They say it can’t be done… Plan the wedding of your dreams in six weeks!

We say, of course it can be done and we’re going to show you how to accomplish it, using some good  old fashioned common sense, a lot of creativity,  some crafting, cooking  and of course, a little help from your best friends.

With great  ideas and some rational budgeting tips you’re going to accomplish it in style. There are so many ways to save a few dollars here and a few dollars there, and still get exactly what you want.

Not only will your wedding shine, but you will have the added advantage of making it uniquely your own, saying your “I do’s” in a way that displays your particular style and your personality, and lets your friends and family take part in a way that makes it truly a family affair.

Everyone helps, there is no one left who feels excluded or useless, and the wedding itself will be something that will be talked about and mulled over for years.

The kind of wedding where people say, “do you remember how “they” did it?” Saving money isn’t just a hobby now, in today’s age of skyrocketing prices and unrealistic costs for anything wedding related it’s an absolute necessity.

Too often we take for our resources for granted, and don’t use them as well as we might. The six weeks time line will have you doing just the right thing at just the right juncture, so that your time and money are managed effectively, and helping you to make the most of both.

The DIY wedding is not only less costly, but tends to bring families together, and get them working toward a common goal, so it has the added effect of seeing your families and you, who may not have done a great deal of interacting or working together in recent months, due to time constraints or busy lives, actually spending quality time together. Make sure that you take stock of those around you and who has what talents so that you can effectively use and manage the creativity that you have available to you.

If yours is anything like most families you’re going to find that you have nearly unlimited talent sitting there beside you in the guise of a grandmother or sister or aunt, or even an uncle. (Don’t count the guys out of the running either. Take stock of their talents and skills and then make the most of them.)

Asking Grandma or Aunt Jane to assist you in making items for your wedding ensemble, along with a few of your decorations and maybe even helping with some of the edibles for the reception will make them feel like they have had an important part in making your dream come true.  After all, this is what “family” is all about!

It’s not only fun and exciting to do it yourself and to make do with a few things you have around the house while making a few of the others, but it’s a far greener alternative to your wedding and reception.

Buying new as opposed to buying used and refurbishing takes nearly two times the energy, while recycling things or making them yourself will save not just money, but resources that are, in today’s world a precious commodity. When you make it yourself, use a gown that has been pre-worn, serve homemade edibles as opposed to those made in a commercial facility, you are saving gas, electricity, emissions, and money.

While you are saving money and getting it done your particular way, you are working with the environment rather than against it  by reusing, and recycling goods, and making a few things as opposed to buying them and that’s no small bonus.

If you can save a small bit of manufacturing by your own recycling of a gown or a candelabra – you’ve done your good deed for the day.

While you are preparing for an event that will change your life, and working toward making your wedding day memorable, don’t forget to relax and unwind once in a while, to show your gratitude and to take the time to enjoy the rest of your family.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Before we can get started, it’s probably best to do a survey of what needs to be done, when it needs to be accomplished  and to set a realistic budget for what we’ve got to accomplish for the money that we have to spend.

Our time line is six weeks, and in that time we need to accomplish the following tasks, in order to get us all to the church on time (or whatever venue you’ve selected)

Wow, this is more work than we thought, but if everyone works together and we set some clear goals, it’s going to work out very well. We will come in both under budget and on time, and we’ll do it in our own way.

So what needs to be done for both the wedding and reception?

Wedding Needs:

Wedding Venue

Invitations

Officiate

Marriage License

Rings

Flowers

Dress and headpiece

Photographer

Guest Book

Music

Reception Needs:

Music

Food and drinks

Decorations

Table coverings and favors

Reception Decorations

Miscellaneous Expenses

Extras:

Bridesmaid and Attendant gifts

Bridesmaid’s luncheon

Rehearsal Dinner

Dress Alterations

Realistically, these can be split into the weeks prior to the wedding and the tasks done a few at a time, so that no one is overwhelmed either physically or financially, and everything gets accomplished in a timely way.

So, to break them down into the weeks prior to your wedding, in such a way that it all gets done in time, we are going to take a few things at a time and get started.

Week one will see certain things that are absolutely necessary to get accomplished immediately, particularly if your wedding will take place in the summertime, when venues, and services are in high demand.

This becomes less imperative if your wedding will take place in a non-traditional venue, however if a church wedding is important to you, you’d better get on the phone and start planning with your officiate to find a place and a time that will work for him or her.

Week One

Settle on a budget for your event. (This little conference should include all the family members or anyone who will help or contribute in any way, i.e. cooking, altering the dress, decorating etc, since you will need to know how much it will take them to accomplish what they offered to do.)

Settle on a venue

Find an officiate

Choose Wedding Rings

Select attendants

Design or choose invitations (this is most important if you are ordering them from an invitation company as the delivery may not take place for a week or more)

Call and interview photographers (again, very important if you are hiring a professional, particularly during the summer months.)

Week Two

Dress and Veil – You do not have time to special order a gown

Photographer selection

Rent a reception hall (or select a reception area if not part of the ceremony venue selected during week One.)

Bear in mind that you will need heat tables for hot foods when choosing the reception area, or cords to plug in things such as slow cookers etc.

Find wedding musician and/or soloist for ceremony

Hire or find a DJ for your reception

Mail invitations

Week Three

Flowers (Make decision whether to purchase or make your own floral arrangements, bouquets, & displays)

If they are being made, let’s get started.

Reception Decor

Plan a reception menu and either hire a caterer or speak to those family members who you would like to cook or fix the food for your reception

Find two or three servers for your wedding reception

Gown Alterations

Week Four

Bridesmaids and Groomsmen’s gifts

Wedding Program

Gown Alterations/Fittings

Flower girl’s basket and ring bearers pillow

Bridal Showers will most likely be in this time span as well.

Confirm your reception menu

Begin making party favors and gifts

Week Five

Finalize the following

Photographer

Wedding dress – your alterations are complete

Make your veil and complete flowers if making your own silk bouquets

Finish table centerpieces and guest favors

Tie up the bird seed or flower petal bags for the wedding

If you are cooking hot foods, begin cooking the meal and freezing it

Finalize your caterer and confirm their responsibilities

Purchase table coverings and tableware (if not being provided by caterer)

Settle on rehearsal dinner venue and menu

Week Six

Complete Bridesmaids gifts

Make table edibles

Complete table favors

Bridesmaid Luncheon (best time line, about five days before the wedding)

Two Days Before

Check on musicians, photographer, and touch-base with your caterer or food prep folks (even if it’s a friend or family member)

Check on your flowers and reconfirm delivery time if you have not done them yourself
Try on your wedding gown – press and steam yourself to save additional dollars

Check on your reception decorators to assure they will be there on the morning of your wedding to decorate.

The Day Before Your Wedding

Final call to confirm all last minute details

Rehearsal dinner final prep

Rehearsal dinner

A LONG hot bath!