DIY wedding planning and working full time

I do a lot of it over the phone. Most vendors usually do Saturdays, though, so I'm surprised you're having that issue. The Vendor tab here really is a life-saver, so utilize that.

I am in the same boat. Email is my best friend right now. I email while at work (desk job) and I try to schedule tours on the weekends. I find that if I email or call ahead I can schedule a private tour on a weekend before a wedding comes in, so I get to see how it is set up and stuff.

Luckily, I have a lot of PTO and a super relaxed boss and job. I usually schedule things around 4:30 and just come in a little earlier that day to make up the time. Not sure what your situation is, but it's possible! All of my vendors have been accommodating. I take calls on my lunch break and check my emails while at work.

I did a lot of planning over the phone. Unfortunately I also had to us my vacation time to meet vendor because our wedding is an destination wedding. Hopefully you will find more time to plan.

I did my clinicals full-time, work part-time, and per-diem/freelance work while wedding planning. Google calendar and planners are your friends. Skype, emails, FaceTime, and GChat are your friends as well. I planned my PA wedding from western MA and only visited PA twice. It's do-able but requires lots of flexibility with your vendors. I had to turn down vendors who required in-person meetings or who couldn't be flexible with me.

Thanks for the advice. I am able to meet with a venue on a Saturday which has almost everything included which will hopefully help in planning

Plus 1 for Google Calender!!!

It may feel impossible at first for sure. I am a full time day college student and work part time at night. The few vendors I have booked made arrangements to meet in person on Saturdays or exchanged email/phone calls super late at night. They try not to do these things but will make it work if they have to

It really wasn't that difficult. I saw one venue at night after work and another on a Saturday. I did a lot of emailing at night and did phone calls on my lunch hour. My DJ was included in the venue but I went to florists on the weekends. I was able to email/conference call with photographers and met with the one we chose in my office after work hours.

Email is my best friend! I work full time and am usually busy at work but I can always respond to emails throughout the day. That's how we booked some vendors. We went venue shopping on a Saturday and checked out 3 places in one day. We booked our DJ via calls/texts/and email. Those are the only two big ones we've booked so far though because I'm just over a year out! We have a photographer we love and have been emailing, we have some catering quotes and we plan to do tastings for food and cake on a Saturday in the coming months. So far the only person I've run into that isn't available weekends is a florist but we don't need to book one yet so I'm not too stressed about meeting one right now. My fiance is an EMT so sometimes even Saturdays are a no-go for us!

Most of us here are full time and or multiple jobs- and planned our own. work it out.

I prescreened as many vendors in advance as possible before taking time to go see them- I lost many weekends going to look at venues. I think I only had to take a few hrs off work to do one or two.

Do as much as you can in advance- narrow it down to 2-3 options and then make plans- most will work with you- but in the rare event they won't- either take time off- or pass on the venue. Or delegate to someone who can go.

Dems' the choices.