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A long drawn out engagement is not right for everyone, but neither is an elopement. There is something in between these two options for couples who are short on time, yet want to have a wedding with family and friends. This is how to plan a wedding in 30 days or less.

First things first: check on the legal requirements in your home state. Make sure that you know the timeline for applying for the marriage license and that you have all the necessary documents at your fingertips, such as birth certificates, identification, and divorce decrees from previous marriages, if any. Without these things in order, you may quickly find your wedding derailed from the fast track, especially if you have to obtain duplicates of official documents. As soon as the legal aspects are a go, it is time to hit the ground running with planning the wedding day itself.

During the first days of wedding planning, select a target wedding date and find an available venue. If you are booking a church and a reception venue, confirm availability of your church and officiant before putting down a contract on a reception site. The best reception venues will be those which include everything you will need, such as catering, linens, and possibly even an on-site baker to make the wedding cake. Restaurants, hotels, and private clubs are usually your best bet, especially those which have an in house event coordinator to take charge of pulling together your wedding on short notice.

Once you have your windows lined up, it is time to invite your wedding guests. When the wedding is only weeks away, there is really not enough time to send out formal engraved invitations. A personal phone call or a hand-delivered invitation will get your message out the most quickly. (Please do not send out e-vites for your wedding!) Then it is time to round up everyone else you will need for your wedding, including the photographer, florist, musicians (or use an ipod), and a baker. If you want a rehearsal dinner, reserve a private room in a restaurant now. Aim to have all this done by the end of the second week of wedding planning at the very latest.

Every bride needs a beautiful gown, and when time is short, off the rack is the way to go. If you have your heart set on a traditional bridal gown, call ahead to bridal salons and find out what they may have for sample sale gowns near your size. Time will be too short for intensive alterations, so another option is to go to a bridal warehouse which stocks numerous sizes. Lastly, you can investigate the bridal collection at companies like J Crew, which should have a range of sizes which can be shipped to you on rush delivery (if the return policy permits it, order a couple of different sizes and return which one does not fit). You can also get accessories like wedding jewelry ordered very quickly online. While you are at it, pick up some wedding jewelry gifts for your moms and bridesmaids.

With the core elements of your wedding in place, it will be time to get into the rest of the plans. By the end of the third week of planning, have your transportation lined up, your favors purchased, and your honeymoon booked. Do not forget about reserving a hotel suite for the wedding night. Line up your wedding beauty appointments this week, if you have not already done so. Be sure that your groom and the wedding party have their attire and accessories in order as well.

Before you know it, the week of your wedding will have arrived. Things to do in this final week include the seating chart, assembling favors, confirming with vendors and travel agents, picking up wedding attire, and packing for the honeymoon. Do not bother with non-essentials like wedding programs. One of the final things to do is have your nails done the day before the wedding, and of course, your hair and makeup on the morning of the big day. Then all that remains is to go on and get married. Whew! By the time you get through planning a wedding in 30 days, you will be ready for a vacation; thank goodness for the honeymoon!

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Source by Guy Antonelli