Your go-to guide for choosing your wedding date

Ready to face your family and friends after a week (or day) of engaged life but dreading the silliest and most frustrating of all small talk conversation starters for engaged couples? “When’s the wedding?”

Well once you’ve told them to leave you alone because there’s no way you’ve organised anything yet, you might actually start thinking about when you actually will get married. Then comes the question of how to choose your wedding day.

choose wedding date — Dartmouth House Wedding Venue

How important is your wedding date?

Choosing the most important day of your life may seem daunting, but remember that at the end of the day you’ll be married to your absolute favourite person. So whether that happens on a Monday in spring or a Saturday in winter, don’t get too caught up on the date itself!

At the end of the day as long as the people who are most important to you are going to be there, then the actual date of your wedding doesn’t matter as much. Though if you are worried about clashing with public holiday dates or choosing a date that clashes, then make a list of dates you DON’T want to get married on to narrow it down.

So, how do you choose your wedding date?

Remember, choosing your wedding date isn’t as daunting as it seems! There are a few different ways to choose your date, but some couples actually choose a date that has special meaning to them.

It could be your anniversary date, a birthday or New Year’s Eve, if this is you then you’ve already got the choosing part covered! But here are a few other ways you can choose the day you’re going to celebrate for years to come.

As with most things wedding planning, a lot of people are coming into new territory and haven’t done it before. So take notes from couples who have by looking at what they’ve done in the past!

By the season

If you want to choose your wedding based on what the surroundings and photos are going to look like, or how the weather might hold up, then choosing by season is your best bet. You’re also not alone, with many other couples choosing their wedding date based on the season.

Summer and early autumn are generally the most popular months to get married in, with spring coming in as the next most popular.

Weather is a big factor in why summer and autumn weddings are the most popular for couples, as you’re generally not going to have to deal with snow or cold weather. When it then comes to what your surroundings look like, think florals for summer and rich autumn colours later in the year.

Based on your venue

The first supplier that most couples book for their big day is their venue and many couples will actually book their wedding based on when they can book their venue in. For instance, you might already have an idea of what time of year you want to get married and then narrow the date down by which Saturday you can book your venue in around that time.

But what happens if you find a venue you’re in love with but discover they’re booked out for every single Saturday in summer?! The trick is to not be afraid about mixing things up a little. While most couples still get married on a Saturday, you can also work with your venue to find another date. After all, it might be most important to you to get married at the venue you want rather than on a specific date.

We are seeing more weddings on Fridays and Sundays so there are plenty of days that you can book your venue and make sure you don’t miss out.

Some couples feel like they need to get married on a weekend because that’s when most people aren’t working, but it’s the most important day of your life. The guests that mean the most to you shouldn’t hesitate to take an extra day off or have a 3-day weekend!

So whether it’s your venue, photographer, celebrant or even band, don’t be afraid to break the mould for the suppliers you love and choose a non-Saturday date.

By the month

If you’re already narrowing down what season you want to get married in, or know that your venue already has availability, then you might want to narrow down your date choice even more.

While fewer couples do choose their date based on the month, look at August, June, September and October as popular months to get married in, or know when you’re going to have to book your suppliers in advance.

According to your budget

Another way to choose your wedding date could be based on your budget. If you want to have the wedding of your dreams but are seeing how it fits in with all of your other financial priorities such as a mortgage or kids, then selecting your wedding date based on your budget can actually save you some money.

Nearly half of the average wedding budget goes towards your wedding venue, so choosing the date for your venue based on how much you can spend is a great way to reduce some of your overall costs.

Winter weddings, for instance, are a great way to get married on that Saturday date with a reduced price tag, as most venues will offer winter rates during the off-peak season. And if you’re inside then you don’t need to worry about getting out in the cold!

Many venues will also offer a weekend rate for a Friday to Sunday wedding, with a different rate for Monday through to Thursday as they are generally less popular. So if you’re thinking about getting married in peak wedding season when your venue is booked out and also charging peak rates, then consider a weekday wedding. It’s a great way for you to have the wedding of your dreams while saving up for the next big thing.

Choose it however you want!

While these are the most popular ways to choose your wedding date, that doesn’t mean that they are the be-all and end all!

For instance, some couples choose their wedding date because it’s a day they love, such as 02/02/2020. Others choose it because it’s the most convenient for their guests, and a small number of couples choose the date because it has significance for their family or because it’s astrologically the best date for them!

Whatever you decide, remember that the date is the day you get to stand across from the person you love and exchange your vows. So unless it already has specific meaning to you, then you might be like most couples who choose their date just because, and have all the fun in the world anyway.