How to Choose the Perfect Wedding Date

Choosing the perfect wedding date is one of the first things you do after you become engaged.

Many couples begin stressing this early without taking the time to enjoy each other and share their amazing news with the world.
Here are a few things you should take the opportunity to do to celebrate before starting wedding planning.

• Be happy that you are engaged; flaunt your beautiful Tiffany engagement ring to everyone.
• Hire a wedding photographer and have an engagement photo session.
• Spread the word! The world today is fascinated with social media so you should take advantage of this by sharing on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and any other online venue you like that you are engaged.

After you have taken the time to properly let your engagement sink in, it's time to make some wedding plans. Congratulations!

The average engagement lasts for about a year.

Having a year long engagement allows adequate time to plan things properly and allows you better access to the resources that you desire such as the perfect wedding reception venue (they can be booked a year or more in advance). Keep this in mind when you start thinking of a wedding date.

There are many other things to consider in your wedding planning when it comes to the perfect wedding date.

This hub will feature just a few things to consider when choosing the perfect wedding date.

If you have chosen a wedding theme already it will be easier to guide which season to get married in.

Think about the mood you wish to convey; wedding guests will respond to the wedding environment you choose.

If you have opted for a winter wonderland wedding you probably want to avoid having a wedding in the middle of summer.

Avoid outdoors if you have chosen to have a wedding ceremony in the dead of winter.

Winter: If you are aiming for warmth, comfort and beautiful colors, lights and sparkle: a winter wedding might be perfect for you. Using Christmas decorations can really help with the wedding budget as well. Love the snowfall of the winter but live in the south? Think of having a ski lodge wedding venue where your guests can share your special day with you in a destination wedding.

Spring: Love the shabby chic wedding style? Maybe a vintage wedding theme with Victorian lace and pastel decorations everywhere is more to your liking? Fresh flowers, pastels, lighter menus with salads, seasonal fruits and yummy desserts are perfect for a spring wedding

Summer:Beach wedding? Outdoor garden ceremony? Tented reception at a popular golf course? Bold, bright colors and cold drinks with late night bonfires with sweaty dancing? Summer is definitely the way to go for your wedding season.

Many couples go destination wedding here as well in a tropical resort wedding and honeymoon package in one.

Fall: Do you like the warm color hues of autumn (red, orange, yellow)? Does Halloween excite you?Do you think with the time for family around Thanksgiving should have more celebration? Consider having a warm and cozy fall wedding.

Are you a bit crazy and unique? A Halloween wedding theme has become very popular in recent years.

While thinking of the season to have your wedding, consider if you want to have a holiday specific wedding.

Hot for a rose red wedding dress with rhinestone hearts everywhere? Maybe a Valentine's Day wedding is perfect for you.

Get into the patriotic spirit with red, white and blue snow cones, fireworks and a low country barbecue celebrating your wedding day and the Fourth of July or Canada Day.

Spooky Halloween wedding themes can be super fun for adults and children. Have your wedding guests dress up in Halloween costumes and have a candy buffet for them to trick or treat at.

If you're aiming for spring and pastels, what about an Easter celebration? Add colored eggs to the centerpieces and you can also give Easter basket favors to your wedding guests with marshmallow eggs, chocolate bunny rabbits, Cadbury eggs, mini malted eggs and much more.

Some wedding guests might not like that you have chosen this route because it will interfere with their family celebrations so consider having the holiday wedding not on the date in question, but within a week or two so you still are with a nice time frame.

A bonus to consider in deciding if you want a holiday wedding is long holiday weekends if you will have many out of town wedding guests or are planning a destination wedding where everyone travels.

Depending on the day of the week you get married you could score some pretty great deals. Check to see if your desired venue offers discounts for having weddings on specific days.

For example, from my own personal experiences, Grande Dunes Ocean Club in Myrtle Beach, SC requires a minimum of $8,000 spent for a Saturday wedding, but only $1,000 minimum for Sunday wedding receptions. Grande Dunes also offers a bonus if you meet the minimum requirements by waving the $2,500 venue fee - great incentive for aiming for the lower minimum, especially if you're having a smaller wedding.

If you're being budget conscious about your wedding plans you may want to avoid the peak months of wedding season. May through September are some of the most popular months to get married (some more than others) so the prices will be at their prime. If you check into some venues they may offer a huge discount for having your wedding in the winter months from December-March. For example, Toronto's Liberty Grand offers a 20% discount for winter wedding bookings.

If you push hard enough, many vendors aside from the venue will pile on the discounts and freebies to get your business in the down season; you might just find yourself in a bidding war as they try to gain your business.

With all the choices there are for a perfect wedding day, there are dates that you should avoid.

Consider your religion and any special wedding guests that are "must have" guest's religions; for example, Jewish wedding guests and Seventh Day Adventists will avoid a wedding from Friday at sundown to Saturday at sundown for what is considered the Sabbath Day. Be careful of certain days, or even entire months for religious purposes.

Avoid dates that fall around inventory times at work or when order volume will be high as you will be stressing work when you should enjoy your partner. You might also have to forfeit your honeymoon, or at least shorten it because of work priorities.

High school or college reunion coming this year? Are you still friends with many of your school buddies and are inviting them to your wedding? Keep the dates of the reunion in mind when choosing your date.

Tax day weekend is a no-no as well; too many guests will be caught up in the last minute shuffle to get their taxes done.

The Knot has a perfect "Dates to Avoid" page for 2013-2015 if you are aiming to avoid any and all holidays. So grab your wedding planning book and get started!