Selecting your wedding date—the first and arguably the most important step in the planning process. If you already have a date in mind that is significant, such as the anniversary of your first date, great! But, depending on the day of the week that it falls, you may have to settle for a nearby date. The good news is that many couples are now opting for non-traditional days of the week and “off-season” months.
Saturdays are the most popular day, and as a result they carry a bigger price tag. Some venues will actually bid for your business and offer deep discounts for holding your wedding during the week, say on a Thursday or Friday, or even on a Sunday.
Depending on where you live in the country, some months are more popular and more expensive than others. Down South, June, August and September tend to be the most popular moths to be wed. Planning tip: Consider another month that you wont be competing with hundreds of other couples. Venues can charge higher fees for those dates because they are in high demand and are often willing to do a little negotiating to book a wedding during the slower months.
As an example, last year the Saturday after Thanksgiving was November the 24th. When making inquiries for venues in late July, may venues said this Saturday was the only Saturday they had open for the remainder of 2012 as it was a holiday weekend, people would be traveling or have out of town guests. Because of this, the venues were willing to offer very generous discounts for this date.
Although choosing a date on a holiday weekend may not work for everyone, it caters well to a small, intimate wedding. Just think – chances are those invited will be family and very close friends, and they will be there no matter what date you choose.
So in order to save money on your wedding, try something new for your “I Do” and consider off-months, pick a different day of the week and don’t overlook holiday weekends. Happy planning!
