How Long Does It Take to Plan a Wedding?
When you choose to get married, you're taking a huge step forward in your relationship. As such, it's understandable that you'd want the day commemorating your eternal commitment to be perfect. Making sure everything is perfect for your big day generally comes at a price and you'll want to make sure you plan it with enough time. There's a reason the wedding industry brings in almost $55 billion every year!
If you're just starting down the road to your own special day, you might wonder: How long does it take to plan a wedding? Our guide will act as a wedding planner to give you a helpful estimate for the amount of time it takes to plan a wedding.
How Long Does it Take to Plan a Wedding?
The answer to the question "how long does it take to plan a wedding" isn't as simple to answer as you might think. The truth of the matter is that it takes as long as you want it to take. The very first question you'll need to answer is, what day do you want your big day to fall on? Many couples will choose a wedding date that is significant to their relationship like an anniversary or first date. Most weddings will fall on a weekend.
The average couple spends between 12-18 months on their wedding planning timeline. This gives you plenty of time to book the venue, decide on all your décor and caterers, get your rings and dresses, and all the other bits and pieces of the planning process.
However, the real answer is that the wedding planning process lasts as long as you want your engagement to last. Just don't make it last too long as studies have shown engagements lasting longer than 27 months result in higher divorce rates. If you want to stretch the planning process out for two plus years, that's fine. If you're ready to run for the altar in three or less months, go for it!
The answer to the question "how long does it take to plan a wedding" isn't as simple to answer as you might think. The truth of the matter is that it takes as long as you want it to take. The very first question you'll need to answer is, what day do you want your big day to fall on? Many couples will choose a wedding date that is significant to their relationship like an anniversary or first date. Most weddings will fall on a weekend.
The average couple spends between 12-18 months on their wedding planning timeline. This gives you plenty of time to book the venue, decide on all your décor and caterers, get your rings and dresses, and all the other bits and pieces of the planning process.
However, the real answer is that the wedding planning process lasts as long as you want your engagement to last. Just don't make it last too long as studies have shown engagements lasting longer than 27 months result in higher divorce rates. If you want to stretch the planning process out for two plus years, that's fine. If you're ready to run for the altar in three or less months, go for it!
Things to Consider
As stated above, the length of the wedding planning process depends on the length of your engagement. There are many benefits to a longer engagement, but you're free to take the leap much faster if you want. If you're not sure which option works best for you, here are some things to consider when deciding on a time frame:
Lifestyle and Career Timing
Are you and your partner busy professionals or students? Do you have loads of other commitments? If so, a longer engagement might be better to allow more time for planning.
If you both have more free time, you can organize your plans a lot faster, which might allow the planning process to move forward faster.
Are you and your partner busy professionals or students? Do you have loads of other commitments? If so, a longer engagement might be better to allow more time for planning.
If you both have more free time, you can organize your plans a lot faster, which might allow the planning process to move forward faster.
Finances and Support
How do you and your partner intend to pay for this? Is the wedding going to be self-funded, family-funded, or are you planning on getting a loan? Do you have the support of blood or chosen family, or is this a two-person planning party?
Your budget and support system can be critical in deciding the ultimate timeline for your wedding.
How do you and your partner intend to pay for this? Is the wedding going to be self-funded, family-funded, or are you planning on getting a loan? Do you have the support of blood or chosen family, or is this a two-person planning party?
Your budget and support system can be critical in deciding the ultimate timeline for your wedding.
How do you and your partner intend to pay for this? Is the wedding going to be self-funded, family-funded, or are you planning on getting a loan? Do you have the support of blood or chosen family, or is this a two-person planning party?
Your budget and support system can be critical in deciding the ultimate timeline for your wedding.
Preferences and Vision
What's your vision for your perfect wedding day? Do you want a private, intimate affair or elopement that can be thrown together in a matter of months? Or do you want a massive dream wedding with all your friends and family there?
Once you decide on these factors, you'll have a better clue of your prospective timeline.
What's your vision for your perfect wedding day? Do you want a private, intimate affair or elopement that can be thrown together in a matter of months? Or do you want a massive dream wedding with all your friends and family there?
Once you decide on these factors, you'll have a better clue of your prospective timeline.
What to do if it has to be Last Minute?
If you and your partner decide to have a short engagement and have come to the decision that your wedding has to be last minute you might be overwhelmed on how to plan a wedding on such short notice.
First things first, don't panic. If you panic and stress out about it, you'll wind up making decisions for your big day that you'll regret for years to come. Even on a shorter timeline, you can still invest in a custom-designed wedding that's perfect for both of you.
The major thing you need to keep in mind when you plan a wedding on a shortened timeline is that you need to be flexible. Many big wedding venues, especially for destination weddings, book out over a year in advance. So, if you're going on a short timeline, you might not get that perfect venue that you're dying to use.
Don't worry. It may seem clichéhe, but no matter where you book the wedding, so long as you honor the love between yourself and your partner, your wedding day will be magical.
If you and your partner decide to have a short engagement and have come to the decision that your wedding has to be last minute you might be overwhelmed on how to plan a wedding on such short notice.
First things first, don't panic. If you panic and stress out about it, you'll wind up making decisions for your big day that you'll regret for years to come. Even on a shorter timeline, you can still invest in a custom-designed wedding that's perfect for both of you.
The major thing you need to keep in mind when you plan a wedding on a shortened timeline is that you need to be flexible. Many big wedding venues, especially for destination weddings, book out over a year in advance. So, if you're going on a short timeline, you might not get that perfect venue that you're dying to use.
Don't worry. It may seem clichéhe, but no matter where you book the wedding, so long as you honor the love between yourself and your partner, your wedding day will be magical.
Wedding Planning Checklist
Lastly, let's examine the pieces of the wedding planning puzzle. There are a ton of moving parts that go into planning for your special day, so let's break them down into a list of questions. Some pieces of your dream wedding may include:
- How much do you want to put forth to your wedding budget?
- Do you want to plan it yourself, or outsource it to a wedding planner?
- Where and when do you want your wedding to take place?
- What themes and designs do you want to incorporate? Do you want to hire a florist?
- What's your budget for your wedding dresses, suits, and wedding rings?
- Who do you want as your bridesmaids and groomsmen?
- How much DIY are you willing to do?
- Who do you want to include on the guest list? When are you sending the wedding invitations?
- What are your honeymoon plans?
Once you have an idea of the answers to all these questions, you'll have a much better idea of your prospective wedding timeline. Whether you spend the full year and a half or a few weeks getting everything together, answering these questions will help you keep your head on straight through the planning process.
Lastly, let's examine the pieces of the wedding planning puzzle. There are a ton of moving parts that go into planning for your special day, so let's break them down into a list of questions. Some pieces of your dream wedding may include:
- How much do you want to put forth to your wedding budget?
- Do you want to plan it yourself, or outsource it to a wedding planner?
- Where and when do you want your wedding to take place?
- What themes and designs do you want to incorporate? Do you want to hire a florist?
- What's your budget for your wedding dresses, suits, and wedding rings?
- Who do you want as your bridesmaids and groomsmen?
- How much DIY are you willing to do?
- Who do you want to include on the guest list? When are you sending the wedding invitations?
- What are your honeymoon plans?
Once you have an idea of the answers to all these questions, you'll have a much better idea of your prospective wedding timeline. Whether you spend the full year and a half or a few weeks getting everything together, answering these questions will help you keep your head on straight through the planning process.
Lastly, let's examine the pieces of the wedding planning puzzle. There are a ton of moving parts that go into planning for your special day, so let's break them down into a list of questions. Some pieces of your dream wedding may include:
- How much do you want to put forth to your wedding budget?
- Do you want to plan it yourself, or outsource it to a wedding planner?
- Where and when do you want your wedding to take place?
- What themes and designs do you want to incorporate? Do you want to hire a florist?
- What's your budget for your wedding dresses, suits, and wedding rings?
- Who do you want as your bridesmaids and groomsmen?
- How much DIY are you willing to do?
- Who do you want to include on the guest list? When are you sending the wedding invitations?
- What are your honeymoon plans?
Once you have an idea of the answers to all these questions, you'll have a much better idea of your prospective wedding timeline. Whether you spend the full year and a half or a few weeks getting everything together, answering these questions will help you keep your head on straight through the planning process.