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Six Weeks to Wedded Not every couple has time on their side – here’s how to plan your perfect wedding in a flash 
In six weeks you can safely lose ten pounds, let your bad haircut grow out or plan a wedding from start to finish. That’s right - you can go from “I will” to “I do” in less time than it takes to have that custom-ordered sofa delivered. Many brides relish the prolonged experience of choosing dresses, caterers and locations. They enjoy auditioning bandleaders and chatting with friends about the latest bridal trends. But not everyone appreciates or can even allow for these rituals. If certain events in your life or your particular style lead you to an abbreviated schedule, don’t worry. You can arrange a lovely wedding in less than two months... without losing your sanity and without going over your budget. “It can be fun,” says Karen Bussen, a New York City event designer and planner. “I just designed a wedding in just over three weeks in New York. You get a rush,” she says. Whether it’s an adrenaline thrill or a nightmare depends on your temperament and how organized you are. As with all tight schedules, you have to create a detailed plan and stick with it. “You can’t change your mind all the time. You have to commit yourself to spending X number of hours planning and make a bargain with yourself that you’re not going to sweat the small stuff,” says Bussen, author of “Simple Stunning Wedding Flowers” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2007). If you have specific ideas in mind, such as peach-colored roses, it may cost more to fulfill your dreams on short notice. However, if you’re not rigid you’ll find some unexpected bargains. According to many wedding planners, if vendors such as photographers, caterers, florists and musicians aren’t booked on your wedding day, you may be able to get discounted prices or more services. Bussen says locking in a location should be one of your first priorities. And, contrary to what you may assume, you can find price breaks even with some of the most luxurious sites. The further out you book a venue the more you’re likely to pay. The converse may be true as well, according to Anthony Milkey, a Marriott Hotels certified wedding event planner, Laguna Cliffs, Calif. “It’s like discount flights, but you have to be flexible,” says Milkey. A hotel would rather book all its rooms than lose money on the vacant space, so they’re likely to give couples a price break or negotiate for extra hours. At the Laguna Cliffs, which is a large resort, Milkey booked one recent wedding on a Tuesday that was scheduled for the following Sunday. “I’m joking about having a drive-through wedding facility,” he says. When it comes to arranging for musicians, a florist, caterer and photographer, you can save a lot of time and aggravation by working with a facility that has its own event-planning service. Again, you may not get the person you’d prefer, but you can get a good deal. “You may not get the photographer you want, but you’ll get his assistant, and you may get a better price,” says Milkey. If you’re opting to use independent vendors, Bussen suggests you take one day to hire everyone. “It’s like job interviews in which you’re scheduling everyone in a row. If you allow yourself just 45 minutes per interview, you’ll stay on track and have the people you want by the end of the day,” she says. A wedding dress is also far up on every bride’s to-do list. Don’t even bother going to a design studio when you’re planning a wedding with time constraints. “They’ll laugh. Instead buy a dress off the rack and get it adjusted. You can save money with an off-the-rack wedding dress,” Bussen says. David’s Bridal, a national chain, sells gowns for both the bride and the attendants, and is one of several resources available to the rushed bride. That brings to mind still another benefit of the briefly planned wedding. You don’t have the time to starve yourself in order to fit into a wedding dress. “We know from our market research that about 40 percent of the customers who register online at our Web site also visit Web sites such as ediets.com. It’s typical to lose weight before a wedding,” says Gary Schwartz, a senior vice president of marketing for David’s Bridal. Buy the dress that fits and save the agony. |
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