In a time where the world is rapidly changing, you may have found yourself wondering if you should skip the typical yearlong planning period and have your wedding now. Since the pandemic began, we’ve seen weddings planned in weeks, not months—but how? In this guide, we’ll give you a rundown of everything you need to consider when planning your wedding on short notice.

Marriage License

Depending on your state, you may or may not be able to get married on the same day as you receive your marriage license. We’re based in Maryland, and here, same-day weddings are not permitted, and you need to wait 48 hours after receiving your license to be married. After that, your marriage license is valid up for 6 months. However, in neighboring Virginia, there is no waiting period. If you’re seeking to get married within a week, make sure you check your state’s marriage license waiting period. Check our Resources here.

 

Budget

Budgeting is equally (if not more) important when planning your wedding in a short time frame as it is when planning over the course of a year. When making a lot of decisions quickly, it’s easy to overspend. Setting your budget early in the process will help you know what you can and can’t spend on certain items and vendors.

Having a budget in place will also help you make decisions more efficiently when you meet with your vendors. Instead of going back home, deliberating prices, and then planning another meeting, you can make decisions on the spot.

 

Rings

If you plan to exchange rings, a trip to your local jeweler or online vendor should also be done early in the planning process. Shipping delays are rampant with the massive increase of online shopping this year and are only going to increase as we near the holiday season. If you want your rings in time for your wedding, be sure to order early to leave room for delays.

 

Venue

Between availability on short notice and Covid-19 restrictions, we suggest looking into unconventional venues. Local parks and other outdoor locales would allow more flexibility for how many people you can invite to your wedding. Holding your wedding at a restaurant would offer a small, intimate setting while also taking care of food and refreshments with in-house catering. Even the backyard of a family member or friend would work on short notice—string lights are all you need to add romantic ambiance. Browse our Venues!

 

Invitations 

Time to go digital! Don’t waste time on shipping, mailing, and waiting for returns. Invite your guests with an evite or send them a direct link to RSVP on your wedding website. Really short on time and only inviting a small number? Just text or call your guests personally to get their availability for your swiftly arriving wedding day. Smaller numbers of attendees will also open up more venues for your wedding in light of Covid-19 restrictions. 

It’s also worth noting that Maryland does not require witnesses for a wedding. If you’re ready to get married right away and plan to celebrate with your friends and family at a later date, find an officiant (and maybe a photographer) and elope!

 

Officiant

In Maryland, an officiant can be an official of a religious group, a court clerk, a deputy clerk designated by the county administrative judge of the county circuit court, or a judge. If you have a religious leader of choice, you can ask them, but if you want a friend or family member to preside over your wedding, Maryland recognizes ordinations by the Universal Life Church and American Marriage Ministries, which can be done online. Check your state or county resources as they differ.

 

Attire

Tight deadlines mean there isn’t time to get your perfect couture dress from Kleinfeld’s. So get creative! Find your dress off-the-rack or from your own closet. Perhaps the dress itself is your Something Borrowed from a loved one’s closet. Even a rental tux can be difficult on short notice, so consider relaxing from the traditional standards. Just make sure to convey your amended dress code standards to your guests.

 

Food

If you’re hosting your wedding with family and friends, then turn the whole event in a backyard barbecue. Potluck-style food means everyone can bring a little something to celebrate with you, adding to the intimacy of the affair.

Reach out to your local bakeries to see what availability they have for cakes and desserts. You may not get a giant, fairytale wedding cake on short notice, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still order a simple but elegant tiered cake. Or perhaps go for something even less traditional but easy to accommodate on limited time, like cupcakes or a completely different decadent dessert, like pie!

 

Flowers + Décor 

When working with limited time, it’s best to look for flowers that are in season for their easy availability. Talk to your local florist about what types of flowers can be found and used most quickly. You could even make an event of it and gather your own flowers!

If you’re worried about availability, then it’s time to DIY. A trip to the craft store and you’ll have every faux flower and foliage you could ever want for your wedding décor.

 

Photographer

Getting married quickly doesn’t change how important this day is for you and your partner, so you definitely want photos to remember it. As soon as you have a date and venue set, it’s time to look for a photographer. If your venue has a list of preferred vendors to work with, check their availability, as the partnership these photographers have with venues may help you find an available one on short notice. Working with local photographers also cuts down on narrow availabilities caused by travel during Covid-19. Can’t find one available on your date? Then grab a friend with some photography skills and a nice camera so you can still have the keepsakes from your wedding day.

 

Above all, the most important part of planning a wedding on short notice is being flexible. (Need a list of Vendors? Check them out here.) Be ready to make compromises for the sake of time. Decide what’s most important and non-negotiable early on. Ultimately, you’re choosing the quick wedding because you can’t wait to wait to begin the next chapter of your life with the one you love, and that’s the most important part of your big day!