Is it really worth all the lengthy stress of planning your wedding well over a year? I guess it may work in your favour if you just LOVE to plan and are excited about the prospect of lists after lists, long deliberations and the chance to sample loads of cake.

But if you’re like us and have a busy life already and the thought of adding ‘wedding planner’ to your endless daily tasks sends you into a mild panic, let me tell you, it can TOTALLY be planned in just a few months.

Some of the best most connected with each other weddings we have photographed, have been the ones that haven’t had too long to plan. Somehow they mostly focus on the act of marriage and what that means to each other, rather than all the other things that start shuffling into the mix when you have months and months to think about it. The most relaxed wedding days have been those that have mostly come together out of the couples ‘real’ likes for things, their hobbies, favourite places to hang out and favourite kind of food to eat. I can quite honestly say that your wedding doesn’t need to be a pinterest inspired one. It’s the things you really want and have time to plan, that you’ll care about more on the day.

Our day ended up being planned in just 3 months. We’d had a rough few months and decided that we didn’t want to be planning it forever so at the end of March 2015 booked the registrar and were married on the 26th June the same year. I know, totally crazy right? You could say we had it easy, I guess we did already know some of our suppliers and had spent years shooting other peoples weddings and spent lots of time deliberating who we wanted there and how we wanted it to be.

Here’s a little bit of advice for you -

Listen to your friends recommendations, if they’ve had a good experience, it’s likely you will too.

If there’s somewhere local you like to eat, be brave and ask if they would cater for you. Not all things wedding need to have the price tag attached.

Spend more time in the beginning talking to each other, writing down the things that you really enjoy doing, the kind of style you like, music. Go out to eat, sit at home and sample drinks. Make it an enjoyable non stress inducing thing.

If you do feel the need to trawl the internet, find a blog or supplier list you like reading the words to. The ones that seem honest and down to earth. Same if you look on a suppliers site or see a wedding story on a blog you like. Hunt those people down and get in touch. Check if you can speak to them over the phone, that way you’ll get one of those natural gut feelings whether or not they are for you.

Try not to over complicate your guest list. SOMEONE SOMEWHERE will be missed out. It’s ok. We had some people at our wedding three years ago that we haven’t seen much since for one reason or another, and some that didn’t come along that we now see everyday. It’s life and it changes and that’s ok too.

Not all dresses/suits/flowers need months of preparation. Find someone less ‘commercial’ and ‘flouncy’ eeek.. sorry, but it’s true. Find someone who is passionate about making awesome clothes and personally get in touch. Our friend Hayley from Glory days now sells her dresses in different sizes so win win! or go buy a suit or dress from the high street if it looks good. There’s so many more brands these days that don’t make it such a big deal.

In the end for ours, the location, the dress, the flowers, the photographer, (essential obvs) the music (all important) the food, the entertainment and tent/teepee.. all came from local people. We tried our best not to fuss too much about it and realised that it just wasn’t worth the worry.

Of course there were elements which gave it our own style and feeling, but in the end, and on the day, the most that mattered were our people and us making that commitment and of course seeing everyone enjoy themselves. It was all pretty emotional.

So if you’re on the fence about booking something last minute, I can honestly say from our own and from experiencing others, just DO IT.

You won’t regret it!

Here is Catrin and Geraints wonderful day in Wales.

A few wonderful suppliers we know are -

Hayley at Glory days bridal

Fiona at Firenza floral design

Rings Element jewellery or Trumpet and Horn

Styling Hannah Bullivant