It’s crazy to think that around 40 years ago, the average engagement period was just a few months. Now most couples spend between 12-18 months planning their wedding. Ensuring they have enough time for saving, researching endless suppliers and considering colours and styling to the finest details.
But we asked our planners if they think planning a wedding in under months is doable and they said “absolutely!”. There is an abundance of wedding suppliers across Norfolk, so there will always be someone for you. The minimum amount of time that you need to book in your legal ceremony wedding is 28 days as that’s how far in advance you have to give notice before you get wed.
This autumn and winter, we have some key Saturday dates left in our diary that could be your wedding date: 19th September, 26th September, 17th October and 12th December.
We have outlined a planning timeline to get your wedding sorted in four months time, along with some great tips to help you along the way.
Four months to go!
- Book in with your registrars. A very key thing to get started with, but it is important to get this sorted as quickly as possible to ensure availability for your date.
- Book in your venue and accommodation We have accommodation for 30 guests on site with a large amount of local accommodation nearby too!
- Find a caterer that works for you. At Godwick we have a list of excellent caterers for you to choose from and have a handy template for emails to gather comparable quotes. (Most of our caterers we have already reached out to and can ensure availability for these dates!).
Tip! Create a dedicated wedding email address so all correspondence with suppliers is in one place.
- Start dress shopping. Now, most made-to-order wedding dress shops will require at least 6-12 months to ensure you have enough time to order your dress in, have it made and have alterations completed. However, there are now multiple dress shops that sell “off the rail” dresses, meaning you can take your dress home the same day! Alteration time is usually around 2-3 months so it’s important that this is one of the first things you do.
- Begin building Pinterest boards If you’re anything like me, you may well already have a Pinterest board started from when you got engaged (or not even engaged at all!). It’s good to start getting a feel for your wedding so you have an idea as to which suppliers to reach out to.
- Book your photographer This is a key thing to get sorted. Photographers would usually be booked up fairly well in advance, however if they have spare dates they will often fill them with other photography commitments such as engagement or newborn shoots as they get closer to the time. So it doesn’t hurt getting in there sooner than later.
Tip! Book on our extra wedding planning service to make the process even more stress-free. We will handle enquiries, liaising with suppliers, and building your full wedding plan from the start of your time with us, right until you leave.
3 months to go!
- Book in hair and make up artists Not always for everyone, but having a hair and/or makeup artist gives your wedding that extra elevated luxury feel. Some artists may also have late availability discounts which you can grab!
- Book in your stylist and florist consultation The last thing you want to be doing is handwriting table plans, buying reels of fabric for draping, working out which flowers are in season or spending hours in IKEA looking at candle stick colours. It’s such an important area to get right to ensure your wedding is just as you envisaged.
- Have your tasting with your caterer A slightly more fun day out for you both, going off and trying some incredible food! Then you can pin down your menu choice and banqueting hire order soon after.
- Book in your evening entertainment Whether it’s a DJ or a band, we have a great list of recommendations and if you book our additional wedding planning service, we can spend the time reaching out to them!
- Start suit shopping Now it’s time for the gents, let’s get suited and booted and ready to go. Again having a made to measure suit isn’t always necessary as there are some great places to buy your suit across Norfolk.
- Buy your wedding rings Wedding rings are so important. It’s something that you will have with you for life so it’s important not to rush the decision and make sure you find something that’s right for both of you.
- Book in your cake Upwards of three months is the recommended minimum amount of time needed to have a customised wedding cake. However there will always be bakers out there with some last minute availability who would be happy to accommodate you.
- Send out invitations In the digital age, sending out invitations has never been easier. And more than that, receiving RSVP’s should be even quicker. There is no harm giving guests a shorter window to let you know by, to allow you maximum time to plan. A quick text message is all it needs to confirm or deny.
- Give notice With three months to go, it’s time to give notice for your wedding ceremony. A process everyone has to go through at your local registry office.
Tip! Delegate tasks to your closest wedding party and family. Make the process easier for you by asking those important people for as much help as you can, to pull everything together.
Two months to go!
- Have hair and make up trials It’s important to test out your stylist or artist before the day to ensure they are the right match for you. Book in a trial with them to bring your vision to life
- Have a call with your photographer It’s always great to meet the person who will be with you for a large part of the day. Ensure you gel and that you can get across your ideas to them.
- Ensure alterations are now underway Let’s make your wedding outfit fit you perfectly!
- Confirm final requirements with your stylist and florist Choosing all arrangements, total bouquets, button holes, and how many tables you will need to dress. Along with details of signage and any final props.
One month to go!
- Final payments to all vendors made
- Collect your dress and suits All final tweaks should have been made and they should all be ready to collect!
- Keep your DJ/Band informed Send over any last music choices to your evening entertainment, along with final timings for set up and close.
- Book in those last calls. Have final meetings with your wedding planner to make sure everything is in place.
- Buy all of your reception drinks for the big day! Along with some great food to have at the house for your weekend stay
- Pack your overnight bags! And you’re ready to go!
So, whether you have just got engaged and are looking for a shorter engagement period, or if you have been engaged for years but never quite got round to the wedding, this is your sign to say “let’s go for it” in 2026!
Grab a great discount at Godwick on our Autumn and winter 2026 wedding packages. Now reduced to one-third off within six months of the wedding date