6 Tips for Setting Your Wedding Date
Your heart is beating fast as the love of your life bends down on one knee. It’s that moment and those four joyous words you’ve been waiting for: WILL YOU MARRY ME? But before you even say “YES,” the shrill tone to the inevitable ‘have you set a date’ question starts ringing in your ears.
We all would like to live in this ‘bended-knee’ moment forever but once you begin announcing your engagement to loved ones, you will be bombarded with the same question - “When?”
In the puzzling game of choosing the perfect date, it’s important to understand that there’s much more that goes into the selection. I have compiled 6 helpful tips to get you started.
1. Be aware of the time it takes in planning a wedding.
This, as obvious as it may seem, is something that brides and grooms innocently glance over. Realistically, if you’re planning a destination wedding, the rule of thumb is to choose a date sooner than later. Shoot for a date at least a year out to give your wedding guests plenty of time to coordinate travel arrangements. If you are shooting for a local wedding it’s good to give your guests 6 to 12 months to plan accordingly. But if you opt for a micro-wedding with mostly local guests, you can do it in or around 6 months.
2. Consider your close friends and family.
Given this is your special day and all, it’s easy to just pick a date that you both agree on and go from there. But, like anything you plan in life, there will always be conflicting schedules and/or plans to deal with. Can you picture your wedding without your ‘best man’ or your favorite aunt? Likely not. So it’s very important to involve those all-important people when selecting the perfect date. But be forewarned, the more you bring into this special circle, the more you’ll have to consider.
3. Be mindful of the season you pick.
Obviously, you’ll have an idea of which season you prefer, but have you considered all of the factors that play into that decision? Take for instance your honeymoon planned right after your nuptials. As much as your wedding day’s weather is forecasted to be sun-soaked and clear, your honeymoon destination could be in the middle of their monsoon season.
Weather and location play such a vital role in the success of your perfect wedding. Just because your dream venue has availability in a different season you desire doesn’t mean you should automatically book it. Researching the weather patterns from previous years can give you an accurate forecast of the weather pattern that could make or break your dream wedding.
4. What important or symbolic dates come to mind?
If you don’t have many roadblocks when it comes to picking a wedding date - get creative with it. Maybe your significant other is terrible at remembering dates or you want a date that stands out more than the next.
Some couples use number sequencing when picking a date like 2/2/22 or 7/11. Also, some couples honor their grandparents or other loved ones by using their wedding anniversary as their official wedding date. And don’t rule out some of these dates just because they land on a weekday. Always remember this is where the cost of your wedding can significantly lower.
5. Speaking of cost…
We know the most sought-after items in life come at a cost. When we think of ‘supply and demand’ we tend to think of products. But within the wedding industry, it’s clear that these economic terms apply with good reason. For example, the idea of a spring wedding holds heavy in the minds of most brides, making it the most sought-after season. So it goes without saying that the price tag reflects the demand.
Also, paying attention to details such as your flower selection can make a huge difference. Sure those peonies are gorgeous for your springtime wedding, but if you’re gearing up for a peonies-drenched winter wedding, you’re going to gasp at your florist’s final bill since winter is far from the peonies blooming season.
6. Make a list of the ‘not gonna happen’ dates.
Starting a list of dates that don’t work for your wedding might seem frivolous, however even the slightest memory lapse could land you a wedding date on your city’s busiest weekends.
It’s good to look into the events calendar of your venue’s city. Large-scale events can limit your guest’s hotel options and raise the prices of travel as well.
Also, putting time between your wedding and other important dates might be a good idea. Did you want your anniversary close to your birthday? Do you know if your wedding date falls on a day with sad significance in your family or the world?
There are so many factors that play into “setting the date” and, other than the obvious, it’s easy to overlook certain factors that may end up costing you extra money or even ruin travel plans. Using some of these helpful tips can surely ease your mind and make you as confident as you were when you said “yes” to those four joyous words.
