There are so many things to think about when planning a wedding. Some girls have the majority of it figured out way before they are even engaged. One of those things they usually don’t have planned is the actual wedding date. Picking the wedding date seems like a small and simple choice, but truthfully, it can be a hard decision to make that affects everything. Today I’m giving you a few things to consider and some tips on how to pick your wedding date.
How to Pick Your Wedding Date
Availability of vendors
One of the first things to get booked is the wedding venue. I know a few venues that are booked up over a year in advance. To some, the wedding venue is the most important thing. If that is the case or if you really, really want something else like a certain photographer, you will plan your wedding date around their availability.
Reach out to that vendor as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the fewer dates you will have. You might even talk to them before you get engaged (as long as you know the proposal is coming).
Price
Money, money, money. It seems like that is talked about more than anything when it comes to weddings. If you’re on a tight budget, you might pick a wedding date to help out.
Certain dates have a lot of competition, so if you choose one that isn’t in prime wedding time, you can probably get a discount from multiple vendors. The first thing would be to look at Friday or Sunday weddings. It’s still around the weekend, and I’ve seen plenty of venues that offer a discount. If that doesn’t work, you can try Monday through Thursday. This might be a problem for your guests, but I bet you can get some nice deals.
Besides the days of the week, you can look at certain seasons. I’m usually bored December- February so I’m always excited to shoot a wedding in those months.
Special Dates
Today is Halloween, and while this isn’t a popular wedding date, I bet there is someone out there that chose today for their wedding. Other holidays can be popular because there are certain feelings or benefits connected to each. Memorial Day weekend is a popular date because it’s a three day weekend for almost everyone. New Years would be another fun one if you’re the partying type.
Besides holidays, I’ve known several couples pick a date based on the numbers. It could be something like 12/12/12 or 7/8/9. It really doesn’t matter the pattern as long as you think it’s neat.
The date could also have other special meanings. I did a wedding on a Wednesday, and they chose the date because both of their parents happened to get married on that date. I also talked to someone recently that is getting married on the date they got engaged.
The Weather
Are you a hot or cold person? I prefer the cold. I’d much rather be bundled up than dripping sweat everywhere. Do you want to worry about rain during your outdoor ceremony? The weather can be a big factor in making your decision.
Sports and other events
I live in a college town, so that means football games change the entire area. When there is a home football game, there aren’t many hotels, traffic stinks, and everything is crowded. You should take that into consideration and how it will affect things and your guests. Do you really want them to have to pick between your wedding and a football game?
Important People
In my mind, weddings are about the people, and your wedding date should take people into consideration. How will your wedding date affect everyone? Will they be able to make it if it’s a Friday wedding? Will they be happy if it’s freezing outside?
I’d start off by talking to the most important people and see if there are any dates or things that would cause them problems. From there, you can start looking at the other things I mentioned.
What’s important to you?
In the end, focus on what matters most to you. It’s your wedding and you should be happy. Look at all the things I included above and decide which matters most to you. Is it the venue? A special date? People? Take that into consideration and that should help you pick your wedding date.
