An ultimate guide to choosing your wedding date.
Celebrations have started! You just said “Yes!” to the love of your life and now it’s the time to make it official and ceremonial with your dream wedding. While planning a wedding is daunting, choosing your wedding date is no walk in the park either. There are a lot of considerations to take care of, so you don’t end up having one of your most important days drenched in sweat or rain! Read along to find out how to choose your wedding date hassle-free.
6 Ways To Choose Your Wedding Date
1. Deciding if you want an outdoor or indoor wedding.
Perhaps one of the most basic things to consider when choosing your wedding date is if you want an indoor or outdoor wedding, and consider the season you would like to have your wedding in. If you want to have an outdoor December wedding in Alaska, that might not be the best idea unless, of course, that’s what you want to do.
2. Checking to see if you’re interested in a wedding on a holiday weekend.
If you’re choosing to get married on or near a holiday, you’ll have to assess both the pros and the cons of it. If you do decide to have your wedding during that time, be prepared to take into consideration everyone’s holiday travel schedule. You’ll also have to consider whether or not you and your partner would like to have your anniversary during the holidays every year because it truly is the busiest time of the year. On another note, maybe your whole family is around for the holidays and you don’t mind having your anniversary fall around then. It’s your day, and the best part of all is that you get to decide when you want it to be.
3. Are any dates special to you both?
Another smooth and easy way to consider how to choose your wedding date is by picking a date that’s close to your heart. Perhaps the date connotes an important milestone in your relationship or the date of your parents’ or grandparents’ wedding. Dates with special significance make the celebration even sweeter.
4. Plan out your honeymoon first.
What I’ve seen couples do while choosing their wedding date is to plan out their honeymoon first. The place you go on your honeymoon can have a say on when you can have a wedding simply because each place has the best time to visit and you’ll want to plan around that.
5. Family & work commitments
If you’re planning a huge family event, it’s always better to check in with your family and closest folks for their availability. While this is not a necessity (according to your preferences), considering the schedules of your VIPs is also a good way to zero in on the date and allay some confusion. This is also very handy if you’re planning a destination wedding.
6. Check in with your vendors.
“How to choose your wedding date” can also be best answered if you have a non-negotiable vendor. Let’s say you have a wedding photographer you’ve been eyeing for a long time, there could be nothing more disastrous than them not being able to fit in with your schedule. So, it’s always best to work your planning around their availability.
I know that wedding planning can get overwhelming or have you dramatically running for the hills. So, here are some other basic FAQs answered that might set off more lightbulbs around your wedding planning.
Other FAQs on How to Choose Your Wedding Date
1. How sooner or later than getting engaged should I choose our wedding date?
That’s a question that needs a response according to your convenience and preference. If you’d like to get married within a year, it's best practice to book the venue 4-8 weeks after getting engaged, after considering the availability of all the parties.
2. Are there any months I should avoid and any months that I can look forward to?
In California, where I'm based out of, the most popular month to get married is in October. It makes sense for this region as it is oftentimes way too hot in the summer. Conversely, the slow wedding months are January and February. This is something to be mindful of when booking your vendors, as an October wedding will have vendors needing to be booked at least a year out.
3. Should I consider astrology when deciding on my wedding date? Anything I should particularly look out for?
Again, your choice. If you’re into astrology, it’s preferred that you leverage the refreshing energies of the new moon for a fresh chapter in your life. Additionally, certain planetary transits are considered auspicious too. For example, Jupiter and Saturn transits are generally considered to shower cosmic blessings. You should preferably avoid the retrogrades (backward movement) of any planets too, those are the periods of wars and hiccups according to many astrologists.
Final Thoughts on How To Choose Your Wedding Date:
Remember, wedding planning doesn’t have to be stressful. Especially the ways to choose your wedding date don’t have to be taxing. It should be exciting because you’re about to begin the next chapter of your life, walking alongside the person you’ve come to love the most in this big, wild universe. So, take it easy and plan it one step at a time.