when's the wedding? What if you can 'see the potential' in too many
options? Here's how to narrow it down.
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Choosing a Wedding Date v When You're Feeling Indecisive
He v or she v asked, and you answered. Now's the time to bask in the
romance, and enjoy the first phase of your new life together. But
soon, you'll need a response for that timeless question: "when's the
wedding?"
For some couples, it's easy v they know just when they want to tie
the knot. For others, it's less clear. After all, you have a lot of
options. Even more than you might think, since it's really not
necessary to get married on a Saturday. Friday and Sunday afternoons
are good choices too, and less expensive.
So if you're looking at the calendar ahead and seeing a hundred
alternatives, all about equally attractive, here's how to narrow
them down.
*Must-have venues
No matter how flexible you are, there's bound to be things you won't
compromise on. Maybe it's a particular church, temple and officiant
for your ceremony. Maybe it's a special venue for your reception.
And there are certain indispensable guests, like your parents.
Luckily for you, putting just these three things together is bound
to reduce your choices. Once you call on the church/temple, ceremony
venue or reception hall, you'll probably find many dates already
filled, especially if you call less than nine months in advance.
Good. That makes your choice easier.
*Must-have ambiance
But maybe you don't have a must-have venue. Maybe you just have an
image in your mind of the perfect wedding. Maybe it involves falling
snow, ermine mantles, a horse-drawn carriage, and a crackling
fireplace. Maybe it involves stacks of shiny apples, heaps of
pumpkins, a scattering of leaves and the scent of cranberry-apple
cider. Or delicate pastels, gossamer pashminas for the bridesmaids,
and a dove release. In this case your time of year is set: all
that's needed it to work out the logistics of venue, local climate
and the availability of your most important guests.
*Must-have flowers
Some people know exactly what floral arrangements they want at their
wedding. Flowers are such an enormous part of the wedding budget, if
particular ones are important to you, you might want to arrange your
date around them. Unless you're an heiress, for example, you'll want
to avoid buying roses for your Valentine's Day wedding. On the other
hand, December and January are great months to buy calla lilies. To
study flower availability charts, Google for "flower availability by
month."
*Must-have honeymoons
If you have your heart set on a certain destination, you'll probably
find the honeymoon helps set the date for you. Chances are, some
dates are good for travel but others involve the risk of hurricanes
or lengthy rains.
*Limited budget
For now, winter is the slow wedding season. So it's often (though
not always) true that you can get a break on expenses by having your
ceremony during the holidays. Brides often find that by marrying
near Christmas, they benefit from already-decorated churches and
don't need to add much themselves. Plus, if they shop the year
before, they can stock up on decorations at incredibly discounted
post-holiday sales. The trick is to avoid competing with office
parties for reception venues and limousines (New Year's Eve is
particularly competitive).
Another factor to consider, besides the possibility of dismal
weather, is how many guests are due from out-of-town. Flying in for
a wedding during the holidays can stress any family's Christmas
budget, plus airlines often charge extra during the season.
If you need to keep expenses in check but want to avoid winter, make
sure you steer clear of proms, graduation, "parents' day" at
colleges, major sporting events and other local events.
*"Life" dates
You might find your own life gives more guidance than you think. Are
you a teacher, with set vacation times? Are you graduating from
college or ending an internship? Are many of your relations
students, available only during the holidays or the summer? If
you're working, is your vacation time limited to a certain time of
year? If many guests are flying in, will Labor Day weekend or
Memorial Day weekend give them time to get acclimated and enjoy your
big day? If none of these apply, is there a date that has special
significance to you as a couple, such as the date you first met or
first dated?
*"Auspicious" dates
Many people find little extra jolt of comfort in picking auspicious
days for their wedding. In India and China, this is standard
practice. But even in the West, people often find it reassuring to
pick numbers or dates with personal meaning. A Chinese custom is to
select a date with as many even numbers as possible (such as 2-18-
2006). The Irish believed that New Year's Eve is luckiest for
weddings. The Romans (and consequently, modern westerners) favored
the month of June. For Victorians, it was lucky to marry on the
groom's birthday.
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About the Author
Blake Kritzberg is ringmaster at "FavorIdeas.com." Stop by for
wedding favor ideas, Save-the-Date eCards, free wedding screensaver,
free wedding templates and Bridezilla's weekly adventures at:
http://www.favorideas.com
