How long does it take to plan a wedding?

Alan Sabol, GM of country wedding venue, Bruisyard Hall, sheds some light on the epic task of planning a wedding and some tips to save time and money.

According to a recent study, the average wedding takes fifteen months to plan. Th truth is, that it all depends on how flexible you’re willing to be on date. location, day of the week and attire.

So are you a leisurely bride? Happy to enjoy a long engagement and book your venue on that perfect significant date? Or are you eager to walk down the aisle in a matter of months?

If you’re fairly flexible and happy to dive straight in, here’s the good news. Far from being at the mercy of busy venues and vendors, you could actually save yourself some money. Because many venues offer last minute deals, and you could even take advantage of mid-week, off-peak and late bookings.

You can make a wedding happen in three months or less if you put your mind to it and get organised. Here’s some advice on getting there on time and on schedule.

Choose that venue

Whilst many venues do get booked up, sometimes years in advance, you can usually find a few days spare if you’re flexible. If you’ve not got your heart set on a specific date, that helps. And if you’re happy to wed outside the busier spring or summer, you’ll find many venues have space in quieter seasons. And guess what? They don’t want their venues empty, so you might be able to snag a great last-minute deal. And don’t be afraid to negotiate on price.

Look for the deals

Once you’ve toured enough venues to know which ones are your favourites, check what their diary looks like. You may be surprised. They may even have had a cancellation you can pounce on.

Another good tip for speeding things up is to consider a mid-week wedding. Many venues have mid-week spaces throughout the year, and may even have deals to entice you in that direction.

Once booked – that’s your deadline for organising everything else set. And nothing focuses the mind of a determined bride like a solid deadline.

Spread the word

And as soon as you’ve confirmed the venue, get your save the dates out to give people maximum notice. Particularly important for people travelling from afar who will need to book flights – or those who will need to book time off work.

The dress

It can take up to six months to get a wedding dress ordered, fitted and altered. It’s a similar waiting time for bridesmaids’ dresses. However, for brides short of time, you can get creative to skip the queue. Visit a bridal shop, where you can find a range of off the peg dresses. You might find your perfect fit. And if you’re looking for something non-traditional, many online shops have a great range. There are also pre-owned options out there.

Bruisyard

If you’re thinking about Bruisyard Hall as a venue, you should always get in touch to see what late spaces are available, and what deals we can offer. And I promise you that no matter how stressful (and exciting) your wedding planning gets, particularly if you’re looking to get married as soon as possible, your Bruisyard wedding won’t feel rushed. You’ll get at least two nights in the hall, with room for 24 people to stay. That gives you time to really enjoy the experience without feeling under pressure to get in and out.

And with our own brilliant catering team on hand to provide food throughout your stay, that’s one less supplier to worry about.

Bruisyard Hall is holding a Wedding Open Day on Sunday 28th January 10-2pm. Find out more and pre-register here.

Photo credit: Dominic Whiten Photography