Planning a wedding is no doubt an exciting experience, but it can also be pretty overwhelming. Whatever your big day wants or needs, the desire to make the wedding planning process that much smoother will be there, but could shortening the time you have to organise your wedding day mean you can enjoy more and stress less?
We explore the pros and cons of planning a wedding in advance and booking last minute as well as share our top tips for striking the right balance.
How long does it take to plan a wedding?
According to research by wed2b, the majority of UK brides (81% to be exact) choose to opt for a longer engagement. How much of that time is spent planning the main event however varies from couple to couple.
Here wedding planner Gloria Darko reveals the average timescale couples give themselves to plan a wedding in the UK:
“…the average is around 12 months of active wedding planning (although, on average, couples have a longer engagement of around 18 months). ‘A year is roughly the amount of time people give themselves, but it’s possible to do it in less time,’ Darko tells me. ‘I went full steam ahead on my own wedding and planned it in six months. I’ve had couples come to me with only three months to go and a 100-person guest list and it was totally do-able.’”
Why start early?
If you prefer to have more time to prep for the biggest day of your life, opting for a long engagement and a longer period of active wedding planning is the way to go.
There are many benefits to having more time on your hands. You’ll be able to dedicate more hours – and plenty of personalisation, creativity and attention to detail – to every one of those wedding planning milestones. You’ll have more time to save too, meaning you can establish a realistic budget that you can stick to, and enjoy a smoother wedding planning process and far less stress.
There’s also likely to be better availability of venues and vendors, so you can find the support you need to make those big day dreams come true.
Why book last minute?
Having more time can in fact have the opposite effect for some brides- and grooms-to-be, with indecision a common trait amongst couples planning early. There is after all nothing like a tight deadline to keep you focused, which makes booking last minute a great choice for many.
While venue and vendor availability may be thin on the ground, especially if you plan to tie the knot during peak wedding season, your budget could benefit from planning last minute.
Our late availability offers provide amazing and affordable options for those looking to get married here at Bourton Hall, with full exclusive use of the county house and grounds, a choice of welcome drinks and canapes, wedding catering, chair covers and floral decorations just some of the features included as standard.
How can you enjoy the best of both?
Booking last minute isn’t for everyone. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but you can strike a balance between the two to enjoy a relaxed, romantic and reasonably-priced wedding day.
Marrying out of season – our venue looks great all year round! – and keeping your guest list small are just two tips that’ll minimise costs, limit wedding planning stress, and help you enjoy the big day you’ve always dreamed of. Couples looking to cut costs further but still enjoy an incredible day should explore our twilight and intimate wedding packages.
When booking with us, you’ll also have your own dedicated Personal Wedding Manager to help you plan and oversee your special day. This means you won’t have to splash the cash on a professional wedding planner.
Want to find out more about our late availability and offers? Get in touch with our team today.
