Often the first thing on the mind of engaged couples is the idea of picking a wedding date.

A wedding date is important to consider because it could change many of your other wedding decisions. You will not be having a beach wedding on Cape Cod if you plan your wedding for the middle of December, and you won’t want to pick a wedding date on the busiest weekend for travel if many of your guests live far away.

It can sometimes feel overwhelming to try and think about all of these details when trying to plan a wedding date. On top of that, once you choose a wedding date and send out the invitations, there is no turning back if your outdoor wedding is scheduled during a thunderstorm. Fortunately, the following article from About.com will provide all of the topics to consider when choosing your wedding date.

Picking the Perfect Wedding Date

Choosing a wedding date is a little bit like playing Tetris. Trying to fit together all of the different elements to consider can be a bit tricky, especially with 365 (or more) days to choose from. Here are the major things you should think about when choosing a wedding date:

Consider the Seasons of Potential Wedding Dates

Perhaps the first thing to consider is what season you want to get married in. Do you want the beauty and lushness of spring flowers, the warmth of summer, the coziness of fall, or a winter wonderland wedding? If you are a teacher, summers might be best. For tax accountants, spring is definitely out.

Which Day of the Week?

Do you definitely want a Saturday wedding, or do you want to save money by having it on a Sunday or weekday? Do religious observances, like the Jewish or Christian Sabbaths mean that either Saturday or Sunday weddings aren’t an option? If most of your wedding guests are in town and not traveling, you might also consider having a weekday wedding, when there will be discounts and more availability of premium locations and vendors.

Marking Special Occasions with Your Wedding Date

Many couples love the idea of getting married on Valentine’s Day (February 14th), or The Sweetest Day (October 18th). You could get married on the anniversary of the day you met, or honor your parents or grandparents by choosing their wedding date. (If your parents are divorced, you probably don’t want to make them uncomfortable by getting married on their wedding date.) You could get married on one of your birthdays, or on the anniversary of a favorite moment in history – like Queen Victoria’s wedding date, for Victorian-themed weddings.

How Long Should Your Engagement Be?

I think that a year is a good amount of time to plan a wedding, while not stressing out. Other people think that spending an entire year is unnecessary and torturous. It’s certainly possible to have a very short engagement or one that spans several years.

Prioritize Your Different Desires

You may have to make some hard choices. If one of you really wants to get married on your anniversary, but it falls on a Friday, and the other really wants a Saturday evening wedding, you’re going to need to find a compromise. Each of you should rank what is most important to you. Perhaps there’s something else that one of you wants (say a favorite wedding band, or to avoid the receiving line) that you can trade for your choice of wedding date.

Make Sure You Avoid Certain Wedding Dates

The last thing you want to do is have your wedding on Super Bowl Sunday, or on an important religious holiday. You want wedding guests to be happily present, not resentful or secretly listening to the big game. I’ve put together this list of wedding dates to avoid so you won’t accidentally make a huge mistake.

Consult Key Participants

If your sister will be in the midst of college finals, or your parents will be in Aruba, that’s not a good wedding date. Don’t worry about too many people, only those who absolutely must be there.

Consult Your Favorite Wedding Locations and Vendors

If you really want your wedding ceremony at your church, or the reception at your town’s most beautiful hall, you’ll want to make sure they’re available before you start sending out Save the Dates. Most people won’t change their wedding date just because their favorite photographer isn’t available, but if that’s important to you, you’ll want to book him or her first before finalizing your wedding date. Not having the very best location or vendor won’t mean disaster, but their availability is at least something to consider.
Salem Cross Inn is open year-round and we would be more than happy to host your wedding. If you need help choosing your wedding date or would like to schedule our beautiful venue for your wedding, please feel free to contact us.