How long will I need to plan a wedding

I think it depends on you both more than anything to be honest. Some couples feel that a shorter period of planning helps them maintain focus, whilst others like to have longer to consider their options, research, go to fairs and so on.

We quite frequently encounter couples who are planning a wedding in 6-9 months and they're always just as fabulous!

We've taken 2 bookings this week for example, where the couples are marrying in March and April of 2013, so it is doable

Just make sure you're realistic with budgets and things like that. Prioritise what things are most important to you and get those things booked first. Keep in mind that many dresses take 6 months + to come in, so ensure you look into that asap if you have your heart set on a particular style/designer.

Aside from that, if it's what you want and you feel you can do it, go for it.

Good luck!

Hello and welcome!

Firstly - very sorry to hear about your brother; this must have been a very difficult time for you.

As you know your boyfriend is going to propose you aren't being crazy for starting to plan! (Its the girls without boyfriends who have already picked out their wedding dresses that I worry about!!)

You can definitely plan a wedding in 8 months. I planned mine in 11 months but you will get the planning done in whatever time you have available! You may have limited availability of some things though as lots of venues, photographers and other suppliers do take bookings more than a year in advance.

Does your boyfriend know you really want to get married next year? Men usually don't appreciate how long it can take to plan a wedding so maybe explain this to him and tell him thats why you want to make a head-start on the planning.

8 months is lots of time to plan a wedding the only snag would be your first choice of suppliers may already be booked up.

Thank you so much, I just needed some reassurance - I have never been somebody who cared whether or not I got married so I have never looked into anything before. I just wanted to see if it could be done.

The boyfriend definitely knows its next year, thats why he told me about the ring and his plans to ask me. I just don't think men realise all the things that need to be organised (I don't really know myself).

At least I know now that it can be done - thank you all for your responses. I'll let you know when he finally asks me!

Welcome to Hitched! Definitely doable. We got engaged in December and married in August. I actually got a little bored of planning in this time and would have welcomed a shorter engagement. If they can do it in 3 weeks on don't tell the bride, anything's possible!

I got engaged on Sept 1st this year. The date is set for 23rd Dec this year & we had the whole thing planned in two weeks. ?

The only hiccup we had was that we can't have a 3pm wedding (due to registrars) & have had to have a 4pm instead.

We both knew we wanted a hotel wedding, but that was all we had discussed previously. We've kept it simple & just gone with the flow. I think you can make it as complicated as you want.

The most important part is to have lots of fun with the planning.xxxx

You can definitely plan a wedding in 8 months! For various reasons both my partner and I took a week off work and did the vast majority of it in 9 days (although we didn't quite achieve the target of getting it all done)! I think like others said the only catch is if you go on a Saturday next summer a lot of things might be booked up. Maybe consider a mid week wedding if that's an option. Best of luck x

Pleanty of time if you are focused. Also I was one of those loonies who had their day planned out before the boyfriend, I think I was about 5 when I started planning, have changed a few details since then though! When you have been a bridesmaid 13 times you get a bit obsessed, luckily I actually have a fiancé now.

You might have to be flexible on times, days, venues and suppliers but you can easily do it, especially if you went for an autumn wedding then you still have a year to go.

8 months is plenty of time. My friend did hers in 3. We are doing ours in 8 months and we have had no trouble with suppliers. Start doing research on the internet to get ideas of venues, colour schemes etc so you already have some kind of starting platform. Go for it and congratulations in advance! x