It seems lately the big question that I’ve been asked is “how long does it take to plan a wedding?”

That’s a fair question with a really loaded answer.  There are so many factors that play into my response that by the time I have gathered all the details to form a response, the person asking the question may have lost interest!  So I’m going to try and break this down for you… here we go!

What time of year do you want to have a wedding?

If you’re planning your celebration in prime wedding season you might need to plan ahead a little more.  Summer and bordering months are more desirable and fill up quickly, not only at venues but also with other vendors.

Which brings me to the next question, how picky are you about your vendors?

If you just HAVE to have a certain photographer or if you’re day will be simply ruined if the reception doesn’t take place at XYZ Ballroom, then you might need to plan a little more in advance.  I’m not saying that you won’t find quality vendors if you plan last minute nuptials, but they might not be your absolute first choice.  There are approximately 22 Saturdays between May 1^st and September 30^th and not every vendor can work every single date, or has booked a wedding for each of those so you might get lucky.

On that note, have you considered a Friday wedding?

This less popular wedding day can be a great way to kick off a summer weekend and might give you and your vendors some extra options during the planning process.

How much time can you commit a week to planning?

I’ve read in several sources that a wedding takes approximately 200 hours to plan.  That’s about 8 ½ days if you were to work for 24 hours straight, no sleep!  Since it’s highly unlikely that you’re going to go that route, let’s look at it a little more realistically. If you worked on wedding plans for 2 hours a day, 7 days a week, it would take just over 3 months to plan or 100 days.  A list of DIY projects will add extra time.  But enlisting help from a planner or lots of family friends can cut that time in half.

In reality this question has a very individualized, case by case answer.  I’ve planned weddings in 6 months’ time, no problem.  Online planning checklists will start about a year and a half out, but no worries, they’re simply guidelines J

Thinking you want to get married in 2013?  Let’s chat, I’ve heard of a couple great venues that still have availability this summer and fall and I’m up for a great challenge!

The lovely image above was captured by Bradley James Photography