Wedding dates
How to choose your perfect date!
What date are you thinking about, and how do you choose?
Have you recently gotten engaged? Congratulations! That means you are getting ready to start planning that special day!
The first thing that you will have to do is choose that all important date. Most vendors that you will book (photographers, caterers, florists etc) will require that you have a date planned so they can guarantee availability. There are a few main things to think about when choosing the date, including seasons, venue availability and sentimental dates! So what date do you choose?
The season you choose to have your wedding can greatly alter the way your day will look!
Winter, Spring Summer or Fall?
Even in Scotland where the weather can be unpredictable, the seasons are all very different and have totally different looks. Certain colour schemes will look better in specific seasons, and different flowers will be in bloom if you are planning on having fresh flowers. It may also affect your wedding attire, and completely alter your day’s timeline too.
Winter
Winter is always a magical time to get married! Especially at Christmas time. There’s even the possibility of a white wedding if you are lucky!
The most popular colour schemes at Christmas tend to be darker colours – any combo of maroon, navy blue and forrest green. Black and gold also work really well at this time of year.
One of my favourite things about winder weddings are the gorgeous attire! Thick cloaks, faux fur wraps or gorgeous gowns with full sleeves. You may find kilts a little ‘breezy’, but the thick wool should still keep you warm!
Obviously the weather will be cold, but you should also anticipate rain and possibly strong wind. The main issue with winter is daylight. You end up a bit more restricted in terms of outdoor photos, and this can alter your timeline.
Spring
Spring is a very popular choice world wide for weddings. It usually means gorgeous pastel colours and mild weather.
In Scotland, springtime tends to be quite cold still, although April tends to be less rainy than other months. There will be a larger selection of fresh flowers available, including daffodils and hydrangeas. Multicolour pastel colour pallets look gorgeous at this time of year.
You could choose almost any wedding attire in spring and make it work successfully! Lighter clothes, like strappy dresses, would be fine and long sleeved gowns and full suits would probably not be too hot either! Floral lace and flower crowns look gorgeous at this time too.
This time of year there is more opportunity for outdoor photos, and in the evening sometimes you can get that gorgeous ‘golden hour’ light.
Summer
Summer can be a gorgeous season to get married, but it can also unfortunately be one of the most expensive!
You may find that a lot of venues have dynamic pricing, meaning the same venue that is £5k in the winter may well be £10k in the summer. This is due to the generally sunnier and warmer weather, but this is definitely not guaranteed.
The most vibrant colour schemes work best in the summer, bold reds and blues, even yellows and vibrant greens. My favourite colour scheme at the moment is the ‘wildflower’ style that’s popular!
Flowers at this time tend to be more roses, sunflowers and my personal favourite – peonies.
Planning for hotter weather when choosing outfits may be a good idea too. Lighter dresses, skinny or no straps, and maybe even a jacket-less look for the guys.
The days will be long, so there’s no shortage of natural light for photos! But things like sparkler photos may be less likely, as it may not be dark enough before your photographer leaves!
Autumn
Autumn has to be one of my favourite times of year for weddings – but I may be bias! My husband and I chose autumn for our own wedding 2 years ago.
Weather can be a bit rainy but a little warmer than earlier in the year. My favourite part is that sunsets tend to come with a gorgeous ‘golden hour’, where the light is gorgeous and warm. This is great for evening photos.
Colour schemes can be a bit more restrictive, but burnt oranges and navy blues can work really well. Autumn also means Halloween themed weddings! Which I am very partial to, as its my favourite holiday.
Heavier fabrics can work well, and capes look really cute, but you may want to skip the dainty heels if you plan on taking outside photos!
Sentimental dates
Using sentimental dates can be a great way to make your wedding date special to you, and there’s a few ways to do this.
Most couples who choose a sentimental date tend to choose their relationship anniversary. This can be very special as it is a reminder of the day you started dating! It also has the more practical aspect of not having 2 separate anniversaries.
You may also choose a family members’ anniversary. I have heard of some people honouring parents with the same anniversary, and I think it’s so lovely! I even know a couple who choose the same date as the brides’ parents and her maternal grandparents!
I have also heard of couples choosing one or the others birthdays, and my own grandparents were married on my gran’s birthday.
Venue Availability
Have you already found your dream venue? Fantastic! you may find however that depending on the venue, they may be fully booked up to a year in advance. If the venue is what is important to you, then you may have to be a little flexible on the date.
As I mentioned above, a lot of venues have slightly different pricing structures for different seasons, so make sure you factor this in. Some venues may be the same across the board, in which case just choose the season that works best for you and a date that they still have available! There are some who have only 2 pricing scales – peak-season and off-season. Peak season is different for each venue as well, and can be anything from March to October. And finally, there will be some venues who price each season separately, summer usually being the most expensive.
Some venues even offer mid-week pricing, but then you have the consideration of your guests being able to get time off work and whether having a midweek wedding is worth the money you will save.
Budget Considerations
One of the final but most important things to consider are your own budget limitations. One of the first things you should do when planning a wedding is set a budget. No matter is your budget is £1k, £10k or £30k, your date will need to give you enough time to be able to afford the budget you have set yourself. Some couples may need 3 or 4 years to save enough for their dream wedding, so this may push back the date by a while. If you’re planning on eloping, this usually comes with a much smaller budget and may be able to happen in just 2 or 3 months.
Just remember that no matter how long it may take, your dream wedding will always be worth it. Whether that dream is a huge castle wedding surrounded by 200+ family and friends, or a secret elopement in the forest with just you, a celebrant and 2 witnesses.
Choosing a date can be a daunting task, but remember that this date is one that you will cherish for the rest of your life. You will be celebrating this day every year for many years to come, possibly even going on holiday to commemorate special anniversaries. No matter what the date is, your wedding will make it the perfect day.