Wedding in TWO MONTHS! HELP!

Katrina with your minimal budget it is going to be a real challenge to host your wedding. I am not going to say it can't be done but you wil def have to forgo a lot of elements just to have the basics.

Budget, guest list, venue, officiant,food , pictures, music . Also, I would keep in mind since you are getting married in such a short time make sure to let your guests now pretty soon so they can plan accordingly especially out of town guests.

Edit: sorry I didn't read the previous comments before I commented. Op I am also 21 getting married a few weeks after you, don't let anyone tell you your too young. Best of luck! Would love to see your dress!

There is a rush because her religion tells her that she can't live with her FH unless they are married.

Should that be a dictate that is rationally considered and thrown out or accepted?

Of course.

Will OP do that?

No.

An LDS wedding, regardless of your age, is something quite different than the weddings most of us are familiar with. I have a relative who, decades ago, converted from Catholicism to Mormonism, and while his parents did fly from Long Island, NY to Salt Lake City, Utah, to attend his wedding, they were not happy -- in fact, they were devastated, by being prevented from seeing their son's wedding ceremony because they didn't have what they'd never heard of -- temple recommends. Their sealing, (I think that's the word), might have meant a lot to the couple, but it meant pain to his parents.

Their reception was not a conventional, sit down dinner. It was an open house type of affair at a private residence, and of course, it didn't include a drop of alcohol. Alcohol consumption is not in compliance with the Word of Wisdom -- so WW members -- there's no point in pushing the open bar issue. It's not happening here.

Aren't there women in your ward you could talk to about your wedding? Aren't their religion specific websites that would properly guide you in making the decisions you have eight weeks to make? I promise you, they'll give you better info that the majority of WW members, simply because a majority of us don't subscribe to your personal faith.

Your age? I'm not a fan of young women marrying until they've lived alone, have established a respectable credit report, and can support themselves (and a child) if that becomes a reality (and your religion doesn't protect from the woes of life), but it's a free country.

You know OP, I commend you for handling the negativity thrown at you with such grace and maturity. This is a very short timeline and your budget is fairly small but I think you can do it! Good luck to you and your FH!

I completely agree with @K.M. and the other Pps, but if you feel you are ready, then you are ready... Best of luck

Oh boy. Already saw where this was going.

Good for you for being bold and secure enough to have personal religious beliefs and to follow through on them, especially when most people in the world don't agree with you.

Priorities: Food, Photography, officiant, invitations. Since it's outdoor, make sure tables and chairs and a rainy day plan are in place.

Most of the people on this forum won't understand the kind of wedding you are wanting to have since it doesn't fit the typical model. There's nothing wrong with your wedding or the typical model wedding. But if I were you, I would find someone who is recently married from LDS for some additional advice.

Good luck to you!

Venue

This is why you shouldn't drink the koolaid.

With your short timeline and small budget, I really think your best bet is a cake and punch reception. You'll still be properly hosting, but will be much cheaper than a full meal.

I think my favorite part of this thread is when A.L. said that her concern was for OP (and other young brides) brain development changes until age 24/25. Unless they have money. WTF?

If you're serious about this timeline, you need a venue first - stat! Then hire a full service wedding planner to get you through the rest. This is a VERY ambitious timeline and I think you'd be grateful with another 4-6 months of planning time. It goes by SO fast and being engaged is such a special, brief time in your life. Enjoy it - don't rush it!

Katrina, I just read through the thread. Trust your gut. Your mature responses make it clear that you have a good head on your shoulders and you should follow your heart. I'd advise to give yourself more time for reasons that you've ruled out and I respect that! I'd still recommend that you look into a wedding planner to help you pull things together. It might push you over budget, but the stress relief is worth it. I wish you the best of luck in your planning and a beautiful marriage!

I knew this thread was gonna be good once I got to the bottom of page 1.

Anyways, for some advice.

Whatever you do, hire as many professionals as possible. Cater your food, don't have someone else make it. Make sure you offer your guests proper food and drinks and comfort.

Other than that, your photographer, videographer, DJ is optional or the quality is what you care for.

As for the next steps, invitations on who to invite once you know how much you can afford to feed and drink etc.

Decor can be minimal, I assume you have a wedding party or none?

Do you need make up and hair done the day of? Better start looking for that as well.

Flowers if you want any, looks for that as well.

Marriage License is key, see how soon you can get that in your "state"?

Venue. Now! Before the end of the week. Then send out invitations while booking everything else. Have everything booked by the end of June. Then get your marriage license.

Thank you so much everyone for the real advice and faith in me! I really do appreciate it, since quite a lot of people are unsupportive too. So to those who have faith in me, thank you lots, and may God bless you!

And originally we were gonna get sealed at the temple, but I will be a doing a quaint, simple traditional wedding.

@katrina, while I don't usually support the idea of a young bride, I do commend you for the maturity you've shown on this thread. This is usually not how the younger bride threads end up going. I also commend you for being open to the advice for getting a caterer. That's an absolute must because while your family might be great cooks, it's not something they should be worried about on the day of your wedding. I, as well as most people I know IRL wouldn't eat at a potluck or self catered event because food poisoning is a very real issue. In terms of your photo/video, hire 1 person for photo. Let your family enjoy as guests. Unfortunately your budget won't allow for both photo and video but between the 2, I would recommend a photographer. For food, I think bbq might be your best option. It's usually very cheap yet delicious.

Lastly, I would love to see a picture of your dress!!

I agree that that 21 is young, but more power to you for making the decision. Most of my advice has already been given, so I second wanting to see your dress!