There are many reasons a couple can wind up planning a wedding on short notice. Some couples decide that they simply want to get married and who wants to wait a long time? Others may have changed their mind about wedding planning and this type of wedding may be their "Plan B." Or this could be a second marriage or a civil ceremony where the wedding planned is going to be a small occasion. Fortunately, no matter your reason: you can always have a beautiful wedding day you'll remember forever.



Get Organized. The most important thing to keep in mind to planning your wedding on short notice is to get (and stay) organized. It is helpful to keep everything handy in a large binder such as your to do list, phone numbers, notes , etc. Keep all charges for the wedding on one credit card if at all possible. Keep track of all your receipts from the wedding. Write everything down that pertains to the wedding. This will help keep things stress free.

Be Flexible. When you are planning a wedding on short notice, you admittedly have to be a bit flexible about some details that other brides might be more stubborn about. Things like your location, types of flowers and the type of wedding dress you wear. Typical wedding dress alterations can take a minimum of six months. Keep in mind that if you are planning a wedding in weeks instead of months you will be buying your dress off the rack. Although you may have to be a little flexible you can still get what you want. Make a list of the qualities that you want (for a dress, location, flowers, etc.) and think about what is the most important. This will help you really make up your mind when it comes to making a selection.

Stick to Your Budget. Some brides and grooms are very tempted to go off budget, and this is very much the case with a wedding planned on short notice. Some vendors may complain about the short notice and will press rush fees on you. Others will be happy to accommodate you on short notice. Remember that these vendors are providing you with a service and that if someone presses you too hard for extra coin and you feel it is unfair, you always have the option to walk away. But be reasonable: if you are asking someone to create your wedding cake on such short notice you may be expected to pay a little more.

Ask for Help. What is that old saying: two heads are better than one? Well many more heads can often be better still when planning a wedding on short notice! Try to delegate some of your wedding planning to your family and friends. Be sure not to overload your family and friends with too many tasks. Keep things simple and don't sweat the small stuff: if your mother-in-law orders peach napkins instead of pale pink no one is really going to notice. Think of tasks that would suit the people you are giving them to. If your dad is an excellent negotiator, then putting him in charge of finding the reception hall could be a great choice. Or asking your mom to be in charge of the bridesmaids' logistics for the day of the wedding. Remember to say "thank you" and -- even better -- get everyone a nice little gift from your honeymoon trip to express your gratitude.