Wedding Planning as a Student
Begin planning NOW
While most engagements last about a year, time will go a little faster for a student. Students often lack consistency in their schedules (with major changes happening sometimes four to six times within the course of a year), and many of us have jobs in addition to a full time class load. My biggest tip is this: get as much planning out of the way as you can right at the beginning of your engagement. The earlier you do the big stuff (guest lists, venue deposits, etc) the less daunting other wedding planning tasks will seem as your semester trudges forward. The biggest benefit here is peace of mind. When things get really hectic later on you can always think "Well, at least we have a caterer."
Do the fun stuff over break, and the little stuff after class
Fun decisions are things like finding a dress. Trying to fit that in the middle of October will leave you not enjoying it as much as you should. Your mind will be clouded with thoughts of midterms and lesson planning and thesis writing. Weddings should be fun, and if you rush through the fun decisions, you'll regret it later. School should be your number one priority, but that doesn't mean that your wedding can't be as exciting and amazing as anyone else's. The little things - putting together programs or stamping save-the-dates - are great little tasks to occupy your time after class. They can sometimes be therapeutic, and it's nice to think about marrying the person you love after an especially long day.
Use your resources
A university is an amazingly diverse place, and it's an opportunity to explore subjects and activities that people outside of college don't have access to. Why not take a glass crafting class and make some handmade toasting glasses? Post flyers in the art department and find students to make your invites or even craft personalized stamps? Hire that startup rockabilly/bluegrass fusion band to play your processional? Colleges are a place of inspiration, and using the resources you have around you is what takes something that sounds like a burden and makes it a fabulous and unique addition to your day.