How To Pick Your Wedding Date

Before you go venue shopping pump the breaks, you might want to first consider a wedding date, or at least a general time of year. More than you think can go into picking the perfect date for your wedding. You and your fiancé might want to think about the weather or a meaningful anniversary. Whether you have a general idea of your wedding date or have no idea where to start we have some tips to help you make sure you pick the perfect wedding date.

Decide on the time of year
Depending on when you become engaged and how long you want your engagement to be you should have a general sense of what time of year you’d like to get married.  Your location will play a big role if you must think about the seasons. If you like the idea of an October wedding which has become increasingly popular the last few years know that in New England the weather can be somewhat unpredictable.

Go Old School
You might role your eyes, but it isn’t a bad idea to check the local Farmer’s Almanac to check out the weather trends. To some it can be a great tool while others will just roll the dice.    

Are you sentimental?
A trend we have seen is hosting your wedding on the anniversary of your parents/future in-law's wedding. Or you could pick the date you and your fiancé first met. If you decide on an exact date know that you might have a hard time finding your preferred wedding date available at a venue you like, especially if it is a Saturday, which is prime. Rather than get swept up with your commitment to a specific day, remember to look at the big picture. You can always celebrate the sentimental day in another way.

Consider Local Events
Once you have a general location for your wedding it is a good idea to look at any local events that might be happening around the time of your wedding. In Newport, Rhode Island we have the Jazz Festival & Folk Festival in August which is a huge destinate for many locals and tourists to plan their visit around, which could make planning you're wedding a bit challenging. Having your wedding close to a large local event could make mean costly hotel rooms, traffic getting to your wedding and could make it difficult to find vendors for your wedding.  

Venue First, Date Second
This is another option to consider if you do not have a sentimental date set.  

The biggest factor in selecting a wedding date is usually whether the wedding venue you'd like is available or not. Once you've set the place, you can work with the venue to find a date that works best for you.

If you are ready to start looking for a venue, check out our tips to picking the perfect venue here.