Your wedding day is one of the most significant days of your life. On your big day, you’ll want everything to be exactly how you always dreamed it would be, because it will provide you and your partner with beautiful memories as you embark on the journey of the rest of your lives together.
A tremendous amount of time and organization goes into planning a wedding, so the very first thing you need to do is set the date. Every part of the planning process, from booking the reception venue to hiring the caterer, depends on the time frame that you have to work with.
It is crucial that you have the date in place before you proceed with anything else; otherwise you’re going to have a very tough time with your planning.
How much time will it take to plan the wedding?
Planning must begin well in advance of the wedding date in order to make sure every detail is in place and exactly how you want it. The average time to plan a wedding can take anywhere from 9-18 months, depending on how elaborate your wedding is going to be. There are tons of details and dates to coordinate when you plan a wedding, from the flowers to the dress, to the caterer, invitations, venue and much more. Hiring a wedding planner can help significantly with making planning decisions and keeping details organized, especially if you’re putting on a lavish wedding.
Think about your guests
Consider the schedules of guests that you plan to invite to the wedding. Take into account what other people may be doing, like traveling for business or attending a graduation or another wedding. Planning far in advance gives guests the opportunity to pencil your wedding into their schedule so they can plan around it. Be careful not to choose a date too close to any holidays, because these times are already hectic enough. Some guests may need to travel to the wedding, so try to be mindful of other travel plans that they may have.
Which season is best?
According to theweddingchannel.com, nearly 70% of weddings take place from May-October each year. Winter is the off-season for weddings, and might be a good choice if you’d like to try and avoid having your wedding during the busy season.
Each season has its own benefits, drawbacks and challenges. Think about the different seasons and figure out which one appeals to you the most. If you decide to get married during the busy wedding season, be aware that you will be competing with lots of other couples to book venues and vendors.
Winter– Although a lot of people tend to plan their wedding in the summertime, winter can also be a great season for a memorable wedding. An outdoor winter wedding or a “winter wonderland” type of theme can be very romantic but you’ll want to make sure that your guests are able to stay warm!
Spring– Spring is a season of rebirth and renewal. It is also the time when all the trees and flowers come to life after a long winter. Spring weddings in lush gardens full of blooming flowers are a popular option, but if you’re planning a spring wedding, you might have to have a backup plan in case it rains.
Summer– It is well-known that summer is a popular season for weddings. It is warm and the weather is nice, perfect for a wedding on the beach. However, summer is one of the busiest and most popular seasons for weddings so if you don’t want to deal with that, you may want to choose a different season. You will probably have to pay premium rates during this time because venues and services are in such high demand.
Fall– Fall is an earthy season with rich colors that will provide a spectacular backdrop for your special day. The distinct colors of this season will make for a memorable wedding, but you will need to plan for cold weather and possible rain.
Destination Weddings– If you don’t want to wait around for the perfect season for your wedding, you might want to consider a destination wedding. This way you can pick a location where you are pretty much guaranteed to have good weather. With a destination wedding, you can go anywhere in the world that you want. However, it can be very expensive, especially if you want to invite a lot of guests! Beware that when planning your wedding in another state or country you can run into legal hurdles, so make sure you know what the rules are before you go.
