This Amazing Couple Planned Their Wedding In 12 Days

Typically, most weddings take twelve months to plan. This ambitious couple, Chad and Dominique, defied the odds and planned their "I dos" in a mere twelve days! Yes, you read that correctly.

They organized their nuptials with lots of love and care with support from their family and local community. Read on for their romantic story and ultimate planning tips from the newlyweds and the mother-of-the-bride.

Chad: We had begun the process of looking at venues, getting quotes, doing all of the due diligence… it seemed like a very long road. Family is very important to Dominique, and she confided in me that it would mean the world to her if her Granddad could walk her down the aisle. She went on to say that it would mean more to her to have an intimate wedding while her granddad is here.

Dominique: Shopping around for vendors and venues had become somewhat overwhelming. The idea of spending such a substantial amount of money on one day was becoming less and less appealing. We’d begun to discuss the idea of eloping, throwing a bon voyage party, and spending our wedding budget on a month long trip around Europe. One evening, I mentioned to Chad that I’d still like my Grandad to be able to walk me down the aisle, even if we only had five people with us at the ceremony. The idea sprouted roots and planning happened very quickly after that!

Chad: Luckily it all happened during the Christmas holiday, so most of our immediate family and close friends who were in town were very excited and willing to take that Sunday to celebrate our love. The hard part was accepting the fact that some out of state or out of country country family and friends weren’t going to be able to make the trip on such short notice.

Dominique: Most people were very supportive and happy for us. We were engaged for 18 months before the wedding so people knew it was coming, just not that fast! Donna (Dominique’s mom): Vendors were very supportive, and the florist got right on it and was great at calming the nerves so we didn’t have to worry. The bridal shop assistant was great at trying to help find us dresses, even though we didn’t find anything.

Chad: The next morning, I emailed our first choice venue. At the time, I was told that the only time they have wiggle room is within three months of the event, as most weddings are booked far in advance. I explained the situation and proposed the most basic of events. As it turns out, two days after Christmas was our actual anniversary, it was a Sunday, and the venue was available. More so, they were willing to work with us on our budget!

Dominique: I went to work on the other important vendors that I really wanted to share our day. I reached out to my long-term hair dresser and our photographer. Both of whom we had spoken with at length regarding the wedding before. I asked my mom, Donna, to take over the flowers which she graciously did and I got to work crafting.

Donna: My first challenge was securing the flowers, bridesmaids dresses, and a suit for Dominique’s younger brother. Then, I had to decide whether I had time to make the cake as well as plan the bridal shower. The rest were just checklist items and making time.

Chad: The biggest challenge was just wrapping our heads around the logistics of everything. Dominique and Donna sprang into action and put together an action item list that they executed flawlessly.

Dominique: One of my worries at first was the flowers, as the market in our area was closed Christmas day, there wasn’t an ideal way to get fresh flowers for our 27th wedding date. Even on such short notice, I wanted to have custom mason jar candles for our guest to take home. So, I went to our friend at Shaia Botanicals who created them over the weekend, we put custom stickers on with our names and the date. 

Dominique: We were concerned about being cold and our brunch was held in an 18th century stone house without heat, so I wanted to have blankets for people to grab if they needed them. We went to the fabric store, but they wouldn’t cut the length we needed for each one. So, my mom and I spend an entire evening measuring, cutting, rolling, and wrapping blankets for each guest.

Chad: People just couldn’t believe that our wedding was put together in a short time. Several of our guests mentioned that this was one of the loveliest weddings they’ve ever been to. We saved ourselves countless hours of deciding between the ivory or crème napkins!

Dominique: There were so many great moments! My friend, Genevieve, did an impromptu photo shoot while I was getting ready. When my mom helped put me in my dress and when my Granddad walked me down the aisle! I think my favorite moment though was when I came around the corner and locked eyes with Chad for the first time. We held each other’s gaze the entire walk and it felt like just the two of us. 

Dominique: I would have hired a day of coordinator to oversee setup and tear down of the event. I know that caused a lot of unnecessary stress. I would have also liked someone to help keep me and Chad on track the morning of our big day. And, make yourself to eat something. I don’t think I had one bite to eat until we snuck out to In-n-Out later in the evening!

Donna: Set expectations for the bridesmaids or groomsmen to help with set up and cleanup. Since this didn’t happen, I did not get as much time with my daughter as I wanted, don’t lose out on time with my daughter.

Chad: There’s no time to go back and forth. Make a decision and run with it. At the end of the day, the people who you choose to share this day with really only care about being there for you. Another big piece of advice is that when you only have a short amount of time, you are able to strike some amazing deals with vendors who may not have that slot booked.

Dominique: Negotiate and rely on vendors you’ve worked with before. You never know what you can get if you don’t ask.

Donna: Look for deals and sales and don’t sweat it if you don’t get exactly what you wanted – be flexible! Remember, you won’t have time to go back and forth.