LOCATION-The location will set the tone for your entire wedding celebration. If you are in a rush, be flexible about the date, as availability of your preferred location may be limited. Think outside the box – a Sunday or Friday night wedding can be just as fun as one on a Saturday night, which typically gets booked far in advance. If you have your heart set on a destination wedding, make sure to choose a location that guests can fly in and out of easily. Last-minute travel plans are often tougher to arrange, so destinations with direct flights help you and your guests avoid unnecessary problems.

SET A BUDGET- List wedding elements in order of priority. Rings, bride’s and groom’s attire, venue, food and beverage, wedding cake, invitations, flowers, linen and decor, music, photography and video, hair and makeup, invites, party favors, transportation – each is important, but you must decide where to allocate your precious resources. This will help you avoid some difficult decisions that are sure to come up in the planning process. Decide who will be paying for what in advance. Having a short engagement may mean you can cut back on your guest list, which helps keep your budget in check.

SELECT YOUR WEDDING VENDORS-Most planners and caterers have a preferred vendor list. Using these vendors will help you avoid months of research. Save time by contacting vendors by phone or online rather than in-person visits. View photos of their work on websites and interview them over the phone to ensure that your personalities are a match. If you are concerned about not meeting the vendors in person, check references for added insurance. When you select your vendors, immediately ask for agreements to be drawn up – you should be able to obtain contracts within forty-eight hours.

GET YOUR WEDDING DRESS -To ensure a quicker turnaround, make sure the wedding and tuxedo shops you use have alteration experts on-site. Your tuxedo store should offer to deliver once the tuxedo has been altered. Select your bridal party’s attire only after selecting your own. By purchasing bridesmaids’ attire off the rack at a wedding dress store or a department store, you can have your dresses overnight. Even better, delegate this task to your bridesmaids by picking a color scheme and asking them to choose their own dresses in that hue.