Many couples plan their wedding for months and, in some cases, more than a year ahead. Many of the top and most popular wedding locations need to be booked a long time in advance so it makes sense to set a wedding date to suit. But what if you are a couple who wants to get wed a bit quicker? Sometimes, you just don’t want to wait yet you still want to create a memorable day. While you are unlikely to get the most in-demand wedding venue, you can still have a last-minute outdoor wedding that’s beautiful, fun and includes your closest family and friends. Here are tips for a last-minute outdoor wedding.
Location
There are many beautiful spots to have a gorgeous wedding outdoors. How about barefoot on a beach, or in a park or even on top of a hill or mountain? If one of your friends or family has a beautiful garden, perhaps you could turn it into the perfect wedding venue last-minute. Tell everyone about it with beach wedding invitations that you can customise and even have expedited online. Once you have the spot and the date picked, the rest of the details can fall into place, including the perfect finishing touch of selecting stunning wedding cars for hire in Manchester to complement your special day.
Flowers
Specific flower arrangements are harder to come by last-minute so you’ll need to be a bit more flexible with your choice. Call around local florists to find out what they have and what they can get quickly.
Have some ideas in mind for what you want it to look like but let them create something beautiful. If you’re crafty, or a friend is, another alternative is to create bouquets out of silk flowers that you can buy at a craft store or on-line. The added benefit to this option is that the flowers won’t wilt in summer weather.
Honeymoon
Last-minute weddings don’t always come with the same big budgets as a long-planned one. There are so many great places to have a staycation, or look for last-minute holiday deals. The benefit of a last-minute wedding is that you can make plans according to more flexible dates.
If you like a hotel, such as Hotel Zaza, why not treat yourself to an upgraded room for a few nights as a honeymoon? This place will make you feel like a rockstar. You could also hop on sites like Expedia or Travelocity and see if there are any last-minute vacation packages to give you and your new spouse some time away.
Outfits
A tailored or customised wedding outfit for the bride and groom is unlikely to happen for a last-minute wedding. However, there are plenty of different options for wedding attire, from of the shelf suits and dresses, to hired outfits and also second-hand wedding dresses.
The advantage of this is that it is likely to be much cheaper and you will be able to wear the outfit again.
Wedding food
Finding catering last-minute can be a challenge. You will have more luck with finger style food from caterers because it involves less planning.
An outdoor wedding could include a barbecue or a spit roast for catering. Or how about having a fish and chip van pass by your venue to serve guests a different wedding meal.
If you still can’t find a caterer you could ask friends and guests to bring along some food instead of gifts.
Photographer/Videographer
Considering that many of these are booked for months out, it could be tricky to get quality photos and videos if you’re planning a last-minute wedding. However, if your wedding is on a weekday, or you are willing to take on one of the lead photographer’s proteges, you might just luck out.
The photographer and videographer should be booked as soon as you set a date and location. This will ensure that you have someone there to document your big day. The wedding day can sometimes feel like a whirlwind, so hiring a professional to document your nuptials helps you to look back.
Marriage licence/officiant
There is one aspect of the wedding planning that has to include a bit of planning. Every country has their own rules about who can officiate at a wedding and you will also need a licence. Even sun the UK, England and Scotland has different laws on where and who can marry you.
Some regions, such as British Columbia in Canada, allow you to buy a wedding licence and get married the next day. If you are planning to get married outdoors, you will need to ensure your officiant is happy to do this, especially if you want to get married on a ski slope!
Music
Unless you’re ok with hollering, “Alexa, play my wedding playlist”, you’ll want someone to man the music.
An outdoor wedding can lend itself to any kind of vibe. Whether you want a relaxed feel or a party in the park, the music makes it happen. Plan your list in advance and have someone as the MC, whether you hire a pro or go with a funny friend, someone should help the party along.
If you’re looking for a wedding band in the London area, it might be worth checking out alivenetwork.com for some of the best choices.
Planning a last-minute outdoor wedding doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Pick the most important things, and let the rest happen.
