After months of swimming along in post-engagement bliss, the “moment of truth” has finally arrived – it’s time to set the date for your wedding! While choosing your wedding date may seem like a simple task at the onset, there are a myriad of factors you and your fiance should consider before carving anything in stone. To help make the decision less daunting, De Luxe Banquet Hall would like to share a few hard-learned lessons with all the lovebirds out there.
Tip #1: Plan Around Your Careers.
While there’s no way to foresee what might happen in your respective careers 18 months from now (our Magic 8 Ball says “A Raise Is On The Way!”), you and your fiance should consider any and all job-related conflicts that might arise before finalizing a wedding date. Is there a mandatory company retreat that usually takes place in August? Do you know that your long-time boss will be stepping down in February, creating truckloads of extra work for you and your coworkers?
In general, we suggest that accountants/CPAs avoid getting married between January and May (duh), politicians try not to say their “I Do’s” between July and November (double-duh), and mall Santas should probably block out most of December. (We’re kidding about that last part. Unless you happen to be a mall Santa. Then we’re dead serious.)
Tip #2: Maximize Attendance By Avoiding Holidays and Major Events.
If you try to plan your wedding around the schedules of your friends and family members, we guarantee you’ll drive yourself insane. To maximize attendance while minimizing the danger of losing your mind, the event coordinators at De Luxe Banquet Hall recommend avoiding wedding dates that fall on major holidays (like Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or Flag Day), major sporting events (like the Superbowl), and dates that have negative connotations (like September 11th, or April 15th).
Though holiday weddings can be fun at the time – and often cheaper, since the demand for renting the venue is lower – it may be harder for your guests to ditch their families during the holidays and, given the exorbitant price of airfare and accommodations during the holidays, travel long distances to be a part of your special day.
Tip #3: Considered Every Factor.
When choosing a date for your wedding, it’s important to consider all the factors that might directly or indirectly affect your wedding plans. For example, if you and your fiance plan on taking a tropical honeymoon immediately following your wedding, you may want to research the price of Caribbean vacations at different times of the year. (In case you were wondering, Caribbean flights and accommodations are most expensive in the winter months, and the Hawaiian rainy season typically runs from November until the end of March.) Another important factor to consider might be your choice of flowers; if you have your heart set on hydrangeas but have set your wedding date in January, you might be out of luck! (Unless, of course, you’re willing to pay an arm and a leg for them!)
Tip #4: Setting Your Wedding Date Should Be The First Step.
You can’t have a wedding without a venue, and you can’t reserve a venue unless you know the date or dates that work best for you. Our advice: sit down with your fiance and select 3-5 dates, then rank these dates from most-to-least desired. Knowing this information before you start calling churches and event venues will make the booking process less frustrating for everyone involved. (Trust us on this one!)
