How to Plan a Wedding in 30 Days or Less!

It’s not often we get a wedding inquiry from a couple who wants to get married in a bar in just 19 days. Yes, I said 19 days! When you are as cool as Kaitlin and Lars, a destination brunch wedding planned in 19 days at your favorite DTLA bar is just right! Using my top 5 tips for planning a wedding in 30 days or less will help!

Check out the full article and more photos from Aurelia D’Amore Photography, of this brunch wedding on Green Wedding Shoes!

everson royce bar wedding — Who needs a photo backdrop when you have the streets of LA and an awesome orange door?!

DTLA wall mural — A wedding at a bar? Yes, please!

Pro Tip #1: Hire Professionals

When it comes to crunch time wedding planning, don’t head to craigslist thinking scrimping will be the best move. Truth is, when it comes to planning a wedding in just a couple of weeks, you don’t have time for mistakes that can’t be fixed. Hire relatable, experienced and professional vendors who carry insurance and have great reviews. They will be the pros you lean on to pull your big day together in a flash!

forehead kiss — These cuties live in Australian but wanted a destination wedding in LA.

bride holding yellow bouquet — Meet Kaitlin. International Development wiz and lover of textures!

groom with hands in pockets — Meet Lars. Tech Executive guru and one very tall dude (6’8)!

bride and groom downtown los angeles — Although both the bride and groom are super untraditional people, they were moved to add a bit of family pride into both of their wedding outfits. Kaitlin’s jacket was her grandmothers and Lar’s pocket square belonged to his grandfather.

graffiti bride and groom — So, a wedding in under a month? NOT impossible! Find the things that are important to you!

Pro Tip #2: Be Flexible

Planning a wedding in 30 days means you need to be open to options, situations, and challenges that may arise. Being too rigid is a recipe for disasters. Trust your vendor team and your gut that whatever choice you make is the right one!

bar menus — Having the bar & buffet menus on display will cut down on your guest’s waiting time in line!

everson royce cocktails — When the drinks look this good, you have to take their photo!

polaroid photo book — Polaroid photos doubled as a guest book!

bride and groom in bar — Kaitlin and Lars took some alone time in the Everson Royce Bar (interior) for a few moments of alone time after the ceremony.

Pro Tip #3: Use an All-Inclusive Venue

This would include catering, staffing, bar, and basic rentals. When you are working on a month-of time frame, you can’t reinvent the wheel. Working with a venue that has your basic needs already covered is a huge time and stress relief. That way you only have to bring in the florals and decorative elements to make the space your own.

outdoor patio everson royce bar — Everson Royce Bar included picnic tables, benches, heat lamps, flatware, glassware, and china in their rental.

picnic wedding — Renting bright orange cloth napkins from BBJ Linen added a level of hospitality to the tables.

The bright, yellow mural at Everson Royce Bar was a build in design element that elevated the ambiance of the patio area.

picnic wedding tablescape — Rather than hire an officiant, the guests served as guides to the celebration with call and response vows placed at each setting.

winston and main florals — Taking a note from the bright colors around the bar, we went with bold florals and jewel tones for the design.

tree floral installation — Just because you are planning in a flash doesn’t mean there can’t be a WOW factor! Winston & Main covered a tree in the bar’s backspace with yellow and orange florals.

nontraditional wedding location — The beautifully decorated tree acted as the ceremony arch for the vow exchange!

The perfect, intimate wedding ceremony sealed with a kiss.

bocce ball wedding rings — Are you sensing a theme?

live band icy hot club — The Icy Hot Club played live gypsy jazz throughout the wedding reception.

Avocado Toast
Ricotta Pancakes
Pork Belly

You never know until you ask: the Everson Royce Bar had never hosted a wedding before, yet they created a delicious brunch menu full of California favorites, a mimosa bar, and espresso martinis!

Pro Tip #4: Be Realistic with Your Expectations

Remember to gauge your expectations accordingly to what can be successfully and logically accomplished in 30 days. This includes your expectations of yourself. Jumping into crash diets or pressuring your wedding day to be perfection isn’t the answer. Your wedding will be amazing—even in 30 days—because ultimately and most importantly, you are marrying YOUR person, not the day!

bocce wall wedding — Guests enjoyed the full bocce ball field built into the Everson Royce Patio.

Kaitlin loves ice cream cones! What does Lars do with that information?

Surprise the heck out of his bride and hire the CVT retro ice cream truck!

CVT = Chocolate, Vanilla, Twist.

cvt soft serve ice cream cone — Don’t forget the sprinkles and dash of sea salt for a flavor surprise!

cvt ice cream truck — Surprise a girl with ice cream and she’ll be yours FOREVER! I helped Lars orchestrate Katilin’s ultimate surprise: an ice cream truck! The CVT Truck pulled up and dished out soft serve for the ultimate sweet ending.

Pro Tip #5: K.I.S.S. – Keep it Simple Stupid!

The more guests you invite, the more complicated wedding planning gets. Keeping your guest list boiled down to the most important and key people in your life will save you valuable time and drama. Extra points if you omit a wedding party and roll as a solo duo on the wedding day.

Kaitlin and Lars kept their guest list down to their 60 closest family and friends.

While some weddings take months and months to plan, others don’t have to! Following these 5 tips for planning a wedding in 30 days or less will help you be successful no mater what your timeline is!

nontraditional wedding planner los angeles — For every 1000 photos taken at a wedding, there is 1 crazy, wonderful, ridiculously magical shot that makes you want to squeal with glee. This is that shot!

Vendor Team:

photography: Aurelia D’Amore Photography // venue name: Everson Royce Bar, Los Angeles, California, USA // event design: Anything But Gray Events // planning: Anything But Gray Events // florals: Winston & Main // wedding dress: Bianca Spender // bride’s shoes: Aperlai // hair stylist:Betsy DiFrancesca // makeup artist: Betsy DiFrancesca // groom attire: Brooks Brothers // catering:Everson Royce Bar // desserts: CVT Truck // linen rentals: BBJ Linen // music: Hey Mister DJ // Icy Hot Club

LOS ANGELES WEDDING PLANNER