How to Plan a Wedding in 6 Months: A Comprehensive Timeline
Can you even plan a wedding in 6 months or less? Absolutely! The amount of work you need to do to plan a wedding will generally correlate with how elaborate you want it to be – but regardless of how much you need to plan, we’ve created the perfect 6-month timeline so you can pull off the wedding of your dreams in half a year. On average, couples plan their weddings on an average of 8-12 months, but there are also those who elope with no plans at all! If you’re looking for a small, boutique wedding and want a shorter engagement, and shorter to-do list, that’s no problem at all. In fact, it's our expertise. Follow the steps below to plan the perfect wedding in only six months.
6 Months Remaining: Setting the Foundation
The first thing you should do to plan a wedding in 6 months, is set your budget. And with your budget, comes your guest list. The easiest way to reduce the cost of your overall wedding day is to reduce the number of guests you’re inviting! A smaller guest list can exponentially cut the costs of things like the venue, equipment rentals, catering, stationery and favors. Once you have an idea of your total number of invitees, start to shop for a venue that accommodates that number of people. Finding a venue six months out from your wedding may be a little tricky, so you may want to consider getting married on a Friday or Sunday. First, pick your wedding date while keeping these seasonal tips in mind.
- Determine your budget.
- Make your guest list.
- Shop venues & pick one.
- Take engagement photos.
Photography and Invitations
When planning a wedding in six months there are a few things that may not make the cut, and one we’d recommend skipping is engagement photo Save the Dates. Since most photographers will take between 3-6 weeks to edit and return photos after your session, it can be difficult to get them out in time. Instead, opt for a design from a stationer or a website like Minted, and make sure your friends and family have plenty of time to get your wedding day on their calendar.
5 Months Remaining: Booking Key Vendors
With 5 months left until your wedding day, you should prioritize vendors that book up the fastest and furthest in advance. In our experience, this is usually photographers and caterers. Once you have your venue booked and your wedding date set you should make these two vendors your main focus. If you have your eye on someone specific, reach out as soon as possible! This is another reason why we recommend that couples working on a short deadline opt to get married on a day other than Saturday - vendors are far more likely to have availability. The five-month mark is also when you should start shopping for a wedding dress. Since dresses are often shipped from overseas and require multiple alterations appointments, it’s important to shop as early as you can.
- Pick and hire a caterer / bartender.
- Hire a photographer.
- Find the perfect wedding dress.
- Send out your Save The Dates.
4 Months Remaining: Finalizing the Details
At the 4-month mark, you’ll want to finish hiring all of the vendors you need for your wedding day. This can include your officiant, DJ, coordinator, makeup, florist, and anyone else you might want. Once you have your vendors handled you can sigh a big breath of relief – this is by far the trickiest part of wedding planning. This is also the time when you’ll want to make sure that you reach out to anyone you want involved in your wedding party! Reach out to your friends and family that you’d like to participate, whether you ask them in person or gift them with a proposal box. For those who say yes, you’ll want to decide what you’d like them to wear, and give them plenty of time to order and get alterations.
- Hire an officiant.
- Ask your wedding party.
- Find your DJ/Band.
- Hire Hair & Make-Up Artist.
- Hire a Florist.
- Design and order your wedding cake.
The last three months of wedding planning may seem stressful, but lots of progress can be made if you follow this structured approach. To help you visualize the process, here is a summary of the planning milestones:
| Timeline | Primary Tasks |
|---|---|
| 6 Months Out | Budget, Guest List, Venue, Date selection |
| 5 Months Out | Caterer, Photographer, Wedding Dress shopping |
| 4 Months Out | Officiant, Wedding Party, DJ, Florist, Cake |