Planning Your Wedding Date

Without a date the rest of your wedding planning can be an impossible task. But choosing a wedding date can be an equally impossible and difficult undertaking. Your choice of date will invariably depend on a number of factors.

Wedding Planning Time Setting a date within one month, will not leave much time (if any) to plan a big wedding, in fact it may barely leave you enough time to plan a small one! Your first consideration should be to how much time you think you will need for your wedding planning and to put together the wedding of your dreams. Are the organized type who knows exactly what they want and how to get it? Or are the type who needs time to deliberate and decide on every detail? As a guide the average time between engagements and wedding day is 12 - 18 months.

Commitments Check your diary and make sure your choice of date doesn’t conflict with any other important day. You may want to check for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations or any other event which may conflict with your wedding. It is also a good idea to discuss any potential dates with close family and friends.

Holidays Whilst holidays can be a good time to have a wedding, they are also times when people will travel to be with family and loved ones or will take a much needed vacation at that particular time. It may be asking a lot to invite them to forgo this to attend your wedding. Another aspect about weddings during holiday dates is that you may find it difficult to book vendors, locations and other services. Factor into your wedding planning florists are usually very busy around Valentines Day and hotels may be fully booked at Christmas.

Weekend or Weekday Saturdays are the most popular day of the week to get married, which means you will be competing with every other couple in the area for a Saturday date. Weekdays can be a good choice as they are often cheaper days to book with venues and you are more likely to get a date within your month of choice. If you want a weekend date then be prepared to have to wait a year or more for one that is available.

Wedding Day Expense As mentioned above, vendors will put a premium on popular wedding days, particularly those in the wedding high season - May to September. A date in fall or early spring can be a cheaper option and you may get a better deal than having a date in the summer