You proposed…now you need to pick the perfect wedding date!
For us girls, the most important question of our lives is,
“Will you marry me?”
When that question is popped, our heads start spinning with excitement and we literally black out for a few minutes. And of course, there is the ring – that goes without saying. Depending on the size, we may stay blacked out for a few more minutes. Once our heads stop spinning, we regain consciousness, drift back to earth, and say “yes,” it’s time to start planning.
The most important step in planning the wedding is setting the date. Dates hold a very special meaning because they will forever symbolize a special moment for you, your fiancé and your families – your wedding. Also, the date you choose can also honor another special memory, such as your grandparents’ wedding date or the first date you and your fiancé met.
The date of your wedding also helps set a theme because of the season in which you are choosing a date. For example, if you get married in the fall, you can use the dramatic fall colors in your bridal bouquet and bridesmaid dresses.
When you set the date for your wedding, you must keep in mind a few things:
Dates Available
If your heart is set on a specific location such as a church or reception site, you’ll need to check right away. Popular venues book far in advance, and I am talking far. Some are up to 2 or more years in advance, so call them as soon as possible to get a sense of dates they have available.
Keep in mind that when you have the ceremony at one location and the reception at another, you’ll need to coordinate availability at both sites.
Pull your work calendar and your fiancé’s so you can schedule time for the wedding and honeymoon. Many people have jobs in which there is a “busy season” so you’ll want to avoid work conflicts.
Holidays
Many venues host more than just weddings, so they’ll book up for holiday parties as well.
You may elect to hold your wedding during a holiday, such as Labor Day, because you and your family will have additional time off work in order to travel and visit.
During holidays, such as Christmas, many venues put up additional decorations and floral arrangements, so you can take advantage of this and save money in your budget.
Special Dates
Keep in mind special dates of your parents and not so special dates – lots of parents do not want their children getting married on the date of marriages that didn’t last – and believe me, you want to keep the folks happy so they’ll pick up the tab!
Vacation Time
Plan around vacation time available for your and your soon-to-be spouse because you want a nice long honeymoon and you don’t want to have to rush! Trust me, you’ll need the rest after the wedding planning!
Relatives’ Birthdays
If someone in your family or your fiancé’s family is having an important birthday, such as their 50th, you’ll want to select another date so that you don’t compete with their celebration.
Other Special Event Dates
Check with both of your families to make sure family members are not celebrating other special events such as weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, Bat Mitzvahs, Quinceañeras, Graduations and Milestone Anniversary parties on the date you wish to select. Again, you don’t want to compete, and you do want everyone to feel invited to your wedding. Plus, you want the presents, don’t you?
Seasons
If you are having a destination wedding or an outside wedding, you’ll need to keep seasons in mind. The last thing you want to do is to choose a date and get rained out, or worse, stranded due to a hurricane!
As you work through the above questions, review a calendar. In fact, we have a calendar of holidays to aid you in your planning.
Now, go set a date and have fun! Congratulations and best wishes!