is it too Late to plan a July wedding?

hbhing · February 2012

Hi July Brides,

I just got engaged, and due to some family matters, I would really like to get married this year.

The venue that I've Always LOVED is completely booked for this year except for july 28th weekend.

Is that too soon? I'm planning a multiday indian wedding as well and my personality is very type A. I'm wondering if this will be good for my type A personality b/c i'll have to make decisions quicker, or just drive me crazy? I'm already freaking out b/c nothing is booked.

There's also a venue that I Like, that's available for 9/22 weekend, and am wondering if I should just go with that...

any advice would be appreciated.

AllyG303 · February 2012

I would freak out planning a wedding in 6 months, but a lot of brides do it. If you keep yourself organized and start looking for all vendors now, you should still be fine. People have planned weddings in less time...

BrightFirefly · February 2012

It can be done - for sure - but do you want to hassle with it?

I started planning at the very end of August - and I'm a very chill and relaxed person for the most part - details don't bother me at all - and it's been a fair amount of stress planning.

How big is your guest list going to be? Have you picked out or looked at dressing yet? (Some take over six months to get it. I called in January to a few places - who said I could only buy off the rack. David's Bridal already has my dress in - 3 weeks later)

BmoreBride311 · February 2012

It can be done, but I would have hated to have that little time. I am having an 18 month engagement, and I'm so happy to have this much time. I spent the first 6 months just kind of researching things and figuring out the style I wanted as well as what things I really didn't want. Plus, I think WP is fun so I'm glad I can stretch it out!

It just depends on you, though. If you've already been thinking about wedding plans and know what you want, you can go for it.

BmoreBride311 · February 2012

and congrats on getting engaged

butterflyjumper1 · February 2012

i got engaged november 21st....fiance and i always dreamed of a summer wedding and didn't want to wait another year....hence, our decision to get married on july 28th.

i went on a WHIRLWIND planning spree and got every big vendor in line and contracted in about 3 weeks. is this normal? no. do most people do it this way? no. did i accomplish it with flying colors? yes.

my advice would be to sit down with your families and come up with your budget. use a spreadsheet to allocate what part of your budget will go towards what. i used a form from a Real Simple wedding magazine. we started with a concrete number and then allocated it based on the budget guidelines on our spreadsheet. we knew exactly what to spend on each part of our wedding, which made it easy to start making decisions and signing contracts.

honestly, i do not think that excessively long engagements are necessary unless you choose to do so for reasons not related to wanting more time to plan. eight months for me has been more than enough time! i am already focusing on smaller details (like centerpieces, escort cards, decorations, bridesmaid jewelry) even though i haven't even been engaged for three months! you just have to make decisions quickly.

i don't think it is impossible at this point, but you would need to start making decisions TOMORROW. don't set up many meetings. only meet with your top 1 or 2 choices in each category. and go pick out your dress ASAP! that was the one thing which made me (and my mom) nervous. my dress was ordered on december 23rd and should be arriving in may. if you order now you should be just fine.

theholograms · February 2012

We got engaged Jan 7th and we are getting married July 28th...it can be done! We are pretty much done with everything except for the BM dresses (and of course the little details). People will think it is too soon and you can't do it, but you definitely can! If you do want to this in 6 months, you just have to be very organized and plan on spending the next 3 or more weekends with appts. Once the venue is booked, I would suggest booking a photographer, getting your dress (they can take months to come in so you'll have to rush order it most likely), and DJ. The rest has a way of falling into place.

Good luck!

amygodfrey10 · February 2012

It can be done, but I would decide quickly and then hit the ground running with booking vendors. I have been planning since August and it's been a fairly stress free time, but I also have a lot of help from family and friends. I would enlist their help if you can, that should help things go more smoothly.

bridetobe71412 · February 2012

Honestly? I wouldn't do it.

Not that I don't think it's physically possible, but you may find yourself settling on vendors based on their availability. You're going to be spending a lot of money on this wedding - especially because it's multi-day - and you don't want to spend thousands of dollars on vendors you don't really love. Right? I mean, maybe I'm in the minority, I just feel like I'd never spend this much money on vendors that I wasn't absolutely obsessed with. And some of mine were already booked for the original date we were interested in when we contacted them 13 months in advance.

Anyway, kind of long-winded. My advice is if you can do September, I'd do that. That'll give you a bit more time. And if you could push it to even later in 2012, I'd do that - like, November, December. You'll also have better luck since that's not really as much wedding season, so many more vendors may be available.

If you do go with July, welcome to the board!

ceglare4 · February 2012

You have some good advice here. I will agree that it can be done but I would also call myself a type A girl and I could never in a million years plan a wedding in 6 months. But that's just me. I've been engaged almost a year and I've enjoyed having time to plan everything and not feel stressed, but I totally hear you on not wanting to wait until next summer. A year and a half long engagement seems crazy too. So I would take a day (but not much longer because you really do need to get planning!) and ask yourself if you are up for it and think you can do it and still have fun. Remember, you don't want to be so stressed and worried for the next 6 months so that by the time the wedding rolls around, you're just ready to get it over with!

bridetobe71412 · February 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_july-2012-weddings_is-it-too-late-to-plan-a-july-wedding?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:066005ef-215f-48b1-8655-328b41e07c52Discussion:1e300254-bfb5-4811-8580-fce4a7c73486Post:fd2f0694-196f-4930-befe-a5f51250730f">Re: is it too Late to plan a July wedding?</a>:
[QUOTE] <strong>Remember, you don't want to be so stressed and worried for the next 6 months so that by the time the wedding rolls around, you're just ready to get it over with!
</strong>Posted by ceglare4[/QUOTE]

That's true. For me, we will have had a 13 month engagement and I have to say, even with all of my spreadsheets, research, vendor contacts, inspiration boards, etc., I am still super stressed out and just looking for this to be over with! There's a good amount of this that I'm not enjoying at all and that's even with taking breaks of a week or two between tasks.

bells24412 · February 2012

I am getting married the 28th. In total I will be engaged for 2 years and 2 weeks before getting married I am so over this wedding planning crap and ready just to get married.

I think planning a wedding in 6 months is do-able but you must start your planning now and start running with it since you need some time to book and order everything especially your dress.

Goodluck with whatever you plan on doing and Congrats on getting engaged!

mandctaft · February 2012

My sister planned in 2 months, so it can be done.

ceglare4 · February 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_july-2012-weddings_is-it-too-late-to-plan-a-july-wedding?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:066005ef-215f-48b1-8655-328b41e07c52Discussion:1e300254-bfb5-4811-8580-fce4a7c73486Post:26b76eea-d2ac-46e2-84c1-995446cc4997">Re: is it too Late to plan a July wedding?</a>:
[QUOTE]My sister planned in 2 months, so it can be done.
Posted by mandctaft[/QUOTE]

But did they play a multi-day indian wedding? If so, kudos to them! The kind of wedding that the OP is describing would make 6 months difficult IMO.

MeaganR12 · February 2012

I would do it if I was in your position. The only reason our engagement is so long (15 months) is because our venue had no warm weather months until July 2012 and I was set on this venue. I would have jumped at the oppurtunity to get married in 6 months. But, if that's not what you were expecting and you've always looked forward to the planning process, I might rethink that.

As far as vendors being booked goes, I would probably make a list of my top 3 most important things for the wedding, ie: venue, photography, DJ. If you can secure vendors you love in the categories that mean the most to you, you should be able to find vendors you like for everything else.

ginadog · February 2012

Here in Utah, brides plan weddings in 2-3 months because that's the average engagement period!

My wedding is July 14th and even though 100% of my guests are out of town, no one has purchased any airline tickets yet.

So if you are productive and organized, I say you can do it and it's not too late.

[Deleted User] · February 2012

I personally wouldn't want to do it, but that is only because I wanted to enjoy being engaged before diving into planning. PP's have given you great advice for whichever way you decide to go. If you need any support or to vent, everyone here is extremely nice!

NikkiF731 · February 2012

I think as long as you're organized and MOVE with the planning that you should be fine...just don't let yourself agonize about your choices too much. If it feels right in your gut, go with it! Happy planning and welcome to the board!

karasanel2018 · February 2012

My sister planned a wedding in 3 months. You can most definitely do it in 6!

Elinetrouwt · February 2012

I think it can be done. I always wanted a summer wedding, and being engaged for more than a year would not feel good to me. So if I were to be engaged now, I'd plan for this summer. I think the hardest part is a venue, and that's the one you've got. I would not settle on a venue you like less, just because it gives you more time.

This all depends a little - you should have some spare time and be enthousiastic about dedicating the next few months to your wedding and little else.

Madisonpenny · February 2012

It can definitely be done FMIL planned her wedding in 2 weeks, so 6 months seems like an eternity in comparison.
However, definitely get your butt in gear and start getting your vendors in order, booked and deposits down.

Nancy00714 · February 2012

I think you can do it! You have the main part down: the venue! if you have that you're halfway there in my opinion. One poster said maybe it will be difficult to find vendors but lucky for you you live in NY! There are bound to be hundreds of florists, photogs, transport service, bakers...I'm sure you'll find vendors you're in love with that can still fit you in.

I picked my venue, dj, florist, BM dresses, invites, STDS and ceremony musician in a month last summer and i'm a dawdler. If I can do it anyone can! Just get on it ASAP!!

Good luck and congratulations!

Carla1019 · February 2012

Yes, you can do it. If you can afford it, hire a wedding planner.

My FI family is African and they also have weddings that last the entire weekend and it is open to everyone that wants to come. They come together as a family / community to pull it off within a few months.

Only you know your support system. If everyone is willing to help than you should be okay. If not, hire help.

When I have an unlimited budget to throw large corporate dinner banquets and then turn around and host large golf tournaments(the next day), I have to do it within two months or less. Anything is possible.

michelle11988 · February 2012

I say go for it if you have the time and money to do so. If you have lots of time to devot to wedding planning in the next few months go for it! Also if you need to save for this then maybe waiting a bit longer would be better. If you have the support system you can do it. I would say your dress should be your next thing you conquer.

ebediako · February 2012

6 months is totally doable. Maybe more stressful, but doable. I had a colleauge who planned hers in 5, and another whose was about 7 months after the engagement. As for me, my wedding is 15 months after the engagement, but due to many distractions with work, moving, and other issues, I didn't begin much of the hardcore planning until December/Jan (and the wedding is in July).

You can do it if you're dedicated (and also not too exact about what you want)

bblouin · February 2012

Do you have a lot of friends and family who are willing to help and whose opinions you trust? If so I think it is possible but if it will be mainly just you than I would not do it

is it too Late to plan a July wedding?

Re: is it too Late to plan a July wedding?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards