So may people have been surprised that I was able to plan my wedding in 4 months.  I know this is WAY faster than most engagements that average one year or more.  I can’t wait to share our story and how I planned my wedding in 4 months!

On a hot and humid July day, my then boyfriend, Matt, planned the most romantic proposal on his Lincoln Park rooftop.  He placed rose petals leading up to his rooftop that I followed upstairs to find him waiting with the most beautiful ring and champagne.  He proposed and I said YES!!  It felt like a scene on The Bachelor!  We were so happy and excited that night.

About a week later, we started planning our wedding.  I remember feeling a little overwhelmed at first with the questions: Where will we get married? When? Next Summer? Who would we invite?  We decided at this point that we’d plan the wedding for the following summer.

As we started looking for venues, we found one that we LOVED.  Right as we were leaving with our summer open dates for the following year, Matt stopped and asked the event coordinator if there were any dates available for this year.  The coordinator looked and said yes, November 14th.  I remember thinking to myself that there was no way we could plan a wedding by November!

On our way home, we talked about getting married in just a few months vs. waiting for the next summer.  We were both in our 30s and ready to start our life together so getting married sooner was ideal for us. We decided to not wait and plan for the November date!  With four months to go, here’s how I planned my wedding!

We found our favorite venue and we were not afraid to book an out of peak season date! Wedding season in Chicago peaks in late spring to mid fall.  Also, don’t be afraid to look into Friday or Sunday dates.  Oftentimes these dates are open if you are planning something quick!

My favorite part of planning my wedding was hiring Kim, owner of Bride & Joy Events, my wedding planner.  Admittedly I probably couldn’t have planned my wedding this fast without her.  She mapped out my wedding planning timeline, she helped me refine the vision of my wedding, and she hand selected vendors based on my budget and style.  We met several times before my wedding date to go over things to do (order invitations, schedule hair and make up trial, etc).  Having her was a dream and made the planning process so easy.

We skipped the Save the Dates since the actual Wedding Invitation would be sent out quickly.  I ordered my invitations through Minted.com.  I loved Minted because they have the prettiest invitations to choose from, they deliver quickly and I could pay to have them addressed for me (YAY).  I ordered the invites and sent them out all within 2 weeks.  BONUS: I now order all my holiday cards through Minted and pay the extra $15 to get them all addressed. 🙂

We decided that keeping our wedding on the smaller end was best for us given the quick timeline.  This was more manageable for me especially when it came time for planning tables, etc.

One of the things that can take a very long time during the wedding planning process is ordering a custom wedding gown.  This wasn’t an option for me, so I was so thankful there are places like BHLDN!  BHLDN carries an inventory of dresses so that when you buy one, you get it within a week or two!  Amazing!!  Plus, going to BHLDN was such an a fun experience.  I was able to try on their beautiful wedding gowns, sip on champagne, and find some of my wedding day jewelry.  Other places you can buy wedding dresses quickly include: J.Crew, Banana Republic and Nordstrom.

I really wanted to make my day special and wanted to make it about Matt and I.  My engagement ring is rose gold so I wanted to incorporate that in the details of my day.  With the help of my wedding planner, Kim, we were able to rent some pretty rose gold silverware and some blush colored champagne coups.  We put a little sprig of rosemary on each napkin and I DIY’ed the menu to wrap around the napkin.   I used my own photographs for each guest’s table card.

Enjoy some of the highlights from my wedding day!  Leave a comment at the end to let me know if you found How I Planned My Wedding in 4 Months helpful!

xx,

All photos by Cassandra Eldridge.

Photographer: Cassandra Eldridge | Planning: Bride+ Joy Events | Venue: Ruth Lake Country Club | Food/Beverage: Ruth Lake Country Club | DJ: Style Matters | Floral/Decor: Fragrant Design | Vintage Coupes/Cake stand: Nimblewell | Print Materials: DIY | Cake: Toni’s Patisserie | Photobooth: The Simple Booth | Flatware: Halls Rental | Signage: Grace Niu

Read more about my couples:

Navy and Gray Bolingbrook Golf Course Wedding here

Five Top Wedding Day Timeline Tips here