Your wedding day is a magical milestone: it’s the day you and your partner embark on a lifelong journey together. And as you begin the exciting journey of wedding planning, one of the first and most crucial decisions you’ll make is choosing the perfect wedding date. After all, your wedding date sets the stage for your dream celebration and holds significant sentimental value for years to come. But how do you settle on a date that suits your relationship perfectly – and that won’t inconvenience anyone attending your wedding?
Tricky as it might sound, it’s not impossible to achieve this balance (at least now that you’ve landed on this article). Perhaps you’ve dreamed of a fairytale winter wonderland wedding, or maybe you want to exchange vows amidst the vibrant colors of a spring garden. Maybe you’re intrigued by the idea of a numerologically resonant date, or you want to commemorate your special day alongside a meaningful anniversary. In this article, we’ll explain the various factors that come into play when choosing a wedding date, whether they be practical, environmental, or purely romantic!
Yes, we know you’re tired of fielding questions about “when’s the wedding?” Let’s put the issue to bed, once and for all, and plant a large X in the calendar!
Seasons
If the thought of choosing an exact date is too daunting right now, then let’s see if we can narrow it down to a season. Think of your childhood wedding fantasies: were you floating down the aisle in your backyard, a swirling haze of autumn leaves surrounding you? Or were you walking barefoot on plush white sand, the sun beating down on you as you gaze into the eyes of your future spouse? The time of year is instrumental in crafting the type of wedding ceremony you’ve always wanted, so consider the following when it comes to each season.
Spring
Getting married in the spring is a superb way to kick-start a new year, with blooming flowers, fresh colors, and a sense of new beginnings at work in the natural world. As with summer, it’s a ripe time for outdoor celebrations and garden-inspired themes. If you want a more nuanced assessment of spring weddings, take a look at our article on “The Pros and Cons of a Spring Wedding”!
Summer
It’s the peak wedding season, and for a reason: summer weddings exude warmth and vibrancy. Long evenings and warm weather mean that outdoor or beachside ceremonies are easy to execute.
Fall
If you’re planning to get married under a harvest moon, then incorporate those rich autumnal hues into your wedding if you can. The changing leaves provide a stunning backdrop, and you can even give your ceremony a funky Halloween or cozy Thanksgiving theme.
Winter
Summer is a popular wedding season, but that makes it more expensive, too. If you’re sticking to a strict wedding budget, then, you might consider a winter wedding. It’s easy to create a magical ambiance when you have enchanting landscapes, cozy fireside celebrations, and a hint of holiday spirit to work with. If you’re not still convinced, you can also learn more in our “Should You Have a Winter Wedding” article!
Regardless of the time of year you get married, you may still be at the mercy of inclement weather conditions. If you’re set on an outdoor wedding, be prepared with backup plans in case of rain and stormy weather (or even excessive heat). If you have any weather-related information to relay to your guests beforehand – regarding the dress code, for instance – then include that in your RSVP cards or wedding invitations.
Luck and Numerology
These next considerations are far less practical, but they’re a lot of fun! Exploring luck and numerology can add an element of intrigue and symbolism to your decision-making process. A poignant date might even be easier to remember, when it comes to your exchange of anniversary cards and gifts…
Lucky Wedding Dates
Across different cultures and traditions, certain dates are believed to bring good luck and positive energies. For example, according to Martha Stewart.com, the number eight is lucky in some Asian cultures because it sounds like the word for ‘wealth’ or ‘fortune.’ August 8, then – the eighth day of the eighth month – is seen as a particularly auspicious date on which to get married.
Numerology
Numerology is the study of numbers and their symbolic meanings. Furthermore, numerologists believe that you can calculate a ‘Life Path Number’ by reducing your birthdate to a single digit (as Woman’s Day explains). This lucky number may then reveal insights about your personality traits, strengths, and future, and could help you to choose a poignant, positive date. To learn more about how to choose a numerologically approved date – bearing in mind that some numbers are more compatible than others – then take a look at Horoscope.com’s guide on “How to Use Numerology to Find the Best Wedding Date for You.”
Milestone Dates and Meaningful Anniversaries
In this next section, we’re going to discuss whether you should time your wedding date to coincide with a date that’s important to you and your soon-to-be spouse – because of an important anniversary or a cherished memory – or a date that’s important to well, everyone (like New Year’s Eve).
Milestone Dates
Milestone dates are those that carry a broader significance beyond your individual relationship. Examples of milestone dates include New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, or a date associated with a significant historical or cultural event, such as during Pride Month or Black History Month. Celebrating two events at once can infuse your wedding with a festive atmosphere, but be mindful of dates that will be sought-after (or when most vendors and venues will actually be closed).
Meaningful Anniversaries
If none of those holidays or cultural dates appeal to you, then consider your personal milestone dates. It could be the anniversary of your first date, the day you got engaged, or any other memorable occasion in your journey together. Sharing your wedding day with a meaningful anniversary is a way of marking how far you’ve come as a couple, and the date is sure to ring some – wedding – bells for your friends and family when they see your Save the Dates!
Remember to factor in the day of the week, however, if you’re particularly set on a certain anniversary. If your first date anniversary happens to be in the middle of the week, say between Monday and Thursday, it might be tough for everyone to make it. On the plus side, however, this means that ceremony and wedding reception vendors, as well as most other vendors, will have less expensive rates on weekdays and Sundays. By contrast, Saturday is the most popular wedding day and costs more as a result.
Practical Considerations
Okay, so while the symbolic and sentimental aspects of choosing a wedding date are important, you should also be realistic! Not every venue or vendor (the photographer or band, for instance) may be available on the date, and not every guest may be able to attend, either. Here are some pragmatic considerations for when it comes to choosing your wedding date.
Venue Availability
Check the availability of your desired wedding venues for your preferred dates. Popular venues tend to book quickly, especially during peak wedding seasons, but if you can be a little flexible with your dates, it can increase the chances of securing your dream venue. The same is true of vendors: popular services will have multiple bookings, so early communication is essential to reserve the vendor you want.
If possible, narrow down your preferred dates to a handful of possibilities and propose those to your venue in order of preference. That way you’re less likely to end up at a different venue that you don’t truly love.
Guest Availability
Even more important than the venue are the actual attendees: your closest family and friends! While it’s impossible to accommodate everyone’s availability, you can avoid the potential disappointment and heartbreak of people turning down your invite by considering what’s going on in their lives at around the time of your proposed date. Whether your folks are going out of town, your international family members can’t fly due to sky-high prices, or your girlfriends are dealing with school or work conflicts, you may want to keep those details in mind as you go about picking a wedding date.
By the way, one of those conflicts your girlfriends have could be their own weddings. You don’t have to plan your wedding to accommodate the needs of others – this is 100 percent your special day, after all! But you also don’t want to step on the toes of those you love or miss out on them sharing in your special day (and vice-versa). If she’s engaged, you’re engaged, and you’re both planning the wedding of your respective dreams possibly at the same time of year, try to factor that into your planning so mutual friends don’t have to make a tough choice that day.
Budget
This is something we’ve already discussed at length on Zazzle Ideas: check out our “How to Create Your Wedding Budget” article for some cost-cutting measures! Basically, some venues and vendors may offer lower rates during off-peak wedding seasons or weekdays, and selecting a budget-friendly date may allow you to make savings elsewhere.
Part of choosing your wedding date could also involve how long of an engagement you want to have. Perhaps you’d rather have an extra-long engagement so you can keep your same anniversary date. The choice is yours, but it would also give you extra time to save up for your big day!
Holidays and Local Events
We made reference to this earlier, but remember that, while holidays, festivals, or major local events can lend an exciting atmosphere to your wedding, they may also affect availability, travel arrangements, and accommodations for your guests.
As you know by now, our mission at Zazzle is to help you create unique and personalized experiences, from custom wedding invitations to beautifully designed wedding supplies and gifts. With that in mind, we understand that picking a wedding date that’s personal to you and your partner is important (and that it’s not always easy, either).
We hope the tips in the above article have given you some insight into the practical, seasonal, and symbolic reasoning you can use to plan your wedding date, and if you want to share your own wedding dates in the comments below, we’d love to hear about your decision-making process!
Nicole is our Content Strategist. She enjoys long walks to Taco Bell, rollerblading into the sunset, and eating Reese’s Cups for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Find her writing about iPhone cases, holiday card messaging and even music festival tips!
