There are plenty of reasons why you may be having a last minute wedding and, if you don’t fancy waiting a year or so after your engagement to tie the knot, you’re certainly not alone and there are plenty of ways to make the day go smoothly.
As last minute weddings are more common than you might think, we’ve put together a quick guide to pulling it off so that the nuptials will go without a hitch.
Choose the venue wisely
The venue is one of the biggest aspects of a wedding, so making sure you book that as soon as possible as a point of priority is really important.
We spoke to Lake District Country Hotels who said: “Booking a venue where you can both tie the knot and hold a reception will really take a lot of the pressure off your big day, especially if you’re stressed about the ceremony being last minute.”
“Having two major parts of your wedding rolled into one makes it easier for you and your guests, so aim to find a venue that can do just that so there’s much less planning on your behalf.”
Also, it’s in the venues best interests to hold a wedding on a day where they don’t already have bookings, so booking your big day last minute might even leave them open to giving you a discount or two!
Strive to get a bargain
As mentioned above, holding a last minute wedding is great for bagging a few good bargains and that could be on anything from your dress to the venue.
Even negotiating on the little details such as getting free cake service with your venue or getting a discount on your guests’ hotel rooms can really add up so make sure you at least ask for a good deal – asking nicely always helps!
If you’re not confident about asking for a bargain on your wedding venue, read this guide for some pointers.
Give in your notice of marriage ASAP
If you’re planning your wedding in a rush, you may end up missing a few details. Forgetting some non-essential items here and there is completely fine, but there are some absolute musts which you simply shouldn’t forget or the big day won’t go ahead at all.
In England and Wales, you have to give at least 28 days notice to your local register office if you plan to get married or form a civil partnership. Your notice with then be displayed publicly in the register office for 28 days and you may have to enquire with the overseas authorities if you wish to wed abroad.
To ensure that none of your time spent planning is wasted, make sure you give your notice within the required time – it may seem like one of the boring parts of planning a wedding, but it really is an essential!
As much as it can be stressful to book and organize a wedding last minute, if you plan carefully, your big day can be just as perfect as a wedding planned a year or so in advance, so don’t be put off by your enormous to do list!