Celebrations by Amy Bacon: How long do you need to plan a wedding?

Image courtesy of Leland Gebhardt. www.lelandg.com

For some, the ideas of what a person would like at their wedding starts in childhood but the actual concrete planning will not start until around the time of a couple’s engagement. While some laid-back engagements can be rather short, the average length of an engagement in the US is currently 15 months. TheKnot.com states that “Northeast brides have the longest engagements (15.5 months), while brides from Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi have the shortest (12 months), on average.” This being said, the length of time to plan a wedding can be estimated based on when you plan to get married, and how long each aspect takes to plan:

The right season/weather will make for fabulous photos.
Image courtesy of Leland Gebhardt. www.lelandg.com

-Wedding Season: In Arizona specifically, the event season tends to run from October until early June due to the extreme heat of summer. Spring weather in this state is ideal for indoor and outdoor weddings alike so keep in mind if a weekend is perfect for your special day, it may be perfect for multiple other couples as well so make sure to plan well enough ahead that you don’t miss out on the date you had in mind.

Image courtesy of Leland Gebhardt. www.lelandg.com

-Wedding Dress: Your search for THE dress can take one day (being the first dress you try on) or months so this amount of time is difficult to estimate, but should you have to order a dress, you need to leave room for at least 6 months for the dress to come in and at least 8 weeks for alterations. (Total = > 8 months)

Image courtesy of Leland Gebhardt. www.lelandg.com

-Renting a Tux: Most men don’t have a perfectly sized tuxedo hanging in their closet so you will need one to three months to find one that works best and fits well. (Total = < 3 months)

The Venue - Encanto Park Clubhouse.
Image courtesy of Leland Gebhardt. www.lelandg.com

-Venue: Many venues are booked a year in advance so if you want to get married on a popular weekend (Memorial Day, weekends surrounding Valentines’ Day, etc.), you’ll want to search around for multiple venues you like in case the one you love is already taken. Some do not allow you to book more than 17 months in advance so if you have your heart set on a specific location, make sure you know their policies on reserving the space. (Total = 1 year)

DJ - Sean Wallace of Rattle and Roll.
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-Entertainment: DJs and other forms of entertainment in the events industry which have been open and popular for a number of seasons can have their calendars all booked up at least a year in advance, and some companies choose not to book until they are less than a year out from the wedding date so that they aren’t promising a price that’s lower than their new year totals. It’s all a matter of who you happen to choose. To be safe, assume that you need around a year if you are hoping to get married in peak season. (Total = 1 year)

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-Florist: “Florists can only handle a certain set amount of weddings per day, so book your florist well in advance to avoid disappointment. Four to six months is acceptable. But if you’re planning to get married at a peak time of the year (such as a holiday or during the peak wedding season), six months is the absolute minimum.” (Total = > 6 months)

Hiring a wedding planner can take the stress of planning and allow you to enjoy your day like these two love birds.
Image courtesy of Leland Gebhardt. www.lelandg.com

-Wedding Planner/Coordinator: Many wedding planners have events in their books at least a year and a half out so don’t assume that your weekend will be available, no matter when you plan to say your ‘I Do’s. However, if you want to start planning your wedding and getting your major details together, the planner should be the first company that you want to sign a contract with. Professional wedding planners and coordinators’ job is to find top-notch event specialists that they trust to be there for their clients’ special day. They know which companies to trust, which have proven to be less than desirable, and which need to be booked as soon as you have a ring on your finger. Planners make their living off of making sure every single detail is perfect and prepared for your event so if you’re worried about everything being in its place and don’t want to have to settle for a vendor who just happened to be available last minute, why wouldn’t you hire a company like Celebrations forAmy Bacon to plan and coordinate your event?

Taking a moment, just the two of them after the ceremony.
It was the grooms idea and a surprise for the bride.
Image courtesy of Leland Gebhardt. www.lelandg.com