Consider

Choosing the Right Wedding Date
Winter wedding dates are becoming increasingly popular.

Due to the popularity of the movie “Frozen”, more and more people are placing their wedding date in the winter.

Every bride dreams of the perfect wedding and one of the first decisions that you have to make is the date. Some couples have a special day and won’t even think about choosing another wedding date, but many people aren’t even sure where to start. Here are some tips to help you narrow the choices and select a date that will work for you.

What’s Your Dream Wedding?

When you see yourself getting married, you have to know what you envision as your ideal. Maybe you want to be married in a lush rose garden, which might mean a late spring or early summer wedding. If you’ve always wanted to get married in a vineyard, you might have to think late September or October. With the popularity of the movie “Frozen,” more couples are thinking of a beautiful white, winter wedding. Choose a season that fits your imagination.

Consider the Weather

Even if your wedding is inside, you should take into account the weather when planning the date. If you imagine the groom wearing a tux or full suit, the middle of summer might not be the best choice. It’s just too hot to be so formal in 100-degree weather. The other factor in considering the weather is your guests’ comfort. If you’re having an outside wedding, you don’t want your guests to bake in the sun or freeze because it’s too cold. Of course, there are always unseasonable temperatures, but you can’t control everything.

Consider Your Budget

There’s a reason June, September and October are popular months to get married in, and it’s because the weather is generally fairly dependable. Vendors know that these are popular months, and the prices go up during the wedding season. If you have a strict budget, you might want to consider an off-season wedding. But you do need think about sacrifices in other areas, because specialty flowers aren’t always as readily available in off-season months. Saving money with the venue, then spending it on flowers doesn’t make the most sense if you’re trying to save money.

Special Occasions to Consider for Your Wedding Date

It might be nice to get married on New Year’s Eve, because the date will always be special in more ways than one. When considering your wedding date, you have to consider the holiday season. On Valentine’s Day, roses tend to be more expensive, which could increase your budget. If you live in a college town, you may also have to think about sports events, such as homecoming. This might make it difficult for your friends and family to find reasonable accommodations. Hotels, flights and car rentals all tend to get more expensive on holiday weekends and when demand is higher.

Another element in looking at special dates is that of those dates special to you and your spouse. Whether it’s the day you met or your grandparent’s anniversary, you may be looking at one particular date. Consider how important the actual date is versus some flexibility in scheduling.

The Venues May Have Limited Availability

Once you choose your ideal date, you have to work it out with your venues. Often, churches won’t hold weddings on Sundays because they are using the facility for their own services. With some places, you may have to work around corporate events or other weddings. Again, some flexibility is always good when planning, especially when you have a short time frame.

Decide what’s most important to you when choosing your wedding date and what you won’t compromise on. Check with family members and your wedding party to make sure you’re not planning your wedding on top of someone’s graduation from college or silver anniversary wedding trip. It will save you a lot of headache in the long run. Although you cannot plan for every contingency, you can really consider some of the most important factors in choosing your wedding date to have the wedding of your dreams.

Wedding Rules You Might Want to Consider Breaking
Breaking some of the rules during wedding planning can allow the couple to save some funds and allocate them to a different aspect of the wedding.

A couple making a heart because they love saving money by breaking all of the wedding rules.

The demographics of brides and grooms are changing. Traditionally, the bride’s parents paid for most of the expenses of a ceremony, but according to the Association of Bridal Consultants, only about 10 percent of weddings now are paid in full by the bride’s parents. People are waiting longer to get married too. The average age of brides is 27 and for grooms, the age is 29. This allows people to be more established in a career and foot the bill for their own nuptials. With the average cost of a wedding approaching more than $32,000, one way to save money is to break some rules.

Plan the Date Carefully

While many brides dream of a summer wedding, holding the date off-season can be very economical. Another way to save substantially is to hold the wedding on a weekday instead of Saturday. Technically, there’s no rule that says you have to get married on a Saturday, it is just more convenient for those who have to work.

Watch Your Guest List

There is a rule that you shouldn’t invite someone to the reception who hasn’t been invited to the ceremony. You don’t want to break that rule. It could appear that you are being greedy. However, there are ways to cut some corners when it comes to the number of people you’re inviting. Shorten the guest list. Less guests means less tables, so you cut costs by not having to rent linens, chairs, or flatware, and by not having to provide centerpieces.

Do You Have to Wear White?

White wedding dresses were made popular in the 18th century when Queen Victoria chose to wear white for her marriage ceremony, but in one survey almost half of people feel that a white dress is on its way out. The wedding dress can be one of the biggest line items, so it makes sense to really get the dress you want to wear. The grooms don’t necessarily need to wear a tux either. For a summer wedding, a nice vest and shirt might be formal enough without being too hot. Just because it’s always been done one way, doesn’t mean you have to keep doing it.

Choosing the Venue

Just a few weeks ago, we wrote about the reduced costs of a wedding in Windsor. Choosing to hold your ceremony in a larger city such as Montreal or Vancouver can significantly increase the costs of your nuptials. Look for different venues that have the space you want without having the demand of multiple brides. You might be surprised at the cost difference, which could help you have more money for other items that are more important.

Watch Your Bottom Line

Every good entrepreneur knows that every item in the business budget counts. Think like a business owner instead of a bride when you’re having to watch your finances. Go through every item and see exactly where you want to cut costs. If the photography is a priority, then don’t make a trade-off in that category. Maybe you have a friend who can drive you to the wedding instead of hiring a limo. Instead of having a full sit-down meal, could you have an afternoon wedding with cake and punch or a buffet service?

What Is Your Wedding About?

Every bride and groom wants their wedding to be memorable. Sure, the decorations, flowers, and reception are important to making those memories, but keep in mind that the real matter of the day is the vows. It’s about making a commitment to each other to live together for the rest of your life. The rest of the stuff is just that. Don’t be afraid to break some rules about your wedding. Remember what’s important. Be a good host. Rock your vows. Enjoy your day without wondering how you’ll ever pay for it.