HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING DATE

Now that you’re engaged (insert confetti!! 🎉🎉), you are so excited to begin planning your big day!

As your family and friends find out that “the question” was popped, they’ll inevitably begin asking you when the big day will be. This can be overwhelming at first if you let it. But don’t lose the joy of planning over such a simple question! Focus less on the date and more on the actual wedding. If you’ve dreamed of your big day and have a vision of how you want it to look, you’ll want to plan based on the style, availability of the dream venue, and your vision. In this post, we’ll share what factors to look out for when choosing your date and alternatives to make yourself aware of.

POPULAR ‘CUTE’ DATES

Why are there certain dates that get booked more quickly than others?? Brides typically go for the popular dates because they love how the date looks on details like the save-the-dates and wedding invitations. Some love numerical dates because they are easy to remember. In 2020, those tended to be: 10/10/2020 or 3/21/2020, or even 8/8/2020. Unfortunately, COVID got in the way of some of those dates making 2021 start booking up even faster than expected for a typical year. There are several of these numerical patterned dates coming up in 2021 and 2022, too! They look fun on stationery, but beware… they also come with competition and get snatched up quickly. Unless you are set on a specific date because it’s an anniversary date, we recommend looking at other less popular dates. You will have more options with venues and other important vendors such as photographers and DJs and won’t have to compromise your vision for the perfect date.

This fun couple pictured in this blog, Chloe and Dakota, will be getting married to us at The Postmark this coming Saturday, September 19, 2020. Fun story about them? They did fall in love with our space, how easy we were to work with, and the icing on the cake because their special day was on the safe, where we let all our couples sign when you say I do with us. How cool is that?

HOLIDAY DATES

Just like the popular ‘cute’ dates, holidays can be fun dates to use, especially with extra long weekends like Memorial Day and Labor Day. These dates come with a higher price point though for both the venue and the other supporting vendors. Most venues will be hiring staff to make the day go smoothly. With staff supply being fewer and harder to find on a holiday, this can cost the venue more than it would for other dates. (And that’s just naming one increased cost.) This increase is typically deferred to the couple as part of their booking a holiday date. Some other dates like these include New Years Eve or Christmas Eve. And on a personal level, try to find a date that’s not around other important dates such as birthdays or parent’s anniversaries. This can unintentionally make that time of year expensive and not just that year, but for many in the future.

THINK OUTSIDE OF A SATURDAY

Events usually occur on a Saturday because they are the most convenient for travel, and the majority of your family and friends will be off of work. Keep in mind, though, that most venues have food and beverage minimums that have to be me (we don’t here), which are higher on special dates and Saturdays because they tend to be more popular. Having a wedding on a Friday or Sunday can be lighter on the wallet in this way as well. Remember we mentioned extended holiday weekends? Check with your desired venue about a holiday weekend Sunday. Sometimes these can be less expensive, and your guest still has time to travel as needed. Friday weddings can always begin after your guests get off work and can easily flow into the evening, just like if you were going out to a fancy dinner and then dancing. Sunday weddings can have a fun twist to them by having a brunch instead of dinner. Who doesn’t love a waffle station with all the toppings one could dream up?

MORE IMPORTANT THAN A DATE

At The Postmark, we believe there is more to a wedding than just the date. The venue is often the most important to couples. You want one that reflects that “dream” you’ve had of your big day since you were little. Sometimes when you come already set on a date to a venue, you can fall in love with the venue and get all the feels, only to learn that someone else already has the date booked. Instead, going into a venue with an open mind and a few possible dates will save you from heartbreak and uncomfortable decisions later. Another recommendation is to come to the venue with a time of year you love. If you love the color of a fall day with cool/crisp evenings, mention September and October. If you prefer the chance to have a little snow on the ground, maybe consider dates such as January or February. Winter months and off-season dates will save you some money, too, on top of considering a less popular date.

But before you totally lock in your date, check with those who you HAVE to have at your event and can’t imagine getting married without their presence. You want to be sure that you don’t fall in love with a date that they already have plans or prior commitments before you said yes.

The Postmark team loves to help with all the details,

because we are passionate about you as the couple.

If you are ready to check availability or lock in that perfect date, contact us here!