Congratulations! You’re officially a bride-in-planning! You’re probably either super excited to start planning or overwhelmed with all the information and not sure where to start. Well, let us help you with that. Here are the top 10 things you and your fiancee should consider when setting your wedding date.
1. Your schedule. Make sure your own schedules allow ample time for pre-wedding and post-wedding activities. There’s the rehearsal dinner, possible traveling for the wedding, and the honeymoon. When looking at your work schedule, take “busy season” into consideration. For example, if you’re an accountant, you probably don’t want to get married between January and April. And if you’re a student, you’ll want to avoid getting married during midterms and finals.
2. Budget. When considering your wedding date, your budget will be a key factor as you decide the month, day and flowers. If you want peonies, consider May as they are in peak season then. And if you’re on a tight budget, consider choosing a month in the off-season and possibly having a Friday or Sunday wedding. Tip: November is less expensive than June and Sundays are less expensive than Saturdays.
3. Venue availability. Believe it or not, venues can book up as early as 12 to 18 months in advance. Make sure you check the availability as early as possible. If you’re considering a non-traditional wedding venues, you may have more flexibility.
4. Wedding vendors’ availability. If you know who you want as your wedding photographer, planner, band, etc., check their availability ASAP! Popular photographers book fast and far in advance. Especially if they’re destination wedding photographers, their calendars are probably filled with many trips so get in contact with them as soon as possible. On the flip side, if you can’t book your favorite vendor due to availability, remember there are tons of fabulous wedding vendors out there.
5. Seasons and style. Consider the style you want for your wedding and choose the season that best suits it. For example, if you want an outdoor garden wedding, you’ll obviously want a spring or summer date. But if you’re considering a winter wonderland wedding, remember to factor in the holidays. The pros: family and friends will already be home for the holidays. The cons: venue prices tend to be higher during holidays. Also, keep in mind that the sun sets earlier in the winter so if you want an outdoor wedding, plan your date or start time accordingly.
6. Significant dates. Special wedding dates like 11/12/13 and 12/13/14 are fun and easy to remember so they fill up super fast! Keep this in mind as you choose your date. Consider choosing a date that’s significant to you and your fiancee. For example, the anniversary of your first date–this can also be a cute story to share with your wedding guests.
7. Guests’ schedules. Make sure your VIP guests are available to attend. If your best friend’s wedding or cousin’s wedding is around the same time as yours, it’ll be harder on your guests as you’ll probably share a good chunk of the guest list.
8. Destination. Want a destination wedding? There are tons of factors to consider when choosing your date such as the peak seasons for the location and travel availability for your guests.
RELATED: The Fundamentals of Destination Weddings
9. Health. Whether you’re consider your own health or your family members, be flexible with the date and accommodate those who matter most to you. If you have a sick grandparent, you may want to push the date up a little earlier. Or if you have a pregnant sister, you probably don’t want to set the date around their expected due date.
10. Honeymoon. Consider your honeymoon destination’s peak seasons if you’re looking to jet set away immediately after your wedding. This will help you decide when to get married. Winter months are more crowded in the Carribeans so if you don’t want a honeymoon with all the world’s vacationers, you’ll want to keep these factors in mind when setting the date.
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