Forget the two-year engagement and the never-ending wedding planning process. For an increasing number of couples, it's a case of 'why wait'? Wed investigates love in the fast lane...

Something is happening in wedding world. Forget the endless deliberation over the lace trimmings, the shuffling of the table plan and the agonising over the cupcake decorations. An impulsive new vibe has crept in and, for many couples, the interval between “I will” and “I do” is growing shorter.

The industry testifies to this ‘get on with it’ attitude. Wedding venues have seen a surge in enquiries for last minute availability; suppliers have reported a rise in late bookings and dress shops are selling more off-the-peg dresses. In response to the trend, a series of websites dedicated to whirlwind weddings have launched while the industry have jumped on board with special late availability promotions.



Why the rush? Wedding planner Sasha Wilkinson (acertainstyle.co.uk) draws a parallel between the growing popularity of whirlwind weddings and the average age of couples tying the knot. “People are now deciding to get married a little later so they feel sure that they have made the right decision and don’t feel the need to wait.”

Wedding planner Sarah Vaux (sarahvaux.co.uk) agrees, “I think shorter engagements have become more popular because people know what they want. I have organised quite a few weddings recently for people who are in their forties and fifties and they see no reason to wait.”

Of course, the increased average age means that offspring are often involved, “More and more couples are having children before they get married,” says Sasha. “They like to include the children in the wedding and don’t have the time to indulge in years of planning.”

There’s also financial factors, “Couples seem to be getting married with a fixed budget in mind and not spreading the cost over a couple of years,” comments Sarah. Sasha adds, “Many of these couples have been in work longer and, in most cases, they do not have to spend so long saving in advance.”

When you consider the advantages of a fast track wedding, it does seem rather appealing. “Normally it costs less, as you don’t have time to plan all the extras in. Plus, you can make savings on some of your suppliers, as they may do you a deal to get the unexpected work,” says Sasha. “A lot of venues have late availability offers,” adds Sarah, “if they don’t, it is worth asking!”



A last minute wedding demands a decisive planning approach: “You simply don’t have time to constantly change your mind over the details,” says Sasha. And the huge bonus for those around you? “You won’t drive your friends and family mad with all the wedding talk!”

So that’s it – you’ve decided to take the fast track to the altar. But this isn’t Vegas – and the momentous task of planning a wedding seems a tall order in the face of a ticking clock. Where do you start? “Decide on what you can reasonably manage to fit into your time span,” advises Sasha. You’ll have to be pragmatic, flexible and willing to compromise. “If you have a specific date in mind, you may well have to compromise on your venue. Book your venue first, decide on the number of guests and then invite them straight away to give them a chance to reply and get your numbers to the caterers/hotel.”

Sarah advises, “Stick to what you want and make decisions quickly!  A lot of people may try and say things are impossible as there isn’t enough time – but anything is possible.” She adds, “Of course, by hiring a wedding planner they will know the right suppliers for all your ideas.”

Finally, be positive and don’t panic. “It can be done, just be organised at the beginning,” says Sasha. “If you are not using a wedding planner, make sure you give jobs to friends and family – but ensure they are well organised as it will be more of a headache if you have to keep checking on them!” Perhaps most importantly, “Keep it simple and enjoy it!”

Three couples tell us the stories of their whirlwind weddings…
 
Four months…
After getting engaged in March 2010, Katherine and Dan married on 9th July 2010 at Bedruthan Steps Hotel, Mawgan Porth.

“Dan and I decided to get married within a short timeframe as, once we had made the decision to tie the knot, we did not want to wait over a year for the big day! I think this is largely because we have been together for ten years.

We wanted a simple, low-key wedding, which fitted well within the short timeframe. The big advantage is that you are forced to make decisions and not ponder endlessly over them. With limited time and lots of decisions to make, you are forced to be very realistic and pragmatic. If I had a year to make some of the decisions, I can imagine I would go round and round in circles and never make a firm decision. We also found we had more bargaining power.
 
Wedding planning is both stressful and exciting at the same time. By doing it within a short timeframe, you could argue that you increase that stress – but you also limit some of the possible decisions and options, thereby making it less stressful. I don’t think you have to compromise on quality either.
 
I would advise other couples to separate the planning into sections: venue, date, dress, suits and vows, followed with the less important decisions and, finally, the optional ones. Once the first category is done, then you are almost there. With less time, there is less opportunity to spend a fortune on gifts and favours or make things unnecessarily complicated. It is too easy to get bogged down with a seemingly endless list of jobs and tasks.
 
My advice: do what you want to do as everyone has an opinion on how weddings should be organised and what should be included. Keep it simple – most people really don’t care if they have a box of sugared almonds on their table or whether the chairs are decorated in the same colour scheme as the tablecloths. And don’t be afraid to be different.”



Two months…
Megan and James got engaged in late February 2010 and tied the knot on 15th May 2010. A wedding ceremony at St Columb Minor Church was followed by a reception at The Esplanade Hotel, South Fistral.

“Megan and I had been together for almost six years when I proposed. We have known each other since we were 12 and became a couple when we were in sixth form. I was planning to propose to Megan on an upcoming holiday when we found out she was two months pregnant. We decided to have the wedding before the baby was born so we could make the day more about ourselves and celebrate that part of our life ahead of the birth of our son this winter.

It’s a lot more exciting planning a wedding in a short time as everyone pulls together. All your spare time is filled with wedding preparations, which is definitely a great way to get the groom involved and excited from day one!

With less time to wait till the wedding, you have to be a lot more organised. You’re not able to be indecisive or change anything as trends change, which means your budget isn’t open to abuse.

The disadvantages were having little time to research venues, service options and prepare and send invitations. It did put a lot of pressure on our brilliant friends and family who worked very hard on helping us prepare everything for the day. Both my best man and father-in-law were sent into a complete panic at the prospect of preparing a speech within two months!

The team at The Esplanade was absolutely fantastic in helping us with the planning and preparations. Watching the sun set as we were finishing the meal was the perfect end to an amazing day. Despite organising everything at short notice, both Megan and I have said we wouldn’t have done anything differently had we had more time or a bigger budget and we didn’t feel that we’d sacrificed anything on our special day.”



Three weeks…
Astra and John met in 2001 and, although John proposed in September 2008, it wasn’t until mid-May 2010 that they decided to organise their wedding. They married at Penzance Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception followed by a marquee reception at St. Just Rugby Club just three weeks later on 4th June 2010.

“After over-thinking the whole wedding thing, on 14th May 2010 we decided to just get on with it. We almost randomly agreed to get married on 4th June and started to organise. By Monday 17th, with a little help from our friends and families who called in a few favours, the wedding was essentially arranged. Father Dyson agreed to fit us into his hectic schedule, St. Just Rugby Club was booked and Tony of Penwith Marquees bent over backwards to get us something appropriate on his busiest day of the year. What else did we need? Nothing. Job done.

Over the next week we were helped to fill in the missing pieces. If you ever try to get married in three weeks expect the reaction to be a surprised: “Are you sure you mean THIS year?” This is rapidly followed by an overwhelming generosity of spirit to help you make your day happen. The dress was bought and then altered by ‘Bride!’ of Penzance amidst much bride-to-be and bridesmaid giggling. Ross and his fellow musicians of ‘The Wedding Band’ took the job of providing live music. My brother Ian organised a Morgan from Perranwell as the wedding car. A family friend of my wife, Gavin Hicks, agreed to do the photography. My colleague Kat insisted on doing the wedding cake as her gift to us. And two delightful girls called Freya and Indigo offered to play some choral music to add a touch of class.



Stag night. Hen night. And suddenly it was the wedding day! The greatest benefit of a quickly organised wedding is that you just don’t have the time or the options to argue with anyone about details. All you can do is focus on being ready and having a brilliant day.

The service was wonderful and the reception was amazing. It was not formal and that was what made it special. All 150 guests had a party. It was brilliant. We’ve got pictures and memories that will last a lifetime of married life.
My advice: decide on a date and go for it. Men, don’t be put off by either the cost or the stress as it isn’t so bad so long as you relax and go with the flow. Women, remember to include your fiancé in the decision making process, with the obvious exception of the dress. Don’t refuse anything offered to you even if at first it doesn’t fit your master plan because it will be those gifts of time and effort that will make your day have that little bit of extra special sparkle.”


Words Rebecca Matthews

Copyright WED Magazine 2010