Hello newly engaged Bride or Groom to be, Congratulations! One of the first things you will want to think about, after you've finished off the copious amounts of prosecco (maybe that was just us) is your wedding date! Lots of people celebrate the anniversary of when they got together with their significant other but once your are married, you will celebrate your wedding date together for the rest of your life.
A day where you might choose to honour the traditional wedding anniversary gifts – paper for year one, cotton for year two, leather for year three, silver to celebrate 25 years of marriage, and if you’re incredibly lucky then diamonds for 60 years. I am one of those lucky people to have been able to celebrate Diamond anniversaries with both of my Grandparents and it's such a momentous occasion! You may choose to put a more modern spin on your celebrations. Either way this is a date that you will be celebrating for years, and hopefully, decades to come so it’s something that should be given careful consideration.
Perhaps up to this point choosing a date felt secondary to choosing a season or general time of year you wanted to get married and then seeing when your preferred venue could fit you in but there is more to consider. The fact that you are going to be celebrating this date every year for the rest of your life means you want it to be the right date, and a date both of you can remember! You don't want that awkward year where one gets a card and the other doesn't.
What should you consider when choosing a wedding date?
There are going to be several factors that could influence your choice of wedding date and in this blog we are going to look at a few of them in more detail. We will look at:
· Dates that already have sentimental meaning
· Budget
· Honeymoon location and timing
· Style of wedding you would like
Dates with sentimental meaning
Dates that already carry sentimental meaning for you can have two very clear impacts when choosing your wedding date. They will either be dates where you want to add in celebration and happiness and having your wedding on them feels perfect. Or they could be dates that are completely ruled out for you because you already have something you want to honour on those dates. Examine these closely and make sure you are taking into account any sentimental dates for your future spouse as well as your own.
Wedding budget
What kind of budget do you have available to you? And what do you think you will need to have available to plan and have your dream wedding? Knowing this could make a massive difference when it comes to choosing your wedding date, as you may need to commit to a longer engagement so you can save up the required funds for your special day. Remember that what is important is creating a day that you will cherish forever. Weddings don't have to cost the earth but if there is something you've been thinking about having at your wedding day what is another year of engagement when it comes to the rest of your life.
Honeymoon
Do you have your heart set on a specific location for your honeymoon? Is there a time of year that would be best to travel there to ensure you have great weather and an amazing time? Are you intending to go straight after your wedding, or will you plan your honeymoon for later on in the year? If your honeymoon destination has a rainy season that you need to avoid and you want your honeymoon right after the wedding, then you need to take this into consideration as you pick your wedding date. If, on the other hand, you don’t mind waiting a few months for your honeymoon, or the weather isn’t an important factor for you then it won’t have the same level of impact.
Style of wedding
What style of wedding do you have your heart set on? Do you want an outdoor ceremony with lots of sunshine and natural bright light? Are you looking for a more rustic feel incorporating wonderful autumn colours and falling leaves? Is the outside environment less important because your ceremony and reception will be held mostly inside with most of your photos also being done inside? Are there specific flowers that you want which are easier to get hold of at certain times of the year? Or are you quite flexible and open to change? This could be a really important factor as you head into the planning phase so really give it some thought before you get any dates booked in.
A date to remember
Some things will naturally have a bigger impact than others when it comes to picking the perfect wedding date. The main thing is to ensure that you have good communication with your future spouse so that you can fully examine what is important to both of you, and you can then set a date that you are both happy with. This will be a date that you celebrate year after year so take some time to really consider the different things that could impact and influence your choice.
If you are stuck in your wedding planning journey or just need a few tips from an expert why not book one of my Online Planning Calls - 1.5 hour meeting, filled with hints and tips to help kickstart your wedding plans, or get you away from a sticking point in your planning. These are zoom calls are lead by where you are in your journey, no question too small!!
You can book one by reaching out on Instagram or through the contact me page on my website - www.kathrynleigh.co.uk/contact-wedding-planner-leicester
Happy Planning, Kathryn Leigh x