Your Last Minute Wedding Checklist

Some romances are a slow burn, and others move fast. If you and your partner are in the latter camp, you might find yourself planning a last-minute wedding to celebrate your love.

But when the average wedding takes 15 months to plan, planning on a tighter schedule can up the difficulty level. But you’re not necessarily out of luck if you want your wedding planning timeline to move faster. You just need to employ a little flexibility and creativity. Below, get eight last-minute wedding ideas and a checklist to make planning your special day easier.

What’s the difference between eloping and a last-minute wedding?

While an elopement and a last-minute wedding may sound like the same thing, there are actually some differences between the two.

Only you and your partner will be present at an elopement – with the potential of a handful of close family and friends, plus an officiant and perhaps a photographer. Most elopements are more casual and spontaneous than standard wedding ceremonies and don’t always include a reception afterward.

Meanwhile, a last-minute wedding is largely the same as a regular wedding ceremony and reception – it’s just planned on a tighter timeline. You can make your last-minute dream wedding a reality with the following ideas.

A Last Minute Wedding Checklist

1. Work with a wedding planner

Consider working with a wedding planner to simplify your responsibilities. A wedding planner will have pre-established connections with vendors, like photographers, florists, or caterers, and may know who’s up for a last-minute job.

If you don’t opt for a professional planner, consider delegating tasks to family members, friends, or members of your bridal party, like your maid of honor or bridesmaids. Asking for help can make a daunting task feel less overwhelming, especially when time is a luxury.

2. Find your last minute wedding location

Finding a last-minute wedding venue is one of the most challenging aspects of planning a wedding with a quick deadline. Popular places often book up months, or even a year, in advance. But you’re not necessarily out of luck if you want to plan something on a tighter timeline.

For example, look for more casual venue spaces, like terraces or gardens, since they may be easier to book on a tight deadline. Beyond traditional wedding venues, spaces like a family backyard, local park, or country club may also be good options and work as short notice wedding venues.

3. Embrace the off-season

To up the chances of booking a last-minute wedding venue, consider choosing a date in the off-season

Currently, winter is the least popular wedding season, with only 3% of 2023 ceremonies taking place in January and February. As a result, wedding venues may have more openings during this time of year. But if winter is too far away, consider asking about weeknight dates since those are less likely to be scheduled in advance.

4. Dial back your guest list

A smaller wedding can be easier to accommodate than one with a lengthy guest list. After all, the fewer guests you have, the easier it is to fit into an event space

Consider scaling back to a micro wedding, which traditionally has 50 or fewer guests. Not only can this be easier to plan for, but it can also make your wedding day feel more cozy and intimate. Plus, you’ll save money on expenses like catering.

5. Aim for a more casual atmosphere

While it’s not impossible to plan a formal affair on a tight schedule, you may find it easier to embrace a more casual look and feel. After all, casual attire and decorations may be easier to find than elaborate formal options, and a casual feel makes it easier to accommodate elements like catering – you can have a cookout or a buffet at your reception rather than full-service dining, which may be tougher to book with little notice.

6. Shop for your last-minute wedding dress

If you can’t book an appointment with a bridal salon on your timeline, there are plenty of places where you can find secondhand or off-the-rack wedding gowns, such as the following options:

• Secondhand stores. Vintage wedding gowns are plentiful at in-person or online thrift stores, such as ThredUp or Still White. You can also check for gowns in your area on Facebook Marketplace.
• Department stores. Some stores, like Nordstrom Rack, carry white dresses and formalwear ideal for more casual brides. Online options like Unique Vintage also have vintage-inspired bridal gowns under $200.
• Rental gowns. If you don’t have your heart set on buying a wedding dress, renting a white gown from a service like Rent the Runway may be more convenient. You’ll simply choose the dates when you need the gown, then send it back afterward, making it convenient for time crunches.

7. DIY as much as possible

Of course, you may not always be able to find last-minute vendors for every detail of your wedding. But that doesn’t mean you need to go without. Instead, you can roll up your sleeves and DIY certain elements.

For example, instead of hiring a florist for your decorations and floral arrangements, you can carry a bouquet of hand-picked flowers from your backyard or create DIY floral arrangements with faux flowers. Instead of hiring a DJ, make a wedding playlist and rent DJ equipment, then assign DJ duty to a bridesmaid or close friend.

8. Embrace the e-vite

It’s customary to give your guests a notice at least six weeks before your wedding date. But if your wedding is happening sooner than that, you probably can’t afford any additional delays from snail mail.

Instead, consider using a digital invitation and RSVP service, like Joy or Evite. You’ll only need an email address to instantly get the word about your wedding out, and you can track RSVPs digitally.

Explore your RI wedding venue today

If you’re looking for the perfect last minute wedding venue to elevate your ceremony, Kirkbrae Country Club is ready to help. In addition to our formal event spaces, like the ballroom, we also offer more casual spaces, like our tented patio and Charcoal room, to accommodate smaller gatherings on tighter schedules.

We also offer in-house catering and dedicated event planners, so you’ll have fewer things to worry about and more time to spend on creating happy memories. Contact us today to ask about scheduling and to tour the grounds.