A Bride's Guide to Selecting a Wedding Date
Congratulations! You are engaged, and the initial excitement and glee has morphed into a sudden frantic need to plan. Welcome to being a bride. One of the first things many brides choose to focus their energies on is selecting a wedding date.
Perhaps you have a date that holds significance to you and your fiancé, such as a dating anniversary, the day you first said “I love you,” or any other special date that you imagined getting married.
A first consideration to take into account when selecting a wedding date is for convenience sake. Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays are the most common days to get married because it is convenient for the bridal party, family and guests to attend the wedding without interfering with the Monday through Friday, 9-5 grind many people are stuck in because of their careers.
If your favorite date falls on a Wednesday, that might not be the best date to get married and expect your guests to be able to attend; this is particularly true for out of town guests who have to include travel time to attend your special day. However, if that date holds a very strong significance for you and your fiancé, you can hold your wedding on that day, and be understanding that not all of your guests will be able to attend.
Another consideration to take into account is if the preferred wedding date will fall on a holiday, or near a holiday. Holiday weddings can be very accessible for guests because they may already have a 3-day weekend from work. However, it is completely up to you if you are ok with having your wedding day associated with a holiday rather than being associated just with your vow of marriage to one another. Below are common American holidays and when they typically fall in the year:
· January 1 – New Year’s Day
· Third Monday in January – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
· February 14 – Valentine’s Day
· Third Monday in February – Presidents’ Day
· March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day
· April 1 – April Fools’ Day
· Varied Dates from March through April – Good Friday, Easter
· May 5 – Cinco de Mayo
· Second Sunday in May – Mother’s Day
· Last Monday in May – Memorial Day
· Third Sunday in June – Father’s Day
· July 4 – Independence Day
· First Monday in September – Labor Day
· Second Monday in October – Columbus Day
· October 31 - Halloween
· November 11 – Veterans Day
· Fourth Thursday in November – Thanksgiving Day
· Fourth Friday in November – Day after Thanksgiving
· Varied Dates from November through January - Hanukkah
· December 24 – Christmas Eve
· December 25 – Christmas Day
· December 26 – January 1 – Kwanzaa
· December 31 – New Year’s Eve
Many brides do not go into their wedding planning with a particular date in mind, rather a season they would love to get married in. Spring and summer are very common seasons for weddings because in most areas, the weather is beautiful and warm during those times. May through July is peak wedding season for this very reason. Outdoor weddings are gorgeous in the spring and summer, though the occasional rainy or windy day may be of concern. While fall and winter weddings are in less of a demand, many couples like the changing of the leaves or the snow to be the backdrop for their nuptials.
A tip for brides choosing a wedding date based on season: Spring and summer weddings are in what the wedding industry calls “peak season” and for that reason, dates are in high demand; venues book peak season dates very quickly and far in advance and can be almost 2x the cost of a non-peak season wedding. Fall and winter wedding dates do not fill up as quickly, and can be a drastic savings for those planning a budget wedding.
Many brides also choose a venue first and let the venue decide their wedding date. While not literally, if a bride chooses a venue that has only 3 dates left available in the time frame the couple wants to be married, the bride is forced to choose one of the available dates to be able to have the wedding at the venue they choose.
Please let this be a helping hand when choosing a wedding date, but remember that this is your wedding, and as long as you and your fiancé are happy, that is all that matters. Whether a rainy March Monday morning, a sunny June Sunday afternoon or a crisp October Friday evening, your wedding will be perfect for you and your fiancé. Happy planning!
