How I Organized Our Wedding in 4 Weeks
We had been together for 9 years already when Andy finally popped the question, so you can imagine it was a rather lovely surprise (you can read the whole story in our lockdown proposal).
And once I had stopped grinning, I did what I always do. I got organised.
Here is the thing nobody quite believes when I tell them: we pulled our entire wedding together in four weeks. Not four months, four weeks. So if you are newly engaged and panicking about timelines, or you simply do not fancy a two-year engagement and a spreadsheet the size of a small novel, let me walk you through exactly how I did it. I have made it as simple as I possibly can, and there is a checklist at the bottom you are very welcome to steal.
Why we chose to get married abroad
I always knew that if I ever married, even though we live in the UK, I wanted the reception back home in Hungary, and ideally right by Lake Balaton. Part of it was the dream of it, that water, those views. But I will be honest with you, the other part was money. A wedding abroad, particularly in Hungary, can cost a good deal less than the equivalent day in the UK, and that difference bought us a far nicer celebration than we could have managed at home. So if you are open to marrying somewhere that means something to you, do look into it, because the savings can be genuinely eye-opening.
Wedding venue
I started with the venue, because to my mind it is far and away the most important decision, and everything else hangs off it. The trick is to know two things first: the area you want, and the style you are after, whether that is a barn, a beach, a castle or something else entirely. Once you have those settled, the rest is really just searching.
I asked four hotels in Siófok, the capital of Balaton, for a quote, and the choice made itself fairly quickly once I saw which one offered the most for the money. The hotel we chose pulled the contract together beautifully, with room hire for the dinner and party, food and drink, all the ceremony support like the audio, and, crucially, discounted room rates for our guests. That last part mattered enormously, because most of our family and friends were travelling from abroad and wanted to stay more than one night.
Andy and I were so keen that everyone would be comfortable and truly able to share the day with us, and this hotel had spa facilities, a bowling centre, and sat right on Lake Balaton with the most beautiful views and water sports on the doorstep.
A Balaton wedding had always been my dream, and there it was, coming true.
Wedding invitations
I designed our invitations myself on Vistaprint, which was far easier than I expected. If you have your own ideas, a little creativity goes a long way, and if you have not the faintest idea where to begin, there are plenty of templates ready to nudge you along. Doing them myself saved money and made them feel properly ours.
Wedding décor
I went hunting for decorators on Facebook and Instagram, and through my photographer friend I eventually found a wonderfully popular professional whose style I adored. I was aiming for a rustic boho look, and Andrea's work stopped me in my tracks. My advice here is to follow the decorators you love for a little while before committing, so you can see their real work across lots of weddings rather than just the polished highlights.
Wedding music
There are a few ways to go depending on the party you have imagined, but for us it was only ever going to be a DJ. Our guests have a very wide range of taste, and we would far rather a good DJ moved smoothly between styles all night than risk a live band that might be a little limited, unless of course you already know the band and love them.
Do book your DJ or band well in advance, though, because the good ones get snapped up months and months ahead. One small thing I started early and would recommend to anyone: a wedding music list on my phone. Whenever I heard a song I knew we would love on the night, I added it, and I will hand the whole lot to our DJ beforehand so the evening is basically a mix of our favourite tunes.
Wedding photographer
Oh, this is one of the most important people of the whole day.
I have known Saci since Charlie was born, and we go back to see her every time we visit Hungary, because her talent is simply extraordinary.
Whoever you choose, make sure they are well researched, genuinely talented, and above all reliable, the sort who turns up. You do not want to reach the end of your Big Day and realise the only pictures were taken on people's phones. Look properly through a photographer's portfolio first, so you know you love their style and trust their work, because those photos are what you will still be looking at in thirty years.
Wedding dress
I will be honest, I had not found mine yet when I first wrote this, though having an idea always helps you start. I wanted a beach, boho sort of dress, and there are so many options online that I put together a photo collage to take into the dress shop with me and worked from there. If dresses overwhelm you, that collage trick is a lovely way to walk in knowing roughly what you are after.
Wedding cake
The cake was the easiest choice of the lot. I researched the local cake shops, found the most wonderful place, went through their portfolio and was completely sold. As with the dress, I made a photo collage of the styles I loved, and we ordered once we had settled on our favourite.
Hair and make-up artist
I booked a hairstylist and make-up artist for the morning to prepare my look and my bridesmaids' too. It is well worth offering your guests the chance to book in for their own hair or make-up as well, so everyone feels lovely on the day.
The other important bits
There are a handful of details I have not given their own section, but they matter just as much, so do not let them slip: the wedding rings, the groom's and bridesmaids' outfits, the wedding presents, and booking the formal ceremony with your minister or registrar. That last one especially needs sorting early.
Let's recap
— your wedding checklist
Wedding venue
Wedding invitations
Wedding décor
Wedding music
Wedding photographer
Wedding dress
Wedding cake
Hair and make-up
Wedding rings
Groom and bridesmaids' outfits
Wedding presents
Formal ceremony
If you would like a hand with any of it, and especially if you fancy a Hungarian wedding by Lake Balaton, do get in touch with me. I have been through it at speed and I would love to help.
Frequently asked questions
Can you really plan a wedding in four weeks?
You honestly can, and I am living proof. The secret is to lock in the venue first, because almost everything else follows from it, and then to work steadily down a checklist rather than trying to do everything at once.
Is it cheaper to get married abroad?
Very often, yes. For us, a reception in Hungary cost noticeably less than the equivalent in the UK, and that saving stretched to a far nicer day. Do factor in travel for your guests, but even so the difference can be well worth it.
What is the most important thing to book first?
The venue, every time. Once you know where and when, you can slot in your photographer, DJ, décor and everyone else around it, and the good suppliers get booked up early, so the sooner the better.