Yay, you are getting married! Step one in the wedding planning process is picking a date.
To pick a date for your wedding, you need to consider if you want to choose the date or the venue first.
If you have a venue in mind, see what dates they have available, then choose from there.
Or, if you do not have a venue picked out, consider what season and day of the week you want to get married and how long you need to plan the wedding and alert your guests.
How To Pick a Date for a Wedding?
Considerations for Choosing a Wedding Date
It would help if you thought about it a lot before choosing a wedding date, and the six below are the biggest.
Once you think through these things, you should have a pretty good idea of your wedding date or even have one picked out!
Do You Have a Venue in Mind?
The first and possibly the most important thing you must consider is your venue. The wedding date and the venue are two of the first things most brides choose. If you have a venue picked out, or even a few you are considering, I recommend that the first thing you do is get a list of their available dates.
If you know your dream venue, you have to choose a date they have available, so a list of their available dates will give you a great starting point. And, I would recommend choosing a few dates if you can, just in case one gets booked up while you are deciding.
But, if you are flexible on a venue or are getting married somewhere, you have control over your venue’s availability (backyard wedding? So cute!), and you do not have to worry about this too much. In this case, I would recommend focusing more on the rest of this list when choosing a date.
What Season Do You Want To Get Married?
Next, and I think the easiest thing to decide, is what season you want to get married in. Many people already know if they want a spring, summer, fall, or winter wedding.
If you live somewhere with a lot of snow, a winter wedding might not work too well if there is a snowstorm. But, if you live somewhere with hot summers or want to do a warm destination wedding, I suggest you avoid a summer wedding to keep from sweating all day.
On the other hand, if you are a teacher, you might have to have a summer wedding since you already have time off work. Or, if you are an accountant, getting married anytime before the middle of April would be too stressful.
I know I said choosing your wedding season is the easiest, but you must consider what time you want and what time of year is best for your life.
Choose a Day of the Week
Next up, you need to decide on the day of the week. The most popular day of the week to get married is Saturday, which you probably know based on past weddings you have been to.
Saturdays are a great day to get married since most people are off from work already, and you have time on Sunday to relax and recover afterward. But, it is also the most expensive day of the week to get married since the demand is high.
If you want to get married on a budget, I recommend considering a Sunday or even a Friday. They are still weekend days where people should not have too much trouble getting time off work, and if you have mostly local guests, you do not need to consider travel times for your guests.
For the most savings, you can choose a wedding date on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. These are the cheapest days, but you must consider your guests again. It might be hard for people to take time off work in the middle of the week to attend your wedding.
However, the exception to this is if you are having a destination wedding. If people are already planning on having time off for your wedding and multiple days at your wedding, you just need to get married on one of the days people attend, even if that is a weekday.
Remember Holidays and Special Events
You also need to remember to plan around holidays and other events. You might not have all your guests be able to attend if you plan a wedding in December around the holiday season. Or, if you know some of your family or friends have an annual vacation or maybe a big anniversary celebration coming up, you should avoid choosing those dates too.
Consider Your Important Guests
You should consider all your guests in planning a wedding, but you definitely want your important guests to attend. Think of your close family, your wedding party, and anyone else you cannot imagine not being there on your special day. If you know they have any big events coming up, you should plan your wedding accordingly.
For example, if you and your friends already have two weddings to attend in one month, you may not want to get married then too. Or, if your sister is pregnant, you might want to consider her due date and not get married too close to then.
Not only do you want these important people at your wedding, but you will also want their support on the big day, so consider them when choosing your date.
How Much Preparation Do You Need?
Finally, how much preparation do you need for your wedding? You likely want around a year or so to plan for a big wedding. You also must give your guests time to prepare and save the dates sent out.
But, if you are having a smaller wedding, you can likely plan it in a shorter time, so six months or so out is fine. Just make sure your guests get enough notice if you choose a close date.
