For many various reasons, a great deal of couples suddenly decide they’re going to have a whirlwind wedding, and everything has to be planned last minute.

Last minute weddings can be very exciting but the prospect can be daunting. Can you really plan an entire wedding day in such a short amount of time ? Well, of course the answer is yes, but you’ll need to be flexible and appreciate that you may not be able to achieve every single wedding desire, however you can still organise a memorable day.

The best thing about last minute weddings are that there maybe lots of discounts available with some excellent wedding suppliers.
Most large wedding venues will advertise available remaining dates on their websites, often at discounted rates so that they can attract business and not have to pay staff who are not working. Should you find yourself in the position of arranging a last minute wedding, then speak to a venue, find out what days they have left availale, and perhaps plan the date according to their diary. If they have one or two dates left to fill, they know they are unlikely to get business at such a late stage, so you may be on course for a large discount – make sure you ask if they don’t offer!

All the normal wedding planning things still need to be organised – the bride-to-be will still want her engagement ring we’re sure of that.
There’s also the guest list, now bear in mind that not all of your intended wedding guests will be able to attend a last minute wedding. There will always be some people who already have plans such as holidays, so you’ll need to check with your immediate family of their availability – or you may end up disappointed, and your family won’t want to miss out either.

There is also some services that will need more time then others to plan for your wedding. If you want a big bespoke wedding cake, these don’t appear overnight, so find your baker early and ensure they can make the date.
Florists also need time to organise their displays, they’ll want as much time as possible if you have a large order of bouquets and table settings.
Other services such as wedding photographers or videographers just need the date available to be able to attend your wedding and capture your special day. Again, if they have dates available in their diaries, enquire about what special offers they can do for you. It may mean the difference to earning a day’s pay, or sitting at home for them, so even discounted business is better then no business.

Get your family and friends well involved in the wedding planning, don’t forget that most brides have months of excitement building up to the wedding, and you don’t want to miss out on your family’s excitement too.
Things like helping write the invitations, coming along to dress fittings, finding suitable local hotels for traveling wedding guests will ease the planning from you and make your family feel like they are lending a helping hand in your special day.
If you’re not hiring caterers, then ask plenty of friends and family what is their specialty dish, if you can get a dozen people to make one dish each then most of your wedding food is already catered for. It’s your wedding day after all, people will be pleased to help out.
Last minute weddings can be just as impressive as a wedding that was years in the planning, sometimes all that matters is that you’re surrounded by your friends and relatives.

So, if you find yourself in the exciting position of a whirlwind wedding to plan, don’t panic, enjoy every moment of it and see how many discounts you can find to make the budget easier.
Prioritise your schedule, the first thing you’ll need to do is find available dates at suitable venues, then let your immediate family and closest friends know these dates to work out who can and who cannot attend the wedding. Once you’ve finalised the wedding date, get those wedding invitations out as soon as possible then set about organising the finer points to ensure you have a very special wedding day.

Happy Wedding Planning !