your date and can be done over a spring break or long weekend. 

You have a jump on things, and know when you need to start buckling down for school. Take a deep breath, be a little nervous, but be excited! You'll want those couple of wedding related things to take you away from the books every now and again.

Congratulations & I wish you the best of luck!!

Knottie1439145435

I'm doing my dissertation, and will be gone for about 3 months leading up to the wedding. Something that has helped me is booking a package venue. The ceremony and reception are on the same site, it includes a coordinator, and they handle the food and the cake. This way, we just need to worry about a DJ, photographer, and decor. I'm definitely a DIY type person, and some would argue that these package venues inhibit creativity, but I found that as long as you like the aesthetic of the place, they don't restrict your decor choices, and they have good food and a good alcohol policy, you'll be fine. In the end, we have two major meetings with them -- a contract walk through, a tasting, and then I can come and talk to them as much as I see fit. It's one phone call and one person to track down, instead of 4. 

Knottie1439145435

Also, in terms of bridesmaids -- when I went to pay for my gown, I had one of my friends try on 5-6 dress options. I narrowed it down to 2, and then I'm taking the whole group to try on those 2 and discuss color then. The appointment will go a lot faster, and I already know they will all like those particular styles. I'd be careful with the dresses though. I went to David's, and they told me particular styles can take a really long time (8 months) to order, and then when I went through the rack, the styles I chose ended up being the long-order options. So maybe take a weekend now and browse.

Knottie1430965129

@knottie1439145435 I agree, the local bridal shop I ordered my gown from is a one-stop-shop for bridesmaids and for tux/suit rental and they did tell me certain designers need to be ordered 6-8 months out. I have 2 girls, and they chose their dresses when I picked my gown up. We will go in Oct to order for May. Tux/suites she said could wait until Feb-March; but I've already put the bug in FI's ear to get his groomsmen the info now so when the time comes, they aren't blind-sided. 

Our venue is also an all-inclusive, ceremony & reception on-site with food, drink, cake included. Difficult to find, but so much easier to deal with 1 person, as you said

KeyToHisHeart2017

I became engaged in May of this year. I graduate Nursing School in December, and begin the RN to BSN Program in January 2016 with a potential graduation date of December 2016. That being said, we are planning a Spring/Summer 2017 wedding. And by planning, I mean I am not doing anything stressful until after I graduate. Right now I am just browsing the boards, looking up venues online in my spare time.. but just to look, and playing around with ideas of what I think I may want everything to look/be like. I wish I could do more but it's been hard for me to work this past year and half in school so we need to be able to save up some money next year before we can make deposits and everything like that. I don't have much help really, just to say GOOD LUCK in nursing school because you are going to need it!!!