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if you're planning to get married in dc, i would be concerned about availability. especially in april, which is around cherry blossom time.
if you can afford it, get a wedding planner. it's totally possible to plan in 3-4 months, you just have to hurry up and make sure vendors/venues are available. luckily, dc is a big city and has a lot to choose from.
i think it depends on how big an event this is going to be...how many people are you thinking?
I think your biggest obstacles would be getting a venue and then your dress. I think it can happen though!
@Mrs. Cooper: My dress was my concern. How long does it typically take to receive a dress after it's ordered and alterations? Of course I would have to find it first! 
I think it could happen if you find an all in one venue that is available in April and if you aren't super picky about your dress and need major alterations.
You can do it but you need to get on it like NOW.
It can totally be done but would you be happy? I listed concerns I would have below.
Venues might be booked or only have limited dates/times
Vendors may be booked and you have to take whose available
Only certain dress designers could get you a dress or you might have to take a sample
Many guests might not be able to come with short notice
You don't really get to enjoy being engaged...it's over so soon
@bride2beIn2012: good points! Thanks. I'm not really picky but there are a few things that are important to me like photography. But cake, flowers, etc not so much.
@NJmeetsBX: I ordered my dress in November and it comes in April for alteration. I would be looking for a sample sale or off the rack and getting alterations done. I think venue is the most important and since you live in a big city-catering should be no problem if you are having to do that separate from your venue. I think it's totally possible to plan it-with the help of all the BEE's on here! They will help keep you sane. I would only suggest don't keep trying to do all the diy stuff because you will get stressed of all the stuff you need to do. And lastly DELEGATE!!! It's lots of work but possible if you get help. Keep in mind you often have to be direct with people and give timeline (Would you be willing to create so and so, before this date?). Congrats on your engagement!!!
It can most likely be done. #100 is good. We were engaged for 4 months. Everything worked out fine!! What kind of feeling/type of wedding do you want?
Oh yeah, Congratulations!! :)
just to hop on what ellie said, i would only delegate to those that have expressed an interest in helping...i don't think your wedding party should be "punished" because you are choosing a very close date, you know?
I went dress shopping yesterday and the sales consultant got confused and thought I was getting married this march and she said as long as the dress is in stock in your size you could get it in a couple weeks...So I dont know if all bridal salons work this way, but she didnt seem too concerned lol
@elliegraye: DIY is not on the table thankfully! LOL even if I had an engagement it would be minimal, not my schtick!
Congrats! I am also doing a short engagement b/c I don't want to put off getting married any longer. Got engaged right before Thanksgiving. I just booked my venue for Memorial Day weekend a few days ago. I'm feeling stressed about finding vendors in time, but it can be done.
If you know what you like and what you have in mind, you can plan it. I have yet to come across a vendor who wasn't available on my date. And as far as the dress, go to a sample sale and see if you like anything. I went to one at Pronovias flagship store in NYC and was surprised to walk out carrying a beautiful couture gown in hand!
I think the hardest part is finding a venue that you and FI love that is available on your desired date.
P.S. I know a girl who had a two month engagement! She says she wouldn't change a thing and all her guests loved her wedding. It's all up to your personality and how you want to proceed. Do what you feel is what you want! :-)
Availability would be my only concern - i did it in just about 5 months but i probably could have done it in 3.
I had 2 years to plan and even then my venue was booked for the dates I originally wanted. So I think that would be your #1 obstacle. The next would be your dress. It usually takes 5-6 months to get your dress...unless you buy off the rack or buy from another bride in the classifieds or something like that. Just out of curiosity, why do want to get married so quickly? I understand that you want an April wedding so is April 2012 just too far off in the distance for you? Believe me, time flies by so quickly that it will be here before you know it. IMO, I would feel so rushed to get everything done in that short amount of time. Technically, we are already mid way through the month so you have more like 3 months to plan.
You can do it - i bought my dress off the rack (it was a sample or something, not sure). I have 2 friends that had 4 month engagements; as long as you're flexible about what you get, you'll be fine. Also if you choose a Friday or Sunday, way more vendors will be available. Good luck!
I love the spring and I really don't want to wait till next Spring. And the thought of having to plan for the next year is daunting to me. I don't have the personality for it. I'm an under the gun type of person. I could wait till next year but I'm ready to get married. We've been together 4+ years and we're ready. But waiting till next year isn't off the table but this year is more appealing.
Thanks bees. Keep it coming. I want us to make an informed decision.
I have a friend who became engaged at Christmas and had a March wedding for 75 guests, so I know it is doable.
She worked on venue first and didn't have too hard a time finding something (March is a slow-ish month here). She also bought a DB dress off the rack and had alterations done.
THe other thing to consider is how many guests will be traveling from out of town. If they need to book/flights save money to attend your wedding having such short notice may be an issue.
Does it have to be April? May or early June is still spring, and I think that would give you some crucial buffer time in regards to dates, your dress, and finding a worthy photographer who isn't already booked. Plus, if you don't want to wait until 2012, its a good compromise.
I definitely understand not wanting to wait, and I think it would be possible, but I think the stress trying to plan the wedding in 3 months is probably not worth it. At least, it wouldn't be for me. Everybody is different.
@Krises: June is way too hot here (for me I hate the heat). I wouldn't mind May, actually. The date is flexible but around these parts, after April is considered peak and I may be dealing with even less availability as far as vendors go.
sure. both my sisters did it within 3 months. I am the only one who is having a 2 year wait.
@NJmeetsBX: I understand that. I hate the heat, too. I'd actually be surprised if April wasn't considered peak too, though. I'd look into that some. Peak wedding season, I believe, is usually considered April-September. I'd think that would be even more true in the DC area where its going to be warmer in April. But I am certaintly not an expert.
Whatever you choose, congrats on the engagement!
I honestly didn't really read through all the comments, but I did want to say that it's a very good possibility that it would work out perfectly for you. One of our best friends got engaged in November and married at the end of December. They had two receptions and we personally helped cater one of them that turned out amazing. They had tons of help planning of course, but they wanted it done before Christmas Break was over and it was so much fun helping them out
I'm not really picky about a lot of the details but maybe I should ask this: What should I absolutely check are available? I understand venue, and for me photographer, anything else that should be checked before we can say OK everything else will fall into place?
I almost think its easier to plan quickly. You basically have to go with whatevers available so as long as you dont HAVE to have any particular venue/dress/photographer there arent a million options to debate endlessly.
As stated before Venue and Dress are your biggest concerns. I don't know how it is in D.C, but here in L.A. We have TONS of shops that will custom make your Wedding and Bridesmaid dresses. You tell them what you want and they can whip them out in a about 2 - 3 weeks, ususally cheaper than you could get them from a retail store. It also lets you get EXACTLY what you want.
You can SOOOOOO do this, just get busy NOW!
@NJmeetsBX:I would say caterer, but that's depending on venue. Your best bet may be to do it at a country club or something (if you can afford it) where everything's included - ceremony, reception, dinner, booze, cake, etc. That'll take a lot of the heat off. Photographer's a big one, though if one you like is booked, you can ask that person to recommend a colleague. I think those are your only crucial crucial vendor decisions to consider before booking a date.
@NJmeetsBX: You can totally plan it in this amount of time! We planned our NYE wedding from out of state in less than four months in the Chicago area (~200 guests) and it was amazing. And we were definitely on a budget, so we couldn't just throw money around and get our way.
Contacting ceremony and reception venues will be pretty stressful (we contacted about 75 different venues via email, calls, and visits), but you'll get it done in 3-4 weeks instead of dragging that part out for six months. It could also work out well because the venues that don't have your date booked yet may be more motivated to get your business since it's not likely another bride is going to be planning her wedding in less than 3 months. You just have to have tough skin, some people will be rude and think you're crazy for your time period, but there's always going to be something available, you just have to be flexible.
You also might have to pay extra to have your dress rush delivered (mine was an additional $200). And you will need to be ready to send invitations early since you won't have time to mail STDs. The last bit of advice is that you'll need to be flexible if you have any "must haves" in mind. I was really happy to plan our wedding in a concentrated period of time rather than dragging it out for a year, and it helped us focus on what was most important to us rather than what we were "supposed" to do. Good luck!
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Hi Bees! I am newly engaged (2 days ago). I've always loved spring weddings, particularly April. I don't mind a short (manic) engagement but want to be sure I can pull it off in a little over 3 months. So I ask, is it possible to plan a wedding in that short a timeframe? What should I be concerned with? What takes time and could create problems?