Introduction

If a big wedding is just not your style, then Chapter 6 is written especially for you. In this section, you’ll learn how to pull off the ultimate in last minute weddings—eloping. It covers the pros and cons of eloping, how to choose a time and place to get married, where to find out about marriage license requirements, what to wear, even how to announce your marriage and throw a reception when you return home.

You’ll also find lots of tips for keeping the cost down. Planning a last minute wedding can cost more than others because many merchants charge a premium price if you ask them to hurry. If you’re on a budget, look for these cost-cutting suggestions.

Finally, you’ll find the workhorse of this book—the Ap-pendices. While the chapters are packed with great advice and ideas on planning your last minute wedding, the Appendices give you the nuts-and-bolts information you’ll need to pull it off. You’ll find names and addresses of ven-dors who specialize in providing quality wedding supplies, things like invitations, favors, mementos, attendants’ gifts, cake toppers, and decorations, in a hurry and at a fair price. Other resources that will be invaluable in your planning, such as addresses for helpful Web sites, are also included. And to help you stay organized, you’ll find a timeline and wedding planning worksheets. If you’re thinking elopement is the way to go, check out the listing of wedding chapels and wedding service providers across the country that cater to couples who want to get married on the fly.

Getting to the altar in style doesn’t have to be a white-knuckled, exhausting marathon that leaves you yearning for a damp cloth and a dark room. With help from Last Minute Weddings, your wedding can be a fun, manageable, and de-lightfully short sprint across the finish line.