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| 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:
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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.
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| 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)
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| 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)
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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)
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DJ - Sean Wallace of Rattle and Roll.
Image courtesy of Leland Gebhardt. www.lelandg.com |
-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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| Image courtesy of Leland Gebhardt. www.lelandg.com |
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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 |
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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?
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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 |
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| Image courtesy of Leland Gebhardt. www.lelandg.com |
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| Image courtesy of Leland Gebhardt. www.lelandg.com |
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| Image courtesy of Leland Gebhardt. www.lelandg.com |
It’s never too late to
find a great professional for your event so all you have to do is set your date
and start looking!
Blog written by Patrice Klaum
