Imagine that you're engaged and due to diverse circumstances you'd like to make it happen quickly!
Is it possible to plan and make it happen, in 3 months' time?
Madness, you say! Not at all, I tell you.
It may not be the simplest task ever, but I can also tell you (and prove it with photographs) that it is possible.
"Oh sure, but you have to have a wedding planner..."
Not necessarily. It is true that they are a huge help in these cases since the people that manage and help create events of this kind know a lot of people in the business, venues, photographers, DJs, etc. But the couple I am going to show you, found all their vendors without this type of assistance.
One important warning: this type of planning is not for everyone.
If you talk to Tânia and Luís for 5 minutes you'll realize right away that they enjoy adventure! They are both in Scout troops and they have good planning and adaptation skills.
The one thing they really wanted was to get married on that date, which was 3 months away, and they did things to make sure they achieved that goal.
If in your case you want to choose specifically the venue where you're getting married, your photographer, videographer, your DJ, because you know them already and you want those people/places, then my advice will always be to plan at least 6 months or a year prior to the date, depending on how popular your vendors/locations are.
So here are the things that Tânia and Luís put into practice:
1. They chose the date (the 5th anniversary of their first date) so that they could work everything else around it. For them this was the most important thing, therefore first priority.
2. They made their initial guest list because they knew that it would be important while searching for the venue to hold the wedding and party.
3. They searched for a venue where they could have the wedding guests on their list and that had availability on their date. In their case it was at Quinta de Santo António do Freixo, in the Casa da Adega. 4. They looked for a photographer because they wanted to ensure that they had good memories of the day recorded in images so that they could see them again whenever they wished. I can tell you that they contacted me about 2 months prior to the wedding date and they talked with two other colleagues. Fortunately, I was available on the date and since they enjoyed the photographs I showed them and the conversation we had when we met, they decided I was the ideal photographer for them! :) 5. They made and started distributing their wedding invitations, and let me tell you, they are artists! 6. They took care of the necessary documents with the Civil Registration. According to them, here in Portugal, it can be done online, but be careful not the make a mistake inputting your codes because otherwise, you'll have to go there in person to unblock everything. ;) 7. About a month prior they chose the wedding dress and suit (at Slim Noivas and Voga respectively). After this they use the last month to take care of details like delivering the last invitations, ordering the cake topper, making the table markers that they also created and they asked their guests to send them a voice message saying "to you what is Love". They compiled the messages they received and played them at the end of the ceremony, it was beautiful! I haven't mentioned entertainment yet, that's because Luís was the DJ. How? The bride and groom put together a playlist of their favorite songs along with a bunch of songs to get their guests moving, smartphone connected to the sound system and you've got a party, the proof is in the photos. This might all seem very rushed, but they also told me that they had a few moments in which they felt they didn't really have anything left to do and everything was rolling. What about the honeymoon? This part they wrapped up right after the wedding. They already had the trip almost completely planned out, but they only bought the plane tickets and booked hotels about a week before going. And off they went on another one of those adventures they love, to Iceland! What a beautiful place! And they brought me back a postcard! :D Here are the photos of the day!
