How to Choose A Wedding Date
You’re getting married! Congratulations! Now let’s look at how to choose a wedding date.
Selecting a date for your big day can be exciting yet challenging. Your wedding date will help set the tone for the whole event. There are many factors to consider when selecting a date. These include the season and weather, holidays and events, and the availability of your preferred wedding venue and vendors.
Additionally, you may like to consider any individual preferences or sentimental dates that are meaningful to you and your partner. How much you need to save may also play a role, so keep this in mind. It might be that the exact date plays a less important role to you than the venue you have dreamt of having your wedding. This may leave you limited by the available dates for your desired venue.
Let’s dive deeper into some things you could consider when selecting your perfect wedding date.
Discuss Your Priorities
The first step in choosing a wedding date is to sit down with your partner and discuss your priorities. What is most important to both of you? This could include budget, season, personal preferences, and family availability. By talking about what you each value in a wedding date, you can narrow down the options and find a date that works for both of you.
Your budget may play a significant role in determining your wedding date. Some dates may be more expensive due to higher demand for venues, vendors, and accommodations. This is particularly for those in the peak wedding season. Be prepared to adjust your date or consider alternative options. Weekday weddings or off-season dates can help reduce costs.
How soon should you choose your wedding date?
How soon you choose a date for your wedding is less important than how long you have between sending out your save the dates and the actual wedding. Some couples love to bask in engagement bliss for as long as possible. Others like to plan their big day immediately.
There is no right or wrong option here. However, there are a few things to keep in mind. You want to give yourselves ample time to save for the expenses of planning your dream wedding. Your guests will also need enough notice to request time off work. They may also need ample time to make any bookings in advance regarding accommodation and childcare and save for their expenses regarding attending the wedding.
You can talk to your closest friends and family about your potential dates to make sure they don’t have a scheduling conflict. It won’t be possible to please everyone. You will want as many of your nearest and dearest by your side. Running a few dates past them will ensure there is no disappointment.
The average length of an engagement is 12-18 months. If you plan to shorten this period, be sure to settle on a date reasonably quickly. You want to sign your reception venue contract and lock in your dream date. This will allow you to send out your save the dates and have your date locked in.
Brainstorm dates that are symbolic to you as a couple
When brainstorming dates for your wedding, you could choose from multiple symbolic and sentimental dates. Dates to consider include milestones in your relationship, such as the anniversary of your first date. Dates with your favorite or lucky numbers, such as 11/11 at 11 am or dates on your favorite day of the week. Another lovely idea is to consider honoring your parents or grandparents by getting married on the same date as they did.
Pick your season
If the date you plan to have your wedding is less important, start by choosing the season you would like to get married in first.
Thinking about the best season for your ideal wedding is a great place to start.
Do you want an indoor or outdoor wedding ceremony? The season you choose sets the tone for the wedding. If you have dreamed of a rustic indoor wedding with fireplaces blazing, a fall or winter wedding could be your choice. Or imagine your guests enjoying cocktails outside as the sun sets; selecting a date in the warmer month is a better option.
Seasonal cuisine for your wedding menu and foods are available at certain times of the year may play an important role. Or the availability of your dream venue. Peak wedding season can often be dearer, so you could save on venue costs by planning an off-peak season wedding.
Maybe you have dreamed of having fresh-smelling roses or tulips as part of your bouquet. Flower availability may be something to keep in mind. You may want to travel to a warm holiday destination, but it will be winter in your country at the best time for travel.
And, of course, work commitments can play a part in the time of year you choose to get married. No matter what the reason, every season can make for a beautiful, unforgettable wedding.
Fall Wedding
Have you always imagined a fall wedding with trees covered in warm tones of multicolored leaves as your beautiful backdrop? Fall’s vibrant and warm tones can be incorporated into your wedding decor and attire. You are setting the theme for a rustic wedding that uses what nature offers to create spectacular wedding decor. Think of pine cones and seasonal flowers such as Asiatic and Calla Lillies, Celosia, Orange Gerbera, and even pumpkins when decorating.
Fall temperatures are still warm enough to enjoy an outdoor setting without the risks of melted make-up and sweat stains that can come with the extreme temperatures of summer in some areas.
Winter Wedding
Perhaps a winter wonderland backdrop is what you have always dreamed of. The idea of snow-capped mountains, widespread venue availability, off-peak prices, and cheaper accommodation rates are bonuses of a winter wedding. If you plan to have your reception in an indoor venue, you can decorate with warm tones, and mistletoe could hang in cozy corners. Your guests could enjoy spiced mulled wine in front of a roaring fireplace. Some venues may even already be decorated in holiday-themed decor. If this was a theme you were interested in using, you could save on decorating by getting married in the cooler months. Winter is also less hectic, so your guests will be more likely to RSVP with a yes.
Spring Wedding
Late spring to early fall is generally considered “wedding season,” depending on location, and the costs are usually higher all around due to demand. But there are so many benefits to choosing a date in the spring months.
Springtime can feel like a new beginning. Flowers are starting to bloom again, cherry blossom-covered trees, and warm, longer days are returning—an indoor venue. A blazing fireplace is still a great option in the evenings. But with the warmer days, an outdoor ceremony with gorgeous pastel colors, loads of natural greenery, and a rustic nature theme is ideal in the springtime.
Summer Wedding
Summer weddings mean you can enjoy outside in a garden or have a beach wedding. A summer destination wedding is an excellent option if you’re in a cooler climate and your budget allows it.
More consistent weather makes wedding planning easier. Outdoor venues will be less of a gamble in the summer months. Venue availability may be higher in some places, as you can use the outdoor areas for your ceremony and reception. Outdoor venues are terrific for wedding games, cocktails as the sun sets, and dancing late into the night. However, in some areas, the summer months are far too hot to spend too long in the elements. An indoor wedding that utilizes bright hues and natural lighting is a great option.
Off-peak season
There is no right or wrong regarding the best month to get married. Your budget may be a deciding factor when choosing a particular date. If you are on a strict budget, the off-peak season is usually a more affordable option. Rates for venues can be half in some cases, just by choosing a date that falls in a time of less demand. You may also take advantage of lower prices and have more choices of venues by deciding to have a weekday wedding, as the traditional Saturday or Sunday wedding is generally more expensive. You could also find a better selection of venues and vendors when booking off-season.
There is a couple of downfalls to consider when booking an off-peak wedding. The availability of your guest list if you choose a weekday instead of the weekend. Some holidays, such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, are best avoided because of your guest’s prior commitments. Prices are also slightly higher at this busy time of the year. Remember any significant events such as super bowl weekend or other major sports events. New Year’s Eve is a great wedding holiday date, but keep in mind prices will be increased due to the significant holidays around this time.
Peak season
Peak wedding season in the USA usually falls between May to October, with the most popular months being June-August. Saturday weddings are in high demand no matter which season you choose. Although the price of a particular venue may be higher in peak season, this is the only reason to avoid this time if the budget and engagement length allows. The weather is usually more settled, permitting you the freedom to plan an outdoor wedding if you wish. Before locking In a date, you can find out when your desired venue is available and talk to your vendors about floral and cuisine availability and cost.
Destination weddings
Are you dreaming of a destination wedding? There are a few things to consider when planning a wedding abroad, especially when choosing a date. Getting a local wedding planner from your desired destination is a good idea to help you through the planning process for that country. Take note of your planned destinations’ weather patterns and avoid scheduling your wedding around hurricane season.
Avoid times when accommodation and venues will be more expensive or busy such as spring break or national or religious holidays. Remember that your guest list may be smaller, but there’s nothing wrong with an intimate destination wedding with just a few guests.
Auspicious dates and traditions
You may feel superstitious and want to ensure all the planets are aligned for your special day. Understandable. You could consider a few auspicious dates and traditions when choosing a date for your wedding.
Specific numbers are considered lucky in some cultures, while others are unlucky.
It is believed in the Chinese culture that the number 8 is a lucky number. In Chinese, the number 8 is pronounced similarly to the word for “wealth,” so it is considered to bring luck. It is also good luck to get married on the Chinese new year. However, this date changes every year.
Old Austrian tradition states a couple should be married on a Wednesday, the luckiest day to get married.
In some cultures, such as Hindu and Chinese, it is advised the couple consult the help of a traditional fortune teller. With the knowledge of the groom’s astrological position in relation to the moon and the bride’s astrological position to the sun, the torture teller can determine the best day for the couple to wed.
The ancient Greeks believed weddings on the full moon were the happiest and most prosperous marriages.
Getting married beneath the new moon is an excellent option for an auspicious wedding date. The new moon comes once a month. This moon phase starts the lunar cycle, representing rebirth, new beginnings, planting seeds, and growing from the ground up.
Final thoughts
There are no rules when it comes to choosing your perfect date. Select a date with a special meaning to you in the season that suits your wedding style. And if you are inclined to follow the old Greek tradition of getting married on the full moon for a happy and prosperous marriage, that’s great.
No matter when you choose to get married, this will become a unique and significant date for the rest of your lives.
